Is it time to sell, autopilot, or double down on your plateaued SaaS business?

In this episode, Rob Walling tackles listener questions and shares practical frameworks for what to do when your product hits a plateau, explains why “autopilot” often leads to decline, and outlines when founders should seriously consider SOC 2 compliance. Rob also talks about balancing a startup with a newborn, the real value of open source and IP, and the risks and rewards of building MVPs in exchange for equity.

Want to get your question answered? Drop it here.

Episode Sponsor:

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If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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Is hiring a sales and marketing co-founder the secret sauce for technical SaaS founders?

In this solo episode, Rob Walling tackles a fresh batch of listener questions, starting with one of the most common dilemmas for technical founders: should you hire a sales and marketing co-founder or go it alone?

He introduces his “Core Four” mental model, the essential skills every SaaS team needs early on, and shares insights on dealing with enterprise clients who keep moving the goalposts, handling a flood of non-ICP users, and a heartfelt message from a listener who just exited their startup.

Want to get your question answered? Drop it here.

Episode Sponsor:

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If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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Can a small team really bootstrap to $8M ARR in a crowded SaaS market?

In this episode, Rob Walling chats with Philippe Lehoux about how he and his co-founders bootstrapped Missive, a collaborative email and team inbox tool. They deep dive into landing early customers, unique horizontal positioning, content-driven growth, enterprise sales, and how to compete with VC-backed competition. 

Episode Sponsor:

Are you a non-technical founder with solid revenue and real traction, but your technology is holding you back? You should check out today's sponsor, Designli.

They specialize in helping founders like you who are stuck with messy code, unclear roadmaps, or a dev team that just doesn’t get it.

And for listeners of the pod, Designli is offering their Impact Week completely free. That’s a one-week, no-obligation audit where their team dives into your code, your design system, and your product roadmap to show you exactly what’s working, what’s broken, and what needs to happen next.

If it’s a fit, you can move on to SolutionLab, a three-week sprint where Designli takes over your codebase and architects a real roadmap for growth, led by a full-time, cross-functional team.

If your tech is the bottleneck to your next stage of growth, check them out at https://designli.co/fortherestofus.

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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How much does your startup idea matter compared to your execution?

In this solo episode, Rob Walling covers several founder-focused topics: the difference between gatekeeping and paying your dues, why raw material beats polish, and why successful people don't mind others winning. He also shares a listener's exit story, discusses optimism in founder communities, and talks about the mix of luck, skill, and hard work needed to build something that lasts.

Episode Sponsor:

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They’ve just launched Brand Radar, a new tool that lets you track your visibility in AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews. See how you stack up against competitors, monitor reputation, and build authority across search, social, and AI.

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If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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Can bootstrapped founders really invent a new category with AI or is it a trap?

In this solo episode, Rob Walling answers a fresh batch of listener questions covering SaaS marketing, global expansion, and strategic positioning. He shares advice on whether inventing a new product category is ever worth it and the nuances of updating your positioning after launch.

Want to get your question answered? Drop it here.

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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What's it really like to attend MicroConf?

In this episode, Rob Walling and Laura Sprinkle, founder of Rootabl, recap MicroConf Europe 2025 in Istanbul. They discuss the MicroConf vibe, standout talks on AI, affiliate marketing, and SaaS growth, as well as the value of networking and connecting while getting outside the conference room. 

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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Where’s the best place to publish if you’re starting content from scratch?

In this episode, Rob Walling flies solo, answering your questions on marketing and audience building. He covers what to do when your channels stop scaling, where to publish early on, and the "media company first" approach.

Episode Sponsor:

Are you a non-technical founder with solid revenue and real traction, but your technology is holding you back? You should check out today's sponsor, Designli.

They specialize in helping founders like you who are stuck with messy code, unclear roadmaps, or a dev team that just doesn’t get it.

And for listeners of the pod, Designli is offering their Impact Week completely free. That’s a one-week, no-obligation audit where their team dives into your code, your design system, and your product roadmap to show you exactly what’s working, what’s broken, and what needs to happen next.

If it’s a fit, you can move on to SolutionLab, a three-week sprint where Designli takes over your codebase and architects a real roadmap for growth, led by a full-time, cross-functional team.

If your tech is the bottleneck to your next stage of growth, check them out at https://designli.co/fortherestofus.

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Can churn ever be good in SaaS?

In this episode, Rob Walling is joined by fan favorite Derrick Reimer for a listener Q&A. They break down what it takes to compete with well-funded incumbents, how to decide whether to pivot or push forward, when a technical co-founder is truly necessary, the right time to think about trademarks, and the difference between “good churn” and “bad churn” especially when customers fall outside your ICP.

Episode Sponsor:

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If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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What if you could get all 15 years of this podcast bundled up into one episode? 

In episode 800, Rob Walling goes solo for a special milestone installment of Startups For the Rest of Us. He covers the 12 foundational commandments that shape his approach to SaaS, hard-won lessons forged from years of building, investing in, and advising startups.

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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What's next for OutboundSync?

In the Season 5 finale of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling talks with Harris Kenny as OutboundSync blows past $500k ARR. Harris shares the wins and struggles of getting here, from choosing not to raise funding (for now), to planning a laser tag event no committee would approve, to what comes next on the road to $1M.

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify