In this episode of Build Businesses on JavaScript podcast, I sat down with Marie Martens, co-founder of Tally, the beautifully simple form builder.

Marie shared her journey of entrepreneurship, building a successful bootstrapped business, and finding balance as a co-founder and parent.

Here's a snapshot of the wisdom she shared 👇🏾

Startup Insights

* “Freedom” isn’t guaranteed: Starting a business often means working harder than ever before.

* Small teams, big impact: Keeping the team lean helps reduce costs and improve efficiency.

* Ask for advice: Seeking input from others can provide fresh perspectives and solutions.

Product Development

* Simplicity wins: Easy-to-use products improve user experience and reduce the need for support.

* Your product is your marketing: A great product can promote itself.

* Relatability matters: Solving a problem you deeply understand leads to better solutions.

Growth Strategies

* Free users are gold: Happy free-tier users can become powerful advocates.

* Transparency builds trust: Sharing the journey openly helps build a strong brand identity.

* Building in public works: Sharing progress and milestones engages your audience and fosters loyalty.

Co-Founder Dynamics

* Balance is everything: Marie and her co-founder (and husband) treat Tally as their “third baby,” alongside parenting responsibilities.

Sound Bites

* "Simplicity is key."

* "Tally is like a third baby for us."

* "Don't stop building, find your users."

Watch the Full Episode!

Check out the full conversation for an in-depth look at Marie’s approach to building Tally, lessons from bootstrapping, and practical advice for anyone growing and scaling a business. 🚀

👉🏾 Watch now on YouTube!

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