IndieRails

Jess and Jeremy catch up in this one-on-one episode after a short summer break. We cover a number of topics, including our latest seasons of work, reading the book Million Dollar Consulting, our mastermind group, and some realizations looking back over the last year.

In this episode, Jeremy and Jess are joined by two of the cofounders of JetRockets, a custom software development agency with a specialty in Rails. Natalie Kaminski (CEO) and Igor Alexandrov (CTO) share how the company started and how it's grown over the past 12 years. We discuss how and why they use Rails, how they hire developers, their approach to management, and the importance of strong organizational values.

Natalie Kaminski

CEO / Co-Founder

LinkedIn

Igor Alexandrov

CTO / Co-Founder

Website

LinkedIn

HackerNoon

Twitter

JetRockets

Website

Twitter

Relevant Links
Reinventing Organizations
Teal organisation

Andrew Atkinson is a Rails developer, turned Postgres specialist, turned author and consultant. He joins us to talk about his developer journey, how he found his niche with Postgres, writing his new book, High Performance PostgreSQL for Rails, and the launch of his consulting practice.

Relevant Links

• Twitter
• Website (Consulting page)
• High Performance PostgreSQL for Rails
• Newsletter
• How we made PG Fitter, Happier, More Productive at PGConf NYC 2021 (slides, blog post)
• More videos

Other Shoutouts

• RailsConf 2022 blog post
• Michael Hartl's RailsSpace book
• Wendy's spicy chicken, GOATed
• David Rowley, PG committer and past mentor, recently writing about PostgreSQL 16 query planner enhancements. 
• PG Conf NYC: great conf, CFP open now! I've gone twice! Same dates as Rails World though or around there.
• Aaron Francis: Do Stuff, Tell People
• Tobias Petry SQL For Devs
• Charity Majors "Accidental DBA"

In this episode, Jeremy and Jess get a chance to connect with Tom Rossi, the cofounder of Higher Pixels. Tom's story is an inspiring one for developers wanting to build products. He and his team have been successful creating a handful of SaaS products. Tom has been instrumental in creating Buzzsprout, their flagship podcast hosting platform that's helping thousands of podcasters share their stories with the world. Not only are Tom & Co pioneers in digital products, but they are also a committed sponsor of Ruby & Rails conferences, actively supporting and nurturing the community. Join us as we dive into the journey of building impactful products and the stories behind the scenes at Higher Pixels.

Twitter
LinkedIn

Higher Pixels
Buzzsprout
Tick
StreamCare
Donor Tools

In this episode, Jeremy & Jess dive into the world of partnerships and collaboration, a terrain that's become familiar to indie developers seeking growth and innovation. We explore the ins and outs of partnering with others, sharing insights from our experiences over the past year. From initiating low-stakes collaborations to finding the right projects with potential partners, we unpack strategies and ideas to build successful alliances in the indie development space.

Today, we're joined by two remarkable individuals, Ben Wood and Nate Vick, seasoned entrepreneurs with over a decade of experience running a Rails consulting business with many successes: Hint

In this episode, Ben and Nate share their unique journey, from the highs of entrepreneurship to the tough decision of winding down their business. Despite this challenging transition, their passion for innovation hasn't waned. They're now embarking on new careers while also nurturing a budding software product, Selective, in their spare time.

Join us as we explore the realities of business, the resilience required to adapt, and the continuous pursuit of new horizons. Ben and Nate's story is a testament to the fact that while not every venture lasts forever, the spirit of entrepreneurship endures, paving the way for new opportunities and lessons.

Tune in as we uncover the insights and experiences of these two smart, adaptive professionals who remind us that change is not just an inevitable part of life but also a profound opportunity for growth.

Links:
Ben Wood
Nate Vick

Hint
Selective

SimpleCov

Mint

Huntress

Cody Norman is a Rails consultant, fly fisherman, BBQ connoisseur, and big fan of the state of Colorado. He joins us to share about getting into software development, his journey to consulting, and his mentorship work. We also chat about his product Spot Squid, his plans for Rawhide Ruby, and his upcoming RailsConf talk on Action Mailbox: Attraction Mailbox - Why I love Action Mailbox. Cody also shared post-show that he's developing a course on Action Mailbox!

Website
Twitter
Spot Squid
Rawhide Ruby
Action Mailbox Pro course

Related Links
Agency of Learning
The Startup of You
The Mom Test

In this episode of IndieRails, we delve into the world of productized services in software development. Moving beyond the traditional model of bespoke or custom solutions, productized services offer a blend of consistency, scalability, and efficiency, reshaping how businesses approach service offerings.

We were prompted to look into this topic by a question from Pascal, who coincidentally just launched his React To Hotwire Migration Service offering.

In episode, we aim to explore the journey from concept to market, the strategic advantages of adopting a productized model, and the challenges developers face in this transition. Join us as we uncover the keys to successfully crafting service offerings that combine the best of both products and services, making a compelling case for innovation in the way we deliver value to clients.

Original Question from Pascal
https://twitter.com/pascallaliberte/status/1724873520562237835

This is timely because he just launched his React To Hotwire Migration Service offering: https://twitter.com/pascallaliberte/status/1765489247694332083

Andy Croll is a Rubyist, author, and speaker. He's the CTO of CoverageBook, creator of the First Ruby Friend mentoring program, organizer of Brighton Ruby, and this year is co-chair of RailsConf. In short, he's a bit busy. In our conversation, we dive into his work at CoverageBook, discuss the hiring, onboarding, and mentoring of early career devs, and talk Ruby conferences (and why you should go).

Relevant Links
Twitter
Website
Why go to a Ruby or Rails conference?
One Ruby Thing
First Ruby Friend
Brighton Ruby
RailsConf
CoverageBook

In this episode we get the chance to interview Ben Orenstein: A person who probably doesn't need much of an introduction to our listeners. This episode should be special. Ben's journey from developer to entrepreneur exemplifies the path many in our audience aspire to tread. With a keen eye for opportunities and a deep understanding of the software industry's nuances, Ben's insights are invaluable for anyone looking to leverage their technical skills beyond the keyboard. Join us as we discuss strategies, challenges, and the mindset required to thrive in the competitive landscape of tech entrepreneurship.

Links:
Twitter
Tuple
Tuple Podcast
Personal site
Hackers Inc Podcast
"Predictable Mistakes of the Developer-Turned-Founder" - Laracon talk