No-Code World Radio

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Twitter : ⁠⁠@alexkovax⁠⁠

🗒 Brief summary

In this episode, we chat with Max Haining, the founder of the 100 Days of No Code project. Max shares their journey from failed startup to discovering the world of no-code. We discuss the growth of the project, the importance of project-based learning, and the future of no-code with AI integration. Max also talks about their social media presence and how they document their building process on Twitter and LinkedIn.

📚 Resources

• Max on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HainingMax
• #100daysofnocode on Twitter: https://twitter.com/search?q=%23100DaysOfNoCode
• 100days account : https://twitter.com/100daysnocode
• 100 days of no-code website: https://www.100daysofnocode.com/
• Max on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhaining/

📖 Chapters

0:00:00 Introduction and Setting at RSA House in London

0:04:53 The Need for Technical Knowledge

0:07:18 Exploring the Idea of No-Code

0:10:08 The Birth of 100 Days of Code

0:14:02 The Need for Structure and Community

0:19:18 Building a community and leveraging growth

0:22:04 From Hashtag to Community: The Evolution of 100 Days of No Code

0:24:02 Adding Structure: Introducing the Daily Curriculum Challenge

0:25:21 Starting with Lean Education Approach

0:27:25 Balancing Motivation and Complexity in Project Selection

0:29:36 No-Code: Beyond Code - Design, Marketing, Product Management

0:32:22 AI as the Next Level of NoCode Development

0:34:21 AI Integration in Existing Tools: Zapier, Bardeen, Framer

0:36:19 The Exciting Possibilities of AI Integration in NoCode Tools

0:38:14 Teaching transferable skills with five essential tools

0:41:12 Introducing AI Skills Training for Individuals and Companies

0:42:10 Building a community within their own circle

0:43:04 Plans for In-Person Meetups and Future Expansion

📃 Long Summary

In this podcast episode, I interview Max, the founder of the 100 Days of No Code project. Conducted at the RSA house in London, the discussion delves into Max's journey into the no-code space. Max initially wanted to learn coding but was drawn to the no-code movement after reading an article by Ryan Hoover. Inspired by the "100 Days of Code" concept, Max started "100 Days of No Code" and chronicled the journey on Twitter.

The conversation touches on the benefits of project-based learning and the importance of community platforms like Twitter for sharing progress and mutual support. The project has since evolved from a hashtag to a community and now an education company. They have a paid Slack community and are offering structured learning experiences through curriculum and boot camps.

The episode also explores the future convergence of AI and no-code, mentioning tools like Zapier, Bardeen, and Framer which are integrating AI into their workflows. We both emphasize being tool-agnostic in the no-code field and talk about upcoming educational offerings, including a no-code times AI boot camp.

Regarding social media, Max is active on Twitter and LinkedIn, documenting their company's journey, while I mainly focuses on newsletters and YouTube tutorials.

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Twitter : ⁠⁠@alexkovax⁠

🗒 Brief summary

In this episode, we talk to Frances Odera-Matthews, a certified Notion Consultant and founder of The Notion Bar. Frances shares her journey with Notion, its advanced features, and the benefits of using it for project management. We also discuss finding clients, the challenges of organizing information in Notion, and strategies for content creation. The conversation highlights the future of Notion, the value of serving both personal and enterprise users, and the diverse uses of the platform. To learn more about Frances and The Notion Bar, visit their website or find them on social media platforms.

📚 Resources

• All the links mentioned in that episode can be found here : link.thenotionbar.com/links
• The Notion Zeitgeist : newsletter.thenotionbar.com
• The Notion Bar website : thenotionbar.com

📖 Chapters

0:00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene in London

0:01:34 Learning Notion at a UX agency in DC

0:06:05 Starting on Fiverr

0:09:37 Introduction and Overview of Clients and Services

0:14:44 Consultant as a Marie Kondo of Notion

0:16:38 The Time-consuming Process of Setting Up Notion Workspaces

0:19:05 Content Strategy and Recycling Old Content for Finding Clients

0:23:02 Selling Templates and the Happiness Bar Journal

0:28:11 Efficiency and Design Principles in Notion Templates

0:35:44 Other No-Code Tools

0:40:16 Exploring the Notion and NoCode Community in London

0:48:28 Recommendations in London

📃 Long Summary

In this episode, Alex welcomes Frances, a certified Notion Consultant and founder of The Notion Bar, to discuss the world of No-Code and Notion. Frances shares her journey of becoming a Notion expert, starting with her introduction to the platform while working at a UX agency.

The conversation then delves into the changes and improvements in Notion over the past three years, particularly in catering to power users and offering enhanced project management capabilities. Alex expresses his curiosity about Frances' experience finding clients on Fiverr and raises his biases about the platform, to which Frances responds with her positive experience and success story.

They further explore the options and experiences for freelancers starting out in the UK or US, discussing the importance of getting paid for services and the value of establishing boundaries and self-worth. Frances mentions her diverse range of clients, from solopreneurs and small creative teams to VCs, startups, and scale-ups, emphasizing the universal need for systems and organization.

The conversation shifts to Frances' strategies for attracting clients, such as recycling old content and utilizing tools like Hypefury for scheduling social media posts. She also mentions her weekly newsletter, the Notion Zeitgeist, which showcases interesting happenings in the Notion community.

The conversation then explores the enterprise shift happening within the no-code community, with Frances sharing insights on the prioritization of paying customers and the involvement of personal users in content strategy. They discuss various tools used for time management and automation, including Google Calendar, Zapier, Hypefury, and repurpose.io, while also addressing cultural differences in valuing free work and the importance of educating the market.

Frances mentions the growing Notion community in London and the challenges of finding networking events and meetups, particularly due to the impact of COVID-19. She expresses her desire to share the stories of creatives using Notion and suggests the idea of conducting TikTok interviews with people in cafes.
The episode concludes with Frances providing recommendations for non-touristy activities in London.

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Twitter : ⁠⁠@alexkovax⁠⁠

🗒 Brief summary

Veronica Picciafuoco, a no-code professional and software creator, discusses her journey into the world of no code tools, her transition into a career in the field, and the benefits of tools like Webflow and Airtable. She shares insights on she uses Notion, the importance of templates, and her agency's philosophy of building projects without developers. The conversation also covers the London tech and no-code scene, along with recommendations for places to visit.

📚 Resources

• Veronica on Twitter: https://twitter.com/UberVero
• Eldur Studio's website : https://www.eldur.studio/
• Veronica on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronicapicciafuoco/

📖 Chapters

0:00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene in London

0:01:06 From Lawyer to Marketer: A Unique Background

0:02:58 Getting Hired at a Legal Tech Startup

0:05:06 Encountering No-Code Tools and Liberating Marketing Work

0:08:35 Becoming a Professional in No-Code: Freelancer or Agency?

0:10:51 Finding Clients through Referrals and Webflow Certification

0:14:51 Envy for developers with side projects

0:22:37 Choosing the Right Platform for Custom Development

0:30:43 Introduction to the London tech and no-code scene

0:32:20 London's vibrant design and startup scene amidst Brexit and COVID

📃 Long Summary

In this episode, I have a conversation with Veronica, a no-code professional and software creator. Veronica shares her journey into the world of no-code tools, explaining how she made a career switch from law to marketing and tech after attending a hackathon. She discusses the benefits of no-code tools like Webflow, Airtable, and Zapier, which have allowed her to handle tasks without relying on developers and to execute projects independently in her role as a marketer.
Veronica talks about how she transitioned into working as a professional in the no-code field, taking on client projects and eventually starting her own agency. We discuss the different paths and approaches that can be taken with no-code tools, including outsourcing certain tasks for larger companies.
The conversation then focuses on the use of Notion, allowing for quick creation without the need to learn new software. Veronica explains the value of templates in establishing methodologies and best practices for different processes, such as project management and hiring, and how they can be shared with others in the industry.
Veronica also shares her agency's philosophy of building projects without developers and providing a user-friendly experience for clients. They do not believe in retainers and instead offer training sessions at the end of projects to ensure clients understand how their project works. They aim to give clients autonomy and the ability to make changes without incurring extra costs.
We also discuss the importance of investing in a good website upfront, particularly in the B2B sector, and the potential issues that can arise from choosing templates or relying on freelancers. The conversation touches on permissions and the need for role-level permissions in industries like healthcare, as well as the challenges and opportunities in the no code community.
The discussion concludes with a look at the London tech and no code scene, including the no code drinks event and other meetups and workshops. Recommendations for places to visit in London, such as King's Cross and Hampstead Heath, are also shared. Veronica provides her Twitter handle and invites listeners to connect with her online.
Finally, Veronica shares the story behind the name of her show, "Lord of the Ring," and her personal attachment to Iceland.

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Twitter : ⁠@alexkovax⁠

🗒 Brief summary

In this episode, I speak with Dominic Norton, a no-code educator and social entrepreneur. Dominic shares about his projects, including Missing Black People. We discuss the challenges of balancing corporate roles and entrepreneurship, the value of teaching and leveraging popular trends, and the importance of community in the no-code space. Dominic also shares insights on game development tools, AI, and the emergence of open-source options. We wrap up by talking about the survival of different tech industry categories and our favorite things to do in London.

📚 Resources

• Find all the links mentionned on this page : https://linktr.ee/dominiconorton

📖 Chapters

0:00:00 Introduction: Dominic Norton, No-Code Educator and Social Entrepreneur

0:02:44 Avoiding the Term "Citizen Developer" in the No-Code World

0:04:37 Early Beginnings: Customizing MySpace Layouts for Pocket Money

0:07:56 Applying Architecture Skills to Digital Projects and Planning

0:12:58 Balancing entrepreneurship with a corporate job

0:18:45 The Power of Participating in Hackathons

0:20:15 Grants: A Source of Support for Social Impact Projects

0:21:18 Leveraging Trends and Popular Culture for Marketing Projects

0:29:59 Democratizing coding through no code and low code platforms

0:33:56 AI as a thought partner in marketing, not a replacement

0:37:04 The Importance of Creative Thinking in Prompt Engineering

0:38:27 OnDeck: A Popular Cohort-based Community

0:41:02 100 Days of NoCode: A Pivotal Community

0:48:36 Lack of Ambassador Program in Airtable

0:51:32 The Business Side of No Code Tools

0:52:12 Uncertainty about the B2B focus of the event

0:55:16 Addressing the issue of vendor lock-in in no-code tools

0:58:26 The potential impact of AI on the development process

1:00:58 Shoreditch: A Gentrified Area with Unique Personality

📃 Long Summary

In this episode, I speak with Dominic Norton, a no-code educator and social entrepreneur. Dominic introduces himself and shares about his projects, including Missing Black People and his startup. We delve into the term "citizen developer" and why it may not resonate with a wider audience. Dominic opens up about his coding background and experience in AEC and architecture.
We navigate the challenging balance between corporate roles and entrepreneurship, emphasizing the significance of marketing and diversifying income streams. We also discuss the value of teaching and leveraging popular trends and projects. Dominic shares his insights on game development tools and the application of AI in generating ideas and enhancing the creative process.
We explore the importance of community and knowledge sharing within the no-code space. Additionally, we touch on the role of major platforms in supporting community leaders and content creators, as well as the need for in-person events and ambassador programs. We highlight the issue of vendor lock-in and the emergence of open-source options.
To wrap up, we discuss the survival of different categories within the tech industry and share our favorite things to do in London. Dominic graciously shares his social media handles and expresses gratitude for our conversation.

After a trip in the south of Spain and Portugal, I finally reach Lisbon to spend a month there. I was mostly surrounded by French people in our No-Code House. But I still had the chance to meet some local no-coders like Bruno Amaral, a community expert with a passion for Notion and productivity. Also a coffee enthusiast that leaves papper cranes he made for other customers. All this is in the episode!

Resources :

• Bruno on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/brunoamaral/
• Bruno on Twitter : https://twitter.com/brunoamaral
• A Notion page as an example : https://amaralbruno.notion.site/amaralbruno/No-Code-World-Radio-example-73fee6a9f0b7467f9ddce66930ebeab2
• Bruno's website : https://brunoamaral.eu/
• The coffee place where we were : https://g.page/HowCoffee?share

Chapters:00:00:00 Lisbon00:00:05 Introduction to No-Code World Radio with Alex 00:02:18 Bruno's Early Coding Experience and Hobby in Tech 00:06:05 Importance of Documentation in Communication and Coding 00:08:19 Using Calendar and Email Reminders for Tracking and Reflection 00:10:40 The Versatility of a Visual Programming Tool 00:19:24 No-Code: Focusing on People First 00:29:14 Utilizing the Shortcuts app for efficient task completion. 00:29:30 Productivity Habits and Monday Planning 00:38:51 Varying Levels of Digital Literacy in Different Communities 00:40:42 Digital Literacy and No-Code in Bridging the Gap 00:50:34 Season Finale: Reflections on Lisbon and No-code House Project

You can also follow me and get in touch with me on Twitter : @alexkovax.

In Spring 2022, I embarked on a journey from Paris to Lisbon. Over there we had planned to spend a month with members from the French community. I decided to go there by land and took the train to Barcelona which was my first stop. I had the opportunity to have a chat there with Toby Oliver, the CEO of Bravo Studio. A great conversation about his vision for the future of no-code.

Resources :

• Toby on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/toby0/
• Bravo Studio : https://www.bravostudio.app/
• Bravo Studio on Twitter : https://twitter.com/Bravostudioapp

Chapters:

0:00:00 Introduction

0:01:48 Interview with Toby Oliver, CEO of Bravo Studio

0:04:38 Toby's journey from Typeform to starting Bravo Studio

0:09:41 Making Web Design Easier with Figma and Webflow

0:11:11 The Importance of Design in No-Code Tools

0:13:30 Balancing Functionality and Design in No-Code Tools

0:16:29 Pain points of processing and designing for app development

0:18:37 Bravo's generic API integration and versatile functionality

0:24:43 Roadmap: Mobile focus with potential expansion to web

0:26:28 Making the backend easier for users and exploring new tools

0:33:17 The Importance of Using the Right Tools in Development

0:34:54 Airtable and Sequin.io for better performance

You can also follow me and get in touch with me on Twitter : @alexkovax.

For this second season, I've decided to embark on a quick train journey to go meet my parents in a small town of the Czech Republic. Over 7 days I will go through Geneva, Zurich, Vienna and Prague before reaching Karlovy Vary. 

As you can guess, I've tried to get in touch with no-coders along the way to have a chat with them.

I couldn't find anyone in Geneva, but in Zurich, Natascha Buck was nice enough to accept my invitation.

She's an automation expert and a Notion ambassador. That's going to be a good talk!

Resources :

• Natascha on Twitter : https://twitter.com/nataschabuck
• Natascha on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataschabuck/
• Natascha's website : https://nataschabuck.com/
• And we didn't mention it but she made a very popular Notion wedding planner template : https://notionweddingplanner.com/
• Also make sure to check her tips about Zurich : https://nbcom.notion.site/Z-rich-Travel-Tipps-5da089d102644db391aecf1fe8c415e6

Chapters:

00:00:05 Introduction to No-Code World Radio and upcoming journey 00:03:44 Transition to discussing automations and manual work 00:11:04 Comparing FileMaker and Notion for data management 00:14:11 Defining Keys and Abstracting Relations in Notion and Airtable 00:24:37 The CEO's involvement in purchasing the server 00:33:29 Considering the pros and cons of using one database 00:37:23 Balancing Time and Explanation with Clients 00:37:43 Simplifying Database Modeling for Clients 00:39:34 Helping clients scale their activity and address process issues. 00:42:48 Using Notion as a tool of choice, but open to alternatives. 00:44:37 Selling the Package and Separate Options 00:46:53 German Entry Title: "You Can" 00:47:09 The Complexity of Notion's Proper Use 00:49:20 Challenges of Implementing Complex Notion System 00:52:09 Efficient Bookkeeping and Invoicing Process 00:55:07 Using UTM Codes and Redirects for Analytics 01:01:29 The French Community and Notion's Language Accessibility 01:07:34 Multilingualism and Language Preferences in Zurich

You can also follow me and get in touch with me on Twitter : @alexkovax.

For this last episode of the first season of the podcast, I decided to do something a bit different and evade the no-code space. So I called my old travel blogger friend, Kash Bhattacharya to catch up on his industry. I was curious for him to tell me more about the blogger/influencer business and see if there were any common points with the no-code content creators. I also took the chance to ask him for some productivity tips for working while traveling.

I hope you enjoyed this first season. It's really an experiment and probably not yet what I envisioned originally for this podcast. But please make me some feedbacks and together let's make an amazing season 2!

Resources :

• Kash on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/budgettraveller/
• Kash on Twitter : https://twitter.com/BudgetTraveller
• Kash's website : https://budgettraveller.org/
• Kash on Linkedin : https://de.linkedin.com/in/budgettraveller
• Luxury hostels : https://budgettraveller.org/luxury-hostels-of-europe/
• Neukölln : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuk%C3%B6lln_(locality)
• Tempelhof airport : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Tempelhof_Airport

Chapters:

00:00:05 Introduction to No Code War Radio and guest announcement 00:02:06 Kash's expertise in luxury hostels and its concept 00:05:06 The design and branding aspect of modern hostels 00:07:12 From Magazine Founder to Bankruptcy at 24 00:10:02 Transitioning from Hobby to Professional Blogger 00:16:18 The Rise of Blogging as a Job 00:19:23 Unforgettable Festival Experiences and Impact of COVID 00:26:55 The Influence Game: Real vs. Fake 00:27:42 Identifying as a Digital Nomad 00:31:21 Tools and Productivity for a Digital Nomad 00:33:12 Berlin: A Creative and Open-Minded City 00:35:09 Tempelhofer Feld: From Abandoned Airfield to Public Park 00:40:53 Wrapping up Season 1 with Travel Industry Insights

You can also follow me and get in touch with me on Twitter : @alexkovax.

For my second episode in Berlin, I met with Chris Strobl who started the website No-Code Germany. But as you will see in the episode, he's done many things before that and now has some serious plans for no-code in Germany. He also told be a lot about the tech scene in Berlin and why it's such an interesting city to start companies right now.

Resources :

• Chris on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-strobl/
• Chris on Twitter : https://twitter.com/nocodechris
• Nocode Germany : https://www.nocodegermany.com/
• Noble : https://nobleanswers.com/
• The building we mention : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Berlin,_Kreuzberg,_Pfuelstrasse_5,_Lagerhaus,_suedlicher_Hof.jpg
• Kreuzberg : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kreuzberg
• Görlitzer Park : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6rlitzer_Park

Chapters:00:00:05 Introduction to No-Code World radio and Berlin trip 00:09:48 The Pressure to Grow Fast with Venture Capital 00:11:28 Different Capital Markets and Attracting the Best Talent 00:13:14 Support from Investors After Shutting Down a Business 00:16:29 Spreading Awareness of No-Code and its Empowering Effects 00:18:28 Discovering Bubble and Building Knowledge and Network 00:20:18 Learning Resources and Tutorials for Bubble Development 00:23:16 Creating Advanced Bubble Tutorials in German and Subtitles 00:27:30 Cultural Differences in No-Code Development 00:29:36 Localization and Adoption of No-Code Tools in Different Countries 00:37:50 Exploring Berlin: Kreuzberg and Gorlitzer Park

You can also follow me and get in touch with me on Twitter : @alexkovax.

I'm finally in Berlin and there are many interesting to meet here! I started Jan Oberhauser who created the no-code automation software n8n. A very promising no-code tool that is also open source, which is very rare in our space, unfortunately. So we definitely talked more about that, how Jan started n8n and why. He also shares with me some insights about the local scene and Berlin in general.

Resources :

• Jan on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/janoberhauser/
• Jan on Twitter : https://twitter.com/JanOberhauser
• n8n on website : https://n8n.io/
• n8n on Twitter : https://twitter.com/n8n_io
• To know more about faircode : https://faircode.io/
• Potsdam : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam
• Spreewald : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spree_Forest

Chapters:

0:00:06 Introduction to No-Code World radio and Berlin as a tech hub

0:03:07 Jan's journey from side project to launching N8n

0:08:58 The Power of Node-based Visualization Tools

0:12:09 Balancing Code and No-Code in n8n's Approach

0:17:48 Open Source vs. Open Core Business Models

0:27:34 Open-source Contributions and Pull Requests

0:36:17 Limitations of current setup and local tunnel usage

0:39:33 Roadmap: User management, fine-grained control for teams and groups.

0:42:28 Cloud option offers easy sign-up, data backup, and simplified authentication.

0:47:15 Hackmation: Quarterly event where teams automate processes and explore new possibilities.

0:50:03 Potential Collaborations and Meetups in Berlin's Startup Scene

0:56:52 Wrapping Up the Episode with a Technical Deep Dive

You can also follow me and get in touch with me on Twitter : @alexkovax.