The Bootstrapped Founder

The Bootstrapped Founder episodes:

• 06.21.2024

  330: 50% New Users Overnight… and a Burning Server

  This week was a duality of extremes for me. On one hand, I experienced an unprecedented growth spurt in my user numbers, while on the other hand, I stumbled into frustrating scarcity and infrastructure problems. That’s entrepreneurship for you: big...

  
• 06.14.2024

  329: "AI For The Rest of Us"

  Generative AI used to be for early adopters. But now, Apple is bringing it to every iPhone. What does this mean for indie founders? This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/ai-for-the-rest-of-us/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/329-ai-for-the-rest-of-us Check out...

  
• 06.12.2024

  328: Negotiating Bootstrapper Funding with Tyler Tringas

  A few months ago, I raised a low 6-figure investment for Podscan. Here's the conversation between me and my investor, @tylertringas, that happened just before I signed the contract. You usually don't get to listen in for one of those....

  
• 06.07.2024

  327: Two (Surprisingly Scary) Tales of Platform Risk

  This week, I almost lost access to my database, including all its backups. Also, a full-text index brought down my product. Neither were intended —obviously—, but both made me revisit my safety precautions and how I approach depending on platforms...

  
• 06.05.2024

  326: Zeno Rocha — From Bootstrapping to YCombinator

  Zeno Rocha (@zenorocha) went through YC to build Resend, yet he still acts and thinks like a bootstrapper. In a world of polarized opinions about venture funding and not raising money, Zeno is both "one of us" and "one of...

  
• 05.31.2024

  325: Indie Hackers’ Myopic View of AI

  "Everyone and their mother are talking about AI. Every founder releases their 500th GPT wrapper." "AI is all hype, no substance." Or is it? What if our collective perspective is really skewed, and our gathering places are to blame? Here's...

  
• 05.29.2024

  324: Tim Schumacher — The Bootstrapper's Mindset

  Tim Schumacher (@TimSchu), the mastermind behind SEDO and Adblock Plus, now leads the SaaS Group to new heights. With $60 million ARR, 20 thriving businesses, and 300 employees, Tim shares his incredible journey from a coder to an influential entrepreneur...

  
• 05.24.2024

  323: The Power of the Dream Customer List

  Today, you get a glimpse into an ongoing marketing experiment for Podscan.fm. What if I can frontload value for my future customers even before they sign up? Here's why I chose to create a Dream Customer List and how it...

  
• 05.22.2024

  322: Noah Kagan — Early Stage Founder Hurdles & How to Jump Them

  Noah Kagan (@noahkagan) has made AppSumo a massive success — and he's spilling the beans on how to launch, build, and grow a successful software business. Noah likes to keep things weird, and our conversation is proof of that: from...

  
• 05.17.2024

  321: Unexpected Downtime: Stress as Enhancement vs. Stress as Panic

  It started as a normal day — but then things started going wrong. And my stress levels rose. But I recently learned how to use that to my advantage. Here's how I wrangled with a SaaS founder's worst nightmare, what...

  
• 05.15.2024

  320: Dr. Jessica Gold — Emotional Resilience and Self-Care for Founders

  Dr. Jessica Gold (@blissscience) helps founders live an intentional and passionate life — which ultimately impacts their entrepreneurial success. She wants to put intentional self-care back on the map in a field obsessed with productivity and tracking metrics. In...

  
• 05.10.2024

  319: My SaaS Server Exploded (& How I Salvaged It)

  Earlier this week, I finally found time to work on a large code change. When I deployed it, things got worse quickly. Here's what happened, why it happened, and how this changed my approach to working on a complicated software...

  
• 05.08.2024

  318: Louie Bacaj — Betting Small to Win Big

  Louie Bacaj (@LBacaj), once a Walmart engineer, made a bold career shift into the unpredictable world of venture capitalism and entrepreneurship. Now a co-leader of a thriving community for bootstrapped entrepreneurs, Louie reveals how the 'small bets' philosophy guides individuals...

  
• 05.03.2024

  317: Podscan, 2 months and $1k MRR in

  It's been two months of running Podscan at full speed. Have I spent 6 figures of money yet? Well, you'll see in this week's update :) This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podscan-2-months-and-1k-mrr-in/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/317-podscan-2-months-and-1k-mrr-in...

  
• 05.01.2024

  316: Marybeth Alexander — Knowledgebase Secrets

  Marybeth Alexander is the Chief Executive Owl at KnowledgeOwl, a SaaS that focuses on providing the most impactful knowledgebase you could possibly have. We talk about using knowledge management systems outside their "usual" domain of customer service: Marybeth teaches how...

  
• 04.26.2024

  315: MicroConf Atlanta — My Biggest Learnings

  I went to MicroConf 2024 in Atlanta — here is what I learned. Literally. My brain just absorbed this. I recorded this episode minutes after waking up the day after the conference. And if you're wondering why my voice is...

  
• 04.24.2024

  314: Nicolai Klemke — Switching Lanes: Physics PhD to Indie Hacker

  Nicolai Klemke (@nicolaiklemke) is an Indie Hacker with a PhD in Physics. Talk about a career change! Nicolai shares his founder journey from learning how to code to making waves in the music industry. We chat about carving out a...

  
• 04.19.2024

  313: Challenges of Offering an API

  When you sell access to an API, what should you keep in mind? How would you protect your data but still make it easy to use? What product and legal repercussions does this all have? Those are questions I asked...

  
• 04.17.2024

  312: Aaron Francis — You're FIRED!

  Aaron Francis (@aarondfrancis) lost his job and gained a new outlook on life — or rather, he stepped into entrepreneurship for good. Aaron weighed his options, found old friends who were ready for new adventures and finally took the plunge...

  
• 04.12.2024

  311: Finding my Ideal Customer Profile

  This week, I share my journey to finding Ideal Customer Profile — live on air. In this episode, I share my framework for determining who I will build for, market to, and sell to. I have a few candidate, and...

  
• 04.10.2024

  310: Jessica Malnik — How to Communicate as an Indie Hacker

  Jessica Malnik (@jessicamalnik) deeply understands how remote work has changed the world of marketing and running a business. And fortunately, she's sharing her knowledge. In fact, we talk a lot about how to communicate right: with your customers, with your...

  
• 04.05.2024

  309: Funded!

  Big news! Podscan.fm, my B2B SaaS that alerts you when your keywords or topics are mentioned in any podcast anywhere, has received bootstrapper-aligned funding from Calm Company Fund. Booya! I share why I, ever the solopreneur bootstrapper, said yes to...

  
• 04.03.2024

  308: Michael Taylor — Prompt Engineering for Fun & Profit

  Mike Taylor (@hammer_mt) literally wrote the book on Prompt Engineering. He paints a vivid picture of a future where generative AI could make our traditional databases look like ancient relics, and the role of developers shifts dramatically. Instead of crafting...

  
• 03.29.2024

  307: Addressing my Weaknesses

  I’m a pretty okay developer, but when it comes to marketing and sales, I really need help. And for the longest time, I’ve held myself back. That ends today. My current SaaS business, Podscan, is at a point where some...

  
• 03.27.2024

  306: Johannes Radig — Traveling the World and Raising Prices

  Johannes Radig (@joradig) runs a SaaS from the Canary Islands — the most recent stop on a globe-spanning digital nomad trip. Johannes and I chat about building a software business for agencies, how hard it is to find just the...

  
• 03.22.2024

  305: AI Hype — The Straight Line Bias and the Fear of not Keeping Up

  “If this tech keeps developing as fast as it does right now, will I ever be able to catch up?” is a question on my mind and the minds of many founders I’ve been talking to recently. So, what about...

  
• 03.20.2024

  304: Tyler Tringas — Investing in Bootstrapped SaaS

  Tyler Tringas (@tylertringas) invests in bootstrapped businesses. Wait… Aren't those supposed to NOT take investment money? What's going on here? Alignment is what's going on. Where traditional VC's often have very different goals from founders, funds like Tyler's Calm Company...

  
• 03.15.2024

  303: How I Deal with Investment Offers

  Ever since I started building Podscan in public, I’ve received a lot of attention. And it’s been spectacular: I’ve found early users, prospects, customers, and cheerleaders. Apparently, when people see something get traction, they want to be a part of...

  
• 03.13.2024

  302: Nick Groeneveld — Speaking the Language of your Customers

  Nick Groeneveld (@ToolboxOfDesign) understands that design isn't about gadgets, widgets, or buttons. For Nick, design is understanding the needs, desires, and expectations of those you aim to serve. We chat about talking to your customers, what common mistakes indie hackers...

  
• 03.08.2024

  301: Podscan, One Month In (MRR, Expenses, Marketing Tactics)

  Do you like revenue and expense numbers? I've been running my new SaaS podscan.fm for a month now. And today, I share all the facts and figures behind this first four weeks — the good, the undecided, and the bad....

  
• 03.06.2024

  300: Marc Louvion — Becoming a Product Launch Beast

  Marc Louvion (@marc_louvion) is the Maker of the Year 2023 and the visionary behind the innovative ShipFast. His product development philosophy emphasizes rapid shipping and focusing on feature-specific builds, which has transformed his approach to creating tech products. Utilizing platforms...

  
• 03.01.2024

  299: Adversarial Thinking in Entrepreneurship

  Sometimes, pondering what your worst enemy would do is a good idea. Taking their point of view gives you a fresh perspective on your own work, your business, and the way you are perceived. This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com...

  
• 02.28.2024

  298: Sharath Kuruganty — Letting Go Isn't Quitting

  Sharath Kuruganty (@5harath) is not only a successful software entrepreneur and podcast host, but he's also open about the tough times he's faced, like losing his job while buying a home and having a baby. Sharath talks about the importance...

  
• 02.23.2024

  297: Payment Platforms for Solopreneurs

  Making money is hard. But even TAKING money takes some careful decision-making. Let's dive into payment platforms for solopreneurs today. Between Stripe, Paddle, and Lemon Squeezy (and then some), we have plenty of choices. But what matters most to people...

  
• 02.21.2024

  296: Yong-Soo Chung — Surviving Serial Entrepreneurship

  Yong-Soo Chung (@yongsoochung) is a champion of the Personal Holding Company: he owns several businesses, a media company, eCommerce, and a service provider among them. How does one stay sane with that much work in such diverse fields? He shares...

  
• 02.16.2024

  295: Forever Business or Exit?

  Many indie hackers and solopreneurs have a big exit as their primary goal. That might be because of the money, but also because of a business’ limited life span. But is there something like a ‘forever business’? If so, what do you...

  
• 02.14.2024

  294: RoxCodes — Building Dreams and Letting Go

  Rox (@RoxCodes) recently sold his SaaS thumbnailtest.com. But he's pretty conflicted about the sale. What was promised to be a moment of joy and celebration quickly turned into doubt, grief, and confusion. Today, I talk to my friend Rox about...

  
• 02.09.2024

  293: Local AI

  Today I discuss how I've developed my own advanced AI, moving away from relying on external platforms. I've managed to evolve the Podscan system from basic alerts to being capable of answering complex questions, all thanks to using llama.cpp and...

  
• 02.07.2024

  292: Josh Pigford — The Open-Source Transformation of Maybe

  Josh Pigford (@shpigford)​, who created Maybe and Baremetrics, talks about bringing his financial tool back to life by making it open-source! This has sparked surprisingly high levels of interest and even investment.  Within two weeks. In our chat, we delve...

  
• 02.02.2024

  291: To Pivot or Not to Pivot

  Join me as I dive into a crucial choice every entrepreneur faces, balancing what excites us with what makes sense. This week, a voicemail made me deeply think about my projects, Podline and Podscan. One's a service for podcast voicemails,...

  
• 01.31.2024

  290: Spencer Patterson — Mastering Market Niches and Startup Growth

  Spencer Patterson (@SpencePatterson) is a former financial advisor turned tech entrepreneur, who transformed his non-technical background into a $3.5 million SaaS triumph. Spencer shares his journey from navigating failed ideas to creating a platform generating $140K in monthly revenue with...

  
• 01.26.2024

  289: Rethinking the Creator Economy

  The "creator economy" is a dream of self-fulfillment and freedom for many. But once you're in it, it can quickly look bleak. Today, I dive into a world where everyone tells you to be consistent and trust the process. Let's...

  
• 01.24.2024

  288: Thibault Louis-Lucas — Selling a $10M SaaS and Building Another One

  Thibault Louis-Lucas (@tibo_maker), or Tibo for short, is the indie hacker and innovator behind successful ventures like TweetHunter and Taplio — which he sold for over $10M! In this episode, we unravel Thibault's thrilling journey from the joys of product...

  
• 01.19.2024

  287: White Glove Onboarding

  How can you provide white-glove customer service if you don't even know what it looks like? That —and a few very exciting development with my recent SaaS project(s?!)— will be what I want to share with you today. This episode...

  
• 01.17.2024

  286: Asia Orangio — Crafting a Growth Blueprint for Emerging Startups

  Asia Orangio (@AsiaOrangio), CEO of Demand Maven, joins me as we dive into the world of customer discovery and (go-to) market strategies. We'll discuss real-life examples, like a Gantt chart tool maker who grew their business through customer feedback. This...

  
• 01.12.2024

  285: Voices of Influence: How Expert Feedback Shapes SaaS Success

  What's more important? Impact or Influence? Or does one facilitate the other? You'll learn what makes niche influence so valuable in an episode where I am briefly joined by a founder celebrity who has an opinion about a question I...

  
• 01.10.2024

  284: Kasey Jones — The Art of Strategic Self-Revelation in the Digital Age

  Kasey Jones (@ABetterJones) is a maven in the realm of authentic online identity. As an entrepreneur who has weathered the storm of digital exposure, Kasey joins me to dismantle the barriers of vulnerability and self-doubt that so often plague...

  
• 01.05.2024

  283: Business Validation Traps

  Founders often listen to the wrong signals when validating their businesses. Let's dive into common validation traps today. I see three major traps indie hackers have to face: 1) confusing users with customers, 2) getting a bit too much support...

  
• 01.03.2024

  282: Kevon Cheung — Embracing Vulnerability in Startup Culture

  Kevon Cheung (@MeetKevon) is an expert builder-in-public. The moment his life pivoted with the birth of his daughter is where our conversation begins, and it's a profound one. As we traverse Kevon's journey, we uncover the raw intricacies of aligning...

  
• 12.29.2023

  281: AI and the Future of SaaS

  2023 saw an explosion of AI. 2024 will make 2023 look like cheap fireworks next to the Death Star's superlaser. SaaS founders either go with the flow or are swept away. Here's where I see AI tooling going, how software...