I predict what will happen in 2026 with AI, politics, and the economy, comparing my answers with ChatGPT. I answer Tony’s question on reconciling living off unemployment benefits while now facing high taxes as an entrepreneur. I explain why I’m not anti-taxes but believe the system needs to change, especially for small businesses. I share key predictions: AI growth slows but adoption surges, tech jobs shift, SaaS competition increases, open source grows, and distribution is crucial. I finish with rapid-fire yes/no predictions for the year ahead.

Timestamps by Podsqueeze

Introduction & Episode Overview (00:00:00)  

Listener Question: Unemployment Benefits & Taxes (00:01:20)  

Personal Background & German Unemployment System (00:02:37)  

Views on Taxes, State, and Public Services (00:03:49)  

Critique of Bureaucracy and Tax System (00:08:54)  

Fairness, Bureaucracy, and Indie Makers (00:10:04)  

2026 Predictions: AI Progress & Adoption (00:14:10)  

White Collar Job Displacement by AI (00:15:11)  

Tech Output & Indie Maker Opportunities (00:16:17)  

Build Costs Drop & SaaS Market Changes (00:17:41)  

SaaS Consolidation & Distribution Importance (00:19:11)  

Open Source Growth & Google/SEO Shifts (00:21:52)  

Discovery Shifts & AI Bubble Outlook (00:22:59)  

Human-Centric Products & AI Transition Support (00:25:51)  

Yes/No Prediction Questions with ChatGPT (00:27:09)  

Reflection on Prediction Alignment (00:33:30)  

Closing & Listener Engagement (00:34:42)

Welcome to the Indie Founder Podcast—a show where I (Tiago) share my journey from software engineer to full-time indie maker. In this podcast, I talk about building bootstrap businesses like Podsqueeze—ventures grown without outside funding—and my dream of creating an “indie empire.” I’ll be documenting my experiences, offering practical tips, and featuring interviews with other indie founders. If you’re curious about life beyond the 9-to-5 and want real, honest insights into indie entrepreneurship, this podcast is for you!

In a conversation with my co-founder we speak about why we’re not selling Podsqueeze in 2026, our MRR numbers, tackling churn, and the challenges of B2B vs. B2C. I explain our SEO strategy and why we invested $1,500 in a domain. I share new learnings about automating with N8N and the impact of AI on SaaS. Distribution—not just building products—is key. My prediction for 2026: focus on what works, cut what doesn’t, double down on SEO and automation, and leverage all our assets for growth.

Timestamps by PodSqueeze

Decision Not to Sell PodSqueeze (00:00:03)  

PodSqueeze Growth Metrics & Churn Reduction (00:01:19)  

Retention Strategies: Pricing & Rollover Minutes (00:03:52)  

Challenges of Bootstrapped vs. VC Startups (00:05:02)  

Selling Triggers & Maintenance Mode (00:06:18)  

Valuation: Lifestyle Business vs. VC Business (00:08:21)  

B2B Strategy & Enterprise Sales Attempts (00:11:12)  

Enterprise Pricing Challenges & Negotiation (00:14:40)  

B2B vs. B2C Pricing Dilemmas (00:17:19)  

Media Companies’ Financial Struggles (00:19:55)  

Wrap Up: PodSqueeze Status & Passion vs. Business (00:21:54)  

Buying a $1,500 Domain for SEO (00:23:47)  

Exact Match Domains & SEO Insights (00:24:47)  

Pivoting Landing Pages & Product Alignment (00:28:55)  

Step-by-Step SEO Strategy for New Domains (00:31:37)  

Backlink Building & Press Releases (00:34:07)  

AI’s Impact on SaaS & Automation Tools (00:37:14)  

Integrations & The Future of SaaS (00:40:11)  

Distribution as the Key to Success (00:41:59)  

Distribution vs. Shipping Fast (00:44:43)  

Final Lessons & 2026 Predictions (00:48:14)  

Conclusion & Podcast Future Plans (00:53:28)

I share why I bought my most expensive domain ever for $1,500 and break down the strategy behind it. I talk about the shift from product development to mastering distribution, especially through SEO. I discuss the difference between active and passive distribution and why owning the right keyword domains can give a huge advantage. I reveal our plan to turn keyword research into a SaaS factory, scaling by ranking for high-traffic, low-competition keywords. Plus, quick updates on Podsqueeze and our ongoing experiments with new products and domains.

Timestamps by PodSqueeze

Podcast Introduction & Christmas Special (00:00:00)

Tiago welcomes listeners, reflects on the podcast’s four-year journey, and introduces the episode’s main topic.

The Most Expensive Domain Purchase (00:01:18)

Tiago reveals he bought a domain for $1,500, much more than any previous purchase, and sets up the story.

Distribution as the Key to Success (00:03:19)

Discussion on why distribution, not development, is now the main challenge for digital products.

Active vs. Passive Distribution Strategies (00:04:39)

Comparison between content-heavy active distribution (social media) and more evergreen passive distribution (SEO).

SEO and Its Predictability (00:05:59)

Explains the team’s focus on SEO, its predictability, and how it drives traffic for their products.

Learning from SEO Mistakes (00:07:16)

Shares a past mistake of deleting high-traffic pages and how they pivoted to monetize that traffic.

Keyword Research and Domain Strategy (00:08:28)

Describes their approach to keyword research and the importance of finding high-search, low-competition keywords.

The Power of Exact-Match Domains (00:09:50)

Examples of how owning the right domain (e.g., podcastshownotes.com, whispertranscribe.com, nanobanana.com) can dominate search rankings.

The New Recipe: Find Keyword, Buy Domain, Build Product (00:11:15)

Outlines their new strategy: identify keywords, secure the domain, create a product, and repeat.

Case Study: VideoQualityEnhancer.com (00:12:41)

Details their recent $10 domain purchase for a high-volume keyword and plans to build and rank a product.

The $1,500 Domain Negotiation (00:14:02)

Story of negotiating and purchasing the audioenhancer.com domain for $1,500, their most expensive domain yet.

Reflections on the Investment and Future Plans (00:15:23)

Tiago reflects on the investment, the excitement, and the hope that this strategy will pay off.

Vision for a SaaS Factory (00:16:38)

Shares the vision of building a repeatable process and teams to create, grow, and maintain multiple SaaS products.

Closing & Holiday Wishes (00:17:59)

Wraps up the episode, invites questions, and wishes listeners a Merry Christmas and relaxing holidays.

I share the story behind getting our first dedicated Podsqueeze office in Portugal. I talk about the challenges of moving from a co-working space, hunting for a budget-friendly place, and doing DIY renovations with my co-founder. I explain how we furnished the space cheaply, set up a gym and podcast studio, and optimized for productivity. I cover office design debates, internet installation struggles, and plans for future meetups and collaborations. If you want a tour or have ideas, let me know!

My twitter: https://x.com/wbetiago

My Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiago-ferreira-48562095/

Timestamps by PodSqueeze

Introduction and Episode Context (00:00:05)  

Why Leave Home and Move to a Co-working Space (00:01:28)  

Choosing the Right Co-working Space (00:02:39)  

Benefits and Challenges of Co-working (00:03:53)  

Deciding to Get Their Own Office (00:04:54)  

Finding and Securing the New Office (00:05:56)  

Planning the Office Layout and Functions (00:07:07)  

Solving the Echo Problem and DIY Acoustic Panels (00:08:22)  

Designing and Furnishing the Office (00:09:25)  

Buying Second-hand Furniture and Equipment (00:11:54)  

Setting Up the Gym and Office Desks (00:12:54)  

Decorating and Balancing Design vs. Function (00:15:08)  

Setting Up Utilities: Internet, Water, Electricity (00:16:11)  

Internet Installation Issues and Going Viral (00:17:32)  

Settling In and Realizing Office Needs (00:19:28)  

Future Plans for the Office Space (00:20:30)  

Community, Meetups, and Inauguration Plans (00:21:27)  

Reflections on Bootstrapping and SaaS Benefits (00:23:39)  

Conclusion and Call for Feedback (00:24:30)

I share my journey stepping into local politics. I discuss my experience exploring a political party, why direct impact is difficult, and my thoughts on democracy, transparency, and capitalism. I reflect on how entrepreneurs can contribute outside traditional politics, the role of technology in future democracy, and ideas for making systems more transparent and accessible.

twitter: https://x.com/wbetiago

linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiago-ferreira-48562095/

Timestamps by PodSqueeze

Introduction and Episode Theme (00:00:01)  

Entrepreneurial Instincts and Early Experiences (00:01:15)  

Building Management as a Microcosm of Society (00:04:12)  

Becoming Building Administrator and Facing Challenges (00:05:29)  

Lessons in Taking Initiative and Overcoming Discouragement (00:08:13)  

Growing Interest in Politics and Ideologies (00:09:39)  

Exploring Political Perspectives and Debates (00:10:52)  

Portugal’s Housing Crisis and National Issues (00:13:20)  

Considering Political Involvement and Party Membership (00:15:37)  

Attending a Political Party Gathering (00:17:54)  

Barriers to Impact and Political System Limitations (00:19:00)  

Long Road to Political Influence (00:23:59)  

Rethinking Political Engagement and Direct Democracy (00:25:09)  

The Problem of Indifference and Limited Impact (00:26:14)  

Entrepreneurship as a Path to Impact (00:28:30)  

Transparency and Democracy (00:31:00)  

Capitalism’s Merits and Flaws (00:33:19)  

Imagining Capitalism 2.0 and Algorithmic Governance (00:37:01)  

Conclusion and Call to Action (00:39:21)

I share updates on negotiating for a new office, including the challenges with the landlord and contract terms. I reflect on changing my dress code at Web Summit, how it affected others’ perceptions and my self-confidence. I discuss Web Summit highlights—AI hype, standout startups, and networking moments. Finally, I break down my latest automations that save hours on outreach and client management, boosting productivity for my bootstrapped business.

twitter: https://x.com/wbetiago

linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiago-ferreira-48562095/

Timestamps by PodSqueeze

Episode Introduction and Delay (00:00:00)  

Office Move: Motivation and Search (00:01:09)  

Office Lease Negotiations (00:03:53)  

Landlord Research and Decision (00:07:36)  

Web Summit: Dress Code Experiment (00:09:51)  

Impact of Dressing Formally (00:11:09)  

Networking and Perceptions at Web Summit (00:13:19)  

Self-Confidence and Professional Image (00:15:30)  

Web Summit: AI Startup Trends (00:19:09)  

Notable Startups and Conference Value (00:22:56)  

Automations: Social Media and Outreach (00:26:12)  

Automation Workflow Details (00:27:24)  

Automation Impact and Closing (00:30:41)

I share my journey from working at home to trying co-working spaces, and then renting my own office. I talk about challenges like noise and limited hours that made me and my co-founder look for a better fit. Now, with our own office, we have more freedom, flexibility, and the chance to build a community of indie makers. If you’re bootstrapping your business, you’ll relate to my honest take on finding the right work environment.

twitter: https://x.com/wbetiago

linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiago-ferreira-48562095/

Timestamps by PodSqueeze

Introduction and Episode Overview (00:00:00)  

Podcast Promotion and Audience Engagement (00:01:32)  

Early Work-from-Home Experience (00:02:56)  

Searching for a Co-working Space (00:04:20)  

Joining and Adjusting to the Co-working Space (00:05:33)  

Benefits of the Co-working Space (00:06:46)  

Community and Social Aspects (00:08:01)  

Emerging Issues: Limited Access Hours (00:09:15)  

Recording and Meeting Space Limitations (00:10:25)  

Major Issue: Noise and Lack of Control (00:11:40)  

Attempts to Resolve Noise Issue (00:12:43)  

Frustration with Management and Decision to Leave (00:13:52)  

Office Space Search and Comparisons (00:18:09)  

Finding the Ideal Office Space (00:20:30)  

Finalizing the Office Decision (00:21:46)  

Advantages and Vision for the New Office (00:23:54)  

Potential Downsides and Reflections (00:25:16)  

Capitalism and Having Options (00:26:23)  

Interaction with Co-working CEO (00:27:15)  

Preparing to Leave and Final Thoughts (00:28:10)  

Office Market Comparison and Future Plans (00:29:14)  

Community Building and Episode Wrap-up (00:30:23)

I speak about how I’m automating my indie founder workflow using N8N. I share my favorite automations: press release creation and translations, social media scheduling, and newsletter writing, all powered by AI and connected through tools like Excel and GPT. I talk about handling integrations, using Flarecut for YouTube Shorts, and the challenges with Reddit. I discuss my plans to automate B2B outreach and customer success. My focus is on maximizing distribution, saving time, and scaling my projects with automation.

Twitter: https://x.com/wbetiago

Timestamps by PodSqueeze

Introduction and Podcast Setup (00:00:01)  

Discovering and Setting Up N8N (00:01:21)  

Overview of N8N Features (00:02:35)  

Need for Automation in Workflow (00:04:46)  

Automating Press Releases (00:05:54)  

Technical Setup: MCP Server Integration (00:07:04)  

Automated Social Media Posting (00:09:19)  

Challenges with Social Media Integrations (00:12:28)  

Automating Newsletters (00:13:31)  

Reddit Automation Attempts and Issues (00:15:20)  

Future Automation Plans (00:17:34)  

Reflections and Closing Thoughts (00:18:33)  

Outro and Call to Action (00:19:36)

My experience attending a business conference in Madrid as a bootstrapped founder. I talk about the challenges I faced pitching in Spanish, the costs involved in attending the conference, and why face-to-face meetings are so important for B2B sales. I share my own tips on networking, negotiating ticket prices, and preparing demos, and I also describe what it was like staying in a capsule hotel. I emphasize the irreplaceable value of in-person connections and engaging on social media, and I reflect on what it means to expand into new markets. I’d love to hear about your own conference experiences, so feel free to share them with me!