The Panel

By Justin Jackson & Brian Casel

When it comes to bootstrapping and building software, there's rarely one right answer. We want to dive into the nuance. In every episode, veteran founders Justin Jackson and Brian Casel tackle thorny ... more

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FAQs about The Panel:

How many episodes does The Panel have?

The podcast currently has 28 episodes available.

The Panel episodes:

October 31, 2025Maybe, do the opposite
AI dev is changing rapidly, and... AI dev is rapidly changing how we build websites and apps. Brian and Justin wrestle with this new reality and discuss the different phases of a startup, how indies can cultivate brand loyalty, and when you should maybe do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.

Timestamps:
(00:00) - What does Justin do all day?
(00:14) - Welcome to The Panel
(04:05) - The phases of startups
(20:04) - AI coding might be moving away from spec driven development
(27:52) - The future of products is shifting regularly
(31:46) - Building a website dynamically with AI
(46:41) - How much brand loyalty do we have in the age of AI?
(01:13:45) - Singing the counter melody
YOU ARE THE PANEL – send us your thoughts 🗣️
🎤 Send us an audio or video message
📧 Email us: [email protected]
📺 Leave a comment on YouTube
🦋 Reply on Bluesky
Links mentioned in this episode
Panel Animated intro
Hillcharts
Cheeky Pint interview with Anthropic founder
Derek Sivers article
Humanoid robot
OpenAI acquires app that watches you
Duer Jeans
Plain English podcast
...more
1h 26min
October 24, 2025 Bonus: "The Chat" theme song
During the last live recording, Justin made a quick song for the folks who show up every week in the livestream chat.
Dedicated to our regular "chat crew:" Zack, Dave Giunta, Emmett, Pascal, Ryan, Beau and more!
Lyrics
Verse 1:
They're typing fast when the stream goes live
Zack and Emmett keeping vibes alive
Technical issues? They don't care
Beau's reloading but they're all still there
Chorus:
Chat room warriors, showing up on time
Pascal's dropping wisdom, Michael's speaking his mind
From AgentOS to Rails debates
These are the people who won't wait!
Verse 2:
Justin's laughing when the servers crash
Ryan's asking questions, making comments flash
Dave's talking marketing, attribution's tough
Pritch upgraded, saying that's enough!
Chorus:
Chat room warriors, showing up on time
Inside jokes and asymmetric climbs
From normy business to the tech elite
These are the voices that can't be beat!
Bridge:
They guard their privacy but share their thoughts
Community guidelines, lessons taught
Believers and creators side by side
In the Panel's chat, there's nothing to hide!
Final Chorus:
Chat room warriors, every single week
Pascal and Helen, everyone unique
From bluegrass covers to the iron triangle
These are the people in the Panelangle!
Outro:
Yeah! The Panel Podcast crowd!
Typing their hearts out, screaming loud!
(Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!)
Made with Suno
...more
2min
October 24, 2025Going Back to Grade 12
Justin spoke to a grade 12 class about entrepreneurship, and was surprised by what he learned about teenagers.
Brian has thoughts on the impact of Agent OS v2.1 and struggles with the support burden of open-source software.
They talk about “Wealth is the freedom from having to monetize every idea." Also: Johnny Ive and Rivian founder RJ Scaringe's product design processes.

Timestamps:
(00:00) - Now It's Time for The Panel
(01:30) - AI music creation
(05:45) - Segments update
(06:39) - Casel or Castle or ?
(07:55) - Justin's visit to a grade 12 entrepreneur class
(18:14) - What kinds of questions did the kids ask?
(23:31) - Projects that generate unwanted jobs
(40:25) - The relief of wealth DHH tweet
(56:19) - Jonny Ive and caring about design
(01:05:14) - Cheeky Pint podcast interview with Rivian founder
YOU ARE THE PANEL – send us your thoughts 🗣️
🎤 Send us an audio or video message
📧 Email us: [email protected]
📺 Leave a comment on YouTube
🦋 Reply on Bluesky
Links mentioned in this episode
Suno
Suno intro song for The Panel
Justin’s high school talk
Agent OS
Builder Methods Pro Discord
Tweet: “Wealth is the freedom from having to monetize every idea”
Survey: How does Basecamp get new customers?
Cheeky Pint podcast interview with Rivian founder
...more
1h 21min
October 18, 2025Double duty with Aaron Francis
Aaron Francis joins The Panel this week to talk about entrepreneurship, programming, and parenting. We chatted about how personal experiences shape our business journeys, the evolution of programming tools, and the importance of identifying market signals for success.

Timestamps:
(00:16) - Aaron Francis joins The Panel
(02:06) - How we're teaching our kids about programming?
(09:36) - The gap between AI code and design
(16:04) - How much AI are we using to write newsletters?
(20:22) - The web feels like it's back
(21:26) - Signals your business is working
(43:47) - Navigating when to pivot
(52:56) - What would you say to grade 12 class?
(01:12:26) - How to decide what product to work on next
(01:22:12) - Recording live streams of working sessions
(01:35:35) - Worrying about ideal customers vs just trying stuff
YOU ARE THE PANEL – send us your thoughts 🗣️
🎤 Send us an audio or video message
📧 Email us: [email protected]
📺 Leave a comment on YouTube
🦋 Reply on Bluesky
Links mentioned in this episode
Mostly Technical
Aaron Francis
Ian Landsman
Dancing Without A Partner – Signal v. Noise
Paper – design, share, ship
Newsletter - Aaron Francis
Phil Vischer - Wikipedia
ThePrimeagen - YouTube
...more
1h 41min
October 10, 2025Surviving on the internet
Justin is impressed with V0's ability to build working prototypes quickly. We've also got Sora 2 thoughts. And... what should we teach our kids when AI makes everything easy? Brian launches Agent OS v2. Could either of us survive without the internet for more than a day?

Timestamps:
(00:00) - This can be the show
(00:20) - Prototyping Transistor's episode creation UI in v0
(05:39) - Who would be working on this kind of project at Transistor?
(12:55) - Our thoughts on Sora 2
(21:00) - How will we be able to tell what's human creations vs AI?
(31:40) - Are kids growing up being too dependant on AI?
(49:30) - What motivates us is different for each person
(56:42) - Is building in AI the key to revenue?
(01:02:10) - How has the launch of AgentOS v2 going?
(01:06:47) - Customers pulling vs pushing to customers
(01:09:55) - Brian's thinknig around content for pro members
(01:16:15) - Could we survive in a cabin in the woods without internet?
YOU ARE THE PANEL – send us your thoughts 🗣️
🎤 Send us an audio or video message
📧 Email us: [email protected]
📺 Leave a comment on YouTube
🦋 Reply on Bluesky
Links mentioned in this episode
Sora by ChatGPT
0xFramer on X
Cheeky Pint: Des Traynor on Intercom (transcript at 35m15s)
Mind the Game Podcast
Tony Dinh: Oct 2025 Updates - Code, Money, and Travel
TypingMind - LLM Frontend Chat UI
Agent OS - AI Coding Agents System
Spec-Driven Development Workshop
Mostly Technical: Vision Quest
Justin Jackson: 2017 Year in Review
Alex Duggleby on AI and Junior Developers
...more
1h 36min
October 06, 2025Will vibe coding and AI give product people an advantage?
Justin Jackson and Brian Casel discuss the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship, particularly in the context of AI's impact on product development, creativity, and the job market. They explore the importance of having a clear vision when using AI tools, the challenges faced by junior developers, and the enduring need for human connection in art and media. The discussion also touches on the future of work, the role of AI in enhancing productivity, and the implications for artists and creators in a rapidly changing environment.

Timestamps:
(01:48) - Vibe coding a marketing tool for Transistor
(11:23) - Coding with AI vs designing with AI
(18:35) - Is vibe coding a playground or for serious development work?
(24:57) - Negativity around AI and building
(46:24) - Artists and AI
(01:00:36) - Will we ever go back to the social days of Twitter
(01:08:34) - What are your Q4 goals? Do you think about end of the year business planning?
(01:31:27) - The importance of telling people what you're doing
(01:42:53) - The benefits of a long career
YOU ARE THE PANEL – send us your thoughts 🗣️
🎤 Send us an audio or video message
📧 Email us: [email protected]
📺 Leave a comment on YouTube
🦋 Reply on Bluesky
Links mentioned in this episode
v0 by Vercel
Dribbble
Balsamiq
Big Tech Told Kids to Code. The Jobs Didn’t Follow. - The New York Times
Aaron Francis on X
The Last Days Of Social Media
Stratechery by Ben Thompson
Dithering
Agent OS
...more
1h 49min
September 26, 2025Business vibes
Justin vibe-coded an app 5 minutes before recording this episode. Justin and the Transistor team just got back from Banff for their annual company retreat. How do these retreats actually work? What are they good for? Brian has some pretty good signups for Builder Methods Pro memberships! (How can he keep that momentum going?) He's also juggling Agent OS customer support.

Timestamps:
(00:00) - Intro
(00:21) - Justin's been vibe coding again
(02:11) - Transistor's company retreat
(14:48) - The benefits of hiring a photographer for team retreats
(21:56) - Laying out the vision for Transistor
(25:23) - An easy way to tell how often you're shipping new features
(34:45) - Builder Methods workshop update
(41:31) - Selling annual subscriptions
(46:40) - The mixture of feelings around launching
(48:52) - The struggle of dealing with inbound messages
(54:47) - Figuring out how to help teams as well as individuals
(57:54) - What do Justin and Jon want next?
(01:16:08) - Should we think about our competitors?
(01:31:44) - Vibe coding vs AI assistant in the code
YOU ARE THE PANEL – send us your thoughts 🗣️
🎤 Send us an audio or video message
📧 Email us: [email protected]
📺 Leave a comment on YouTube
🦋 Reply on Bluesky
Links mentioned in this episode
Justin's vibe-code app: Segments – Podcast recording timer
Justin's app demo video
Town of Canmore
Chris Enns: podcast editor
Build Your SaaS | An update from Justin and Jon
What's Next? with Brian Casel
Claude Code | Claude
Fast and reliable end-to-end testing for modern web apps | Playwright
...more
1h 40min
September 12, 2025Business Dad, digital fatigue, Outro.fm, Builder Methods
We're joined by Ian Landsman, from the Mostly Technical podcast, joins us to chat about Outro.fm and Helpspot. We talk digital fatigue, the challenges of maintaining an online presence, the importance of building a community around shared interests, finding the right audience, and balancing personal goals with business objectives. As Brian⁩ prepares to launch Builder Methods Pro, we debate the value of community feedback and the potential for unforeseen opportunities in creating content online. Ian talks with us about the development of Outro.fm as an all-in-one solution for podcasters, the importance of building a membership community, the production side of podcasting tools, and the challenges faced in the podcasting market. Also: the difference between one-time sale products (courses) and SaaS.
Timestamps:
(00:06) - The pre-show is the show
(00:23) - Quitting Twitter
(06:19) - Redesigning his website with AI
(07:53) - Deciding on what a channel is for
(13:59) - Chasing views and likes
(20:58) - What are we up to this week
(29:36) - Why subscription and community vs team training and consulting
(50:32) - What should the premium content be for day one?
(57:08) - What is Outro.fm?
(01:15:04) - Who are Outro.fm's competition?
(01:21:47) - Selling sponsorships for podcasts as a product
(01:25:43) - The bet on how much revenue you'll get from your work
(01:43:59) - Step 1: Become famous
YOU ARE THE PANEL – send us your thoughts 🗣️
🎤 Send us an audio or video message
📧 Email us: [email protected]
📺 Leave a comment on YouTube
🦋 Reply on Bluesky
Links mentioned in this episode
Ian Landsman
A Smart Bear
Builder Methods | Training for AI-first software developers
Outro.fm
Mostly Technical Member Site | Outro
The Podcast Website Builder | Podpage
Luma · Delightful Events Start Here
The Changelog podcast
Syntax - Web Development Podcast
Help desk software for effortless email support
...more
1h 58min
September 05, 2025Why does the same amount of effort produce wildly different results?
Brian is wondering: how do you manage a popular open source project? Justin went to Toronto and introduced his son to Adam Wathan, Wes Bos, Steve Schoger, and Caleb Porzio. Why does the same amount of effort produce wildly different results? And... is everyone getting tired of all this copycat content that's optimized for algorithms?
Timestamps:
(00:20) - Preview of what we're going to talk about
(02:11) - Builder Methods Pro and AgentOS
(03:58) - The importance of human content in an age of algorithmic feeds
(25:55) - Connecting with people in real life
(33:52) - Zeroing in on Builder Methods revenue
(48:25) - Managing an open source project in public
(59:22) - The importance of enthusiasm in projects
(01:12:21) - Effort and outcome
YOU ARE THE PANEL – send us your thoughts 🗣️
🎤 Send us an audio or video message
📧 Email us: [email protected]
📺 Leave a comment on YouTube
🦋 Reply on Bluesky
Links mentioned in this episode
Sam Sulek YouTube Channel
Builder Methods Workshop
Justin’s Toronto Hangout
Marketing is a Transfer of Enthusiasm
Agent OS GitHub Project
Open Source Contribution Guidelines (Litestream)
37signals Book Royalties Revenue
Effort vs Outcome Blog Post
1,000 True Fans
Omarchy 2.0
Wes Bos
Downie - YouTube Video Downloader for macOS
...more
1h 43min
August 16, 2025A framework for getting what you want
Justin's been using Stripe Sigma to learn a lot more about the history of revenue at Transistor. He had a phone call with Jason Cohen about how to get what you want out of your business. And Brian talks through the same frameworks to figure out what might work best for Builder Methods including exploration of courses, cohorts, community, and more.
Timestamps:
(00:06) - We're back!
(00:59) - Brian's healthcare journey
(09:36) - Deep dive into Stripe Sigma and Transistor's history
(37:38) - Asking yourself the hard questions about your business
(42:12) - The value of taking a win now
(57:29) - What does Brian want with BuilderMethods
(01:14:35) - Rob Snyder's Pull framework
(01:30:48) - Can you do community well without the time commitment?
(01:35:17) - Cohort vs courses
(01:57:23) - How long is a long podcast episode?
YOU ARE THE PANEL – send us your thoughts 🗣️
🎤 Send us an audio or video message
📧 Email us: [email protected]
📺 Leave a comment on YouTube
🦋 Reply on Bluesky
Links mentioned in this episode
Jason Cohen: About the author
Mostly Technical
ChartMogul | CRM & Subscription Analytics built for B2B SaaS growth
Message from Paddle
Kit: Email-First Operating System for Creators (formerly ConvertKit)
Build Your SaaS | The “charge more” debate
Average Podcast Downloads: Podcast Measurement and Growth
Finding Fulfillment
Agent OS | A free open-source system to train smart AI coding agents
The PULL framework - by Rob Snyder
Jay Clouse - Creator Science
Learn Laravel | Laracasts
Wes Bos
Learn Ruby on Rails | GoRails
...more
1h 59min

FAQs about The Panel:

How many episodes does The Panel have?

The podcast currently has 28 episodes available.

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