This Indie Life

By James McKinven and Dagobert Renouf

What's This Indie Life about?

Dagobert spent 5 years and $100K+ to bootstrap a startup and failed with a massive burn out. Every week he invites a new founder to talk about the dark side of entrepreneurship.

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This Indie Life episodes:

05.23.2024
31: Marie is in energy savings mode
My interview with Marie Ng is out
05.10.2024
30: Dmytro and Dago wonder if his product is too small
My interview with Dmytro Krasun is out
04.26.2024
29: Lukas and Dago talk about burnout and therapy
I finally overcame my perfectionist tendencies and edited the podcast episode with Lukas Hermann
03.27.2024
28: Nico and Dago talk about the dark side of entrepreneurship
The first guest of This Indie Life is here! Nico and I talked about the dark side of entrepreneurship: from getting his first gray hair at 26 to being on the verge of breaking up with his girlfriend... but we...
03.20.2024
27: James is gone; Dago is back
In this episode, Dago quits his job and comes back to the indie life. Meanwhile James is nowhere to be found and the podcast is headed towards a new direction. Dagobert linksDagobert's TwitterDago's Twitter CourseDago's NewsletterJames linksJames' TwitterIndie Bites -...
11.23.2023
26: James gets a fancy shirt; Dago gets a divorce
In this episode, Dago has a big life event which is going to change the trajectory of his indie life. Meanwhile, I reflect on one of my best weeks in a while being on form after spending some time away...
10.16.2023
25: Are side projects impossible to make successful?
In this episode, Dago talks about why he can’t do side projects anymore without going al in, but he does have a plan. Meanwhile, I’ve had a big week with my podcast Indie Bites, speaking to a bootstrapping legend, but...
10.05.2023
24: We're back and indie hacking again
In this episode, Dago talks about how the honeymoon period for his job is over and how he’s going to address it with side projects. Is logology coming back? Meanwhile, I’ve been settling back into a new slightly too relaxed...
07.10.2023
23: Are we no longer indie hackers? (Dago's job update)
In this episode, Dago has started his new job and gives an update on what it’s like now he’s joined the dark side. Is he happy? Does he regret the decision? All will be revealed in this update conversation. I,...
06.13.2023
22: Closing down Logology (Dago's startup)
In this episode, Dago’s got a big announcement. You might have seen on Twitter, he’s closing down his startup Logology and getting a job. I’ll read his whole tweet and then we’ll discuss why he’s making such a big decision....
06.02.2023
21: Where have we been?
Dago and I have taken a break from the pod while Dago gets to the bottom of his burnout. He's spent some time meditating and figuring out what the next steps are for his indie hacking journey. I have been...
04.24.2023
20: Dago "I am a Twitter rockstar"
In this episode, Dago has decided he is a Twitter Rockstar and tries to justify himself, meanwhile, I’ve made huge progress in paying off my debts and there’s even some positive leather news. Dago Updates:Coming to terms with the fact...
04.10.2023
19: Dago is cured!
In this episode, Dago’s got to the bottom of his illness and is on the road to recovery, you won’t believe what it is! After months of positivity and growth, I might be running into some mental health problems so...
04.04.2023
18: The AI skeptics embrace AI
In this episode, Dago is up and about, looking fantastic in his recording setup. We'll be diving deep into a topic that's on everyone's minds - artificial intelligence. Despite being skeptics at heart, Dago and I have both started to...
03.22.2023
17: Where is the finish line?
In this episode, Dago is still sick so records from bed and tries to find out his customer’s deepest darkest fears. Meanwhile, I’ve had a positive week having discussions about selling indie bites, or maybe finding an alternative solution to...
03.16.2023
16: Finding joy in work
In this episode, Dago is coming to terms with working less and making the most of it. I’m not talking sipping mamosas, I’m talking optimizing his Twitter time. I share more details about my long term indie bites partnership, although...
03.07.2023
15: Staying positive and one-year deal for Indie Bites
In this episode, Dago is still sick so records from bed and tries to find out his customer’s deepest darkest fears. Meanwhile, I’ve had a positive week having discussions about selling indie bites, or maybe finding an alternative solution to...
02.27.2023
14: Uncovering fears and getting rejected
In this episode, Dago is still sick so records from bed and tries to find out his customer’s deepest darkest fears. Meanwhile, I’ve had a positive week having discussions about selling indie bites, or maybe finding an alternative solution to...
02.17.2023
13: Getting sick and should James sell his podcast?
In this episode, Dago talks about reinventing himself on Twitter, dealing with sickness as a founder and he attempts to find 50 shades of grey to wear. I meanwhile ponder just a single thing, is it worth selling my baby?...
01.20.2023
12: Dago gets into debt
In this episode Dago gets himself into debt, only works 19 hours in a week, and enjoys using AI. Will we get the old Dago back, who knows? Meanwhile I manage to publish an episode of Indie Bites with my...
01.16.2023
11: Burnout and bifolds
Dago talks about his impromptu Twitter hiatus and shares some nuggets of wisdom from his course, James is back on his feet after a down period after selling some bi-fold wallets on Twitter and tries to convince Dago why he...
01.10.2023
10: Profit vs revenue and AI logo generators
In this episode Dago ponders how AI will affect his logo business and is thinking of moving to another part of the country to help his indie hacking. I have a battle with the UK postal service who decided not...
12.17.2022
9: Maintaining momentum
This episode, Dago talks about how much he’s enjoying doing a podcast and his plans for maintaining momentum for his course. I’m also thinking about momentum in the new year after crossing £5k this month in leather wallet sales in...
12.06.2022
8: What happens when the sales slow down?
This episode, we reflect on our black friday sales and how Dago made a full-year worth of sales i a weekend, I meanwhile have a found a new lease of life thanks to my the leather wallet business but question...
11.26.2022
7: $2k wallet sales; $5k course sales in a day
James has had a massive week making £1,600 in a day selling leather wallets, Dago has success with black friday sales and we finally get to the bottom of how you pronounce niche. Get Dago's course here
11.15.2022
6: Doubt and imposter syndrome
This episode, Dago talks about how he feels one week on from his course launch and some of the new ideas he has for keeping the momentum. I on the other hand was not having a good day when we...
11.04.2022
5: $16k course launch, but sad? Is going viral worth it?
This episode Dago talks about how he made $16,000 launching his course and why he’s not feeling amazing about it, I go viral on Twitter and then make a promise I might not be able to keep. Get Dago's course...
11.01.2022
4: Deadlines, disagreements and launches
This episode Dago talks about why he had to delay the launch of his course, we both discuss some of the disagreements we’ve had in the past few weeks and I think about how I can grow Indie Bites. Dago's...
10.25.2022
3: Burnout, course launch and AI tools
This episode Dago is in full-prep mode for his Twitter course launch and talks about how the early access has helped them. Both of us are no stranger to burnout, so we discuss both our approaches to avoiding it, including...
10.14.2022
2: Disagreeing on sponsors, clients and false validation
This episode is a little meta, because Dago and I discuss the launch of the show and if we should accept sponsors. So I said we’d be open and honest and sometimes we may even disagree, but I thought it...
10.07.2022
1: Intros, dollars and insomnia
In this episode, both Dago and I introduce ourselves, from there we head into our usual updates as Dago’s talks about his new Twitter course, why his most viral meme of all time is to keep him in check and...

What's This Indie Life about?

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This Indie Life episodes:

31: Marie is in energy savings mode

30: Dmytro and Dago wonder if his product is too small

29: Lukas and Dago talk about burnout and therapy

28: Nico and Dago talk about the dark side of entrepreneurship

27: James is gone; Dago is back

26: James gets a fancy shirt; Dago gets a divorce

25: Are side projects impossible to make successful?

24: We're back and indie hacking again

23: Are we no longer indie hackers? (Dago's job update)

22: Closing down Logology (Dago's startup)

21: Where have we been?

20: Dago "I am a Twitter rockstar"

19: Dago is cured!

18: The AI skeptics embrace AI

17: Where is the finish line?

16: Finding joy in work

15: Staying positive and one-year deal for Indie Bites

14: Uncovering fears and getting rejected

13: Getting sick and should James sell his podcast?

12: Dago gets into debt

11: Burnout and bifolds

10: Profit vs revenue and AI logo generators

9: Maintaining momentum

8: What happens when the sales slow down?

7: $2k wallet sales; $5k course sales in a day

6: Doubt and imposter syndrome

5: $16k course launch, but sad? Is going viral worth it?

4: Deadlines, disagreements and launches

3: Burnout, course launch and AI tools

2: Disagreeing on sponsors, clients and false validation

1: Intros, dollars and insomnia