Our website got slammed by LLM bots from Amazon and Anthropic, which could've cost us $7k in Vercel image optimization costs! Get Metacast podcast app for Android and iOS at https://metacast.app . Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [00:20] Introduction and episode overview [01:31] New features and updates [03:02] Why do we keep applying to YC? [08:53] The LLM bot invasion incident [21:26] We re-allowed LLM bots to crawl the site [28:22] Book & podcast recommendations Show...
Feb 27, 2025•32 min•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast In the first episode of 2025, we discuss the lowlights of last year and sharing our high-level plans for 2025. Get Metacast podcast app for Android and iOS at https://metacast.app . Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [02:23] User feedback [06:48] Fixing the leaky bucket of the intro screen [11:00] New feature: Episode inbox [15:11] Investing in the web app [18:24] The hard parts of 2024 [23:25] We have to make it work, or else... [30:38] Why we're putting energy in SEO [33:28...
Jan 29, 2025•47 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast In this holiday edition episode, we discuss the past year's highlights, a recent outage, and the rapid emergence of Bluesky as a social media platform. Get Metacast podcast app for Android and iOS at https://metacast.app . Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [00:20] Welcome to the holiday edition [01:24] Year in review: launches and growth [04:06] Challenges and user feedback [07:12] The big outage and serendipitous solution [10:16] Switching to a new transcription service [18...
Dec 18, 2024•44 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast We've chatted with a VC-backed founder who is on the brink of closing shop. Listen to our reflections on this. Plus, a breakdown of latest Metacast features! Get Metacast podcast app for Android and iOS at https://metacast.app . Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [01:26] New features in Metacast [01:42] Sleep timer [06:21] Speed control [12:32] Grid view in playlists [15:37] Goals for the next month [17:07] Our chat with a VC-backed startup founder [28:56] Podcast and books r...
Nov 13, 2024•41 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast We've launched with a price of $49.99/year, but we realized it's too high. We're lowering it to $19.99/year or $1.99/month. Get Metacast podcast app for Android and iOS at https://metacast.app . Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [01:14] How we decided to lower the price for Metacast [03:03] Initially we had three plans [04:48] Pulling the andon cord [06:40] One password app's reference point [08:21] Why we're not adding ads [11:35] Enshittification of consumer apps [14:21] O...
Oct 17, 2024•31 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast We've launched Metacast in Apple App Store. In this episode, we talk about the process and Apple's feedback. Get Metacast podcast app for Android and iOS at https://metacast.app . Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [00:51] Big milestone! [02:38] Apple requires screenshots for older phones [05:23] iPad screenshots [07:17] Apple's responses [12:11] The rejection we couldn't figure out [16:14] Apple vs. Google review feedback [20:26] Marketing the app [25:13] Podcast and book re...
Oct 02, 2024•35 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode we discuss a couple of weeks when our Slack went silent, a slow grind to launch on iOS, and talk about the word we want Metacast to be known for. Get Metacast podcast app for Android and iOS at https://metacast.app . Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [02:12] Confessions of a lonely founder [07:12] iOS and Flutter woes [18:33] The Wizard of Oz feature for OPML import [23:30] What is the word you want to be known for? [29:38] Podcast and book recommendations Sh...
Sep 18, 2024•38 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast We've launched Metacast on Android. In this episode, we talk about the feedback we received, first haters, Google Play store violations, and our launch process. We cover topics of feature toggling, version Get Metacast podcast app for Android and iOS at https://metacast.app. Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [02:16] Quick update on Android launch [07:57] Marketing and retention [11:17] Our first one-star review on Play Store [15:39] Feedback from the Overcast subreddit [19:37]...
Sep 04, 2024•42 min•Ep 60•Transcript available on Metacast Big announcement - we've launched Metacast on Android in Google Play Store! In this episode, we talk about deciding the scope for v1, punting on features, and pricing. Get Metacast at metacast.app. New users get 51% off Metacast Premium until end of August 2024. Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [00:22] We've launched in Google Play Store! [02:58] Preparation for launch [04:01] What makes Metacast app different from other podcast apps? [13:49] Features we punted at launch [20...
Aug 14, 2024•34 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast It’s been a year since we started working on Metacast. In this episode Arnab and Ilya reflect on the journey and compare working on a startup with the old corporate days. Get Metacast at metacast.app. Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [05:35] No going back to corporate [06:21] Annual reviews [13:43] Best year of Ilya's career [15:49] Frustrations with corporate [20:32] Anxiety and collaboration [26:41] Playing a long game [27:33] Letting go of old habits [34:13] Getting back ...
Jul 17, 2024•56 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast We're discussing the dilemma of positioning Metacast as both powerful and simple, break down the recent power struggle about 5% transparency of a UI element, and share our experience with the DUNS number that developers have to get to be in Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Get Metacast at metacast.app. Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [02:00] The positioning dilemma [10:15] Remaining features to launch the app and recent updates [13:30] Power struggle between Arnab and...
May 17, 2024•30 min•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast We're back and this is a massive update on what we've been up to since our last episode! Get Metacast at metacast.app. Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [00:24] We're back [03:23] Tangent about our names [05:00] First full-team offsite in Florida [08:27] We made Android cool again! [12:44] Paid app subscriptions with RevenueCat [16:04] Reflection on working in person vs. WFH [21:01] Seeing alligators in the Everglades [24:08] How we got an intern/contractor to build a website...
May 01, 2024•39 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast We took a leap of faith and left our jobs at Google and Amazon to jump into the unknown. It wasn't easy and required quite a bit of planning. This is a rerun of June 2023 episode where we talk about how we did it. Get Metacast at metacast.app. Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Links Show notes for part 1 and part 2 can be found on our website. Get in touch 🚀 Get the Metacast podcast app: https://metacast.app 👥 Join our subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/metacastapp/...
Mar 20, 2024•2 hr 33 min•Ep 55•Transcript available on Metacast We got asked how we were thinking about product-market-fit, potential revenue, and entering a market that already has strong players. We’re giving a full breakdown of our thought process. Get Metacast at metacast.app. Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [01:35] Ilya's “fun” interview with Google (tangent) [05:52] How we chose the market to go after [21:42] Our financial model approach [27:06] Thinking about the company size early on [31:09] How much money do we personally want ...
Mar 06, 2024•49 min•Ep 54•Transcript available on Metacast We broke Metacast just before launching it in open beta. Ouch. On this episode, we talk about the launch, how it went, and what we’ve learned. Get Metacast at metacast.app . Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [02:13] Get The Pragmatic Podcaster book for free [03:33] We broke Metacast just before launch [08:39] How we fixed the problem [14:04] The other way we broke the app [16:27] Publishing to Apple and Google [20:04] Marketing for open beta [24:10] Business metrics [30:38] This i...
Feb 21, 2024•41 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast We had our first existential crisis when Apple announced that they're adding transcripts to Apple Podcasts. We panicked for a few minutes, regrouped, and decided to ship Metacast in open beta ASAP. On the episode, Arnab, Ilya and Jennie discuss the whole ordeal as it was happening. Get Metacast at metacast.app . Join the r/metacastapp subreddit. Segments [01:09] Launch stages at Google and Amazon [07:21] Our secret sauce [13:00] Why we decided to start talking about the app openly [17:22] Our ...
Feb 08, 2024•48 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast We took a break from the startup for the holiday season and were welcomed back to work by a warm embrace of guilt. Should we feel guilt when building a startup? Today we also discuss the launch of our new podcast Builders Gonna Build and how we made the decision to start it. We talk about writing a doc, just like in the good ol’ days at Amazon. Listen to Builders Gonna Build - Apple Podcasts - Spotify - YouTube - Substack Segments [02:57] Snowmaggedon in Vancouver [09:04] Post-vacation guilt [21...
Jan 24, 2024•51 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast Wee-oo wee-oo wee-oo... we've got an important announcement to make! Bulders Gonna Build podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Newsletter on Substack: www.buildersgonnabuild.com Give it a rating, a follow and repost to help us out!...
Jan 18, 2024•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast What was 2023 like to Metacast, what's ahead for us in 2024, and our favorite podcast recordings of 2023. Segments [02:39] Year 2023 in review [18:59] Could we have shipped Metacast faster? [23:45] Our plan for 2024 [31:36] Our favorite behind the scenes episodes of 2023 [39:04] Books and podcasts recommendations Get in touch 🚀 Get the Metacast podcast app: https://metacast.app ✉️ Subscribe to Metacast newsletter: https://www.metacastpodcast.com 👋 Send feedback or say hi: hello@metacas...
Jan 10, 2024•50 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast To close off 2023, Arnab and Ilya sat down for a lighthearted review of our favorite books, podcasts, products and experiences of 2023. Segments [01:51] A lesson in geology [03:16] Our top books of 2023 [23:46] Our favorite podcasts of 2023 [41:04] Our favorite products [49:34] Experiences of the year 2023 Show notes Books Arnab’s The Ministry for the Future: A Novel by Kim Stanley Robinson Project Hail Mary: A Novel by Andy Weir Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi The Mom Test: How to talk t...
Jan 03, 2024•1 hr•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast Alex Rechevskiy, PM career coach, tells us about his time as a PM at Google, his solopreneur coaching practice, and Comment Armor, his YouTube spam comments management startup. Segments [01:46] Why product management is hard? [07:27] Alex' solopreneur coaching business [19:30] Experience working at Google as a PM [41:18] Building social media following [44:11] Preventing spam in YouTube comments with Comment Armor [58:01] Book recommendation Show notes Alex on LinkedIn Alex’s website Alex on You...
Dec 20, 2023•1 hr•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast This is a re-run of our "very second episode" originally published on Jan 11, 2023. -- For our second episode (and the very first one with a guest!), we sat down with Brian McCullough, creator of the Internet History Podcast , one of Ilya’s all-time favorite podcasts. Brian’s current podcast is Techmeme Ride Home , a popular daily summary of tech news that has over a million downloads every month. Brian is also an investor running the Ride Home Fund and a resident at TED (check out Brian’s...
Dec 13, 2023•2 hr 45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Geoff Roberts, co-founder of Outseta, on a compensation model that allows employees earn founder-level equity. Segments [01:06] Intro of Geoff and Outseta [03:42] How Outseta got started [10:50] Current state of Outsetta business [18:35] Customer acquisition through content marketing, affiliates and partnerships [33:27] Compensation philosophy [40:57] Cash vs. equity [48:18] Voting rights, scaling, and risks of Outseta's model [01:01:52] Hiring [01:03:35] Mechanics of the ledger and corporate st...
Dec 06, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast Metacast co-founders discuss benefits and risks of building a startup in public. Segments: [02:06] The "build in public" movement [08:46] Why we share what we do? [22:59] Downsides of building in public [33:49] Book and podcast recommendations 🚀 Get the Metacast podcast app: https://metacast.app ✉️ Subscribe to Metacast newsletter: https://www.metacastpodcast.com 👋 Send feedback or say hi: hello@metacastpodcast.com 📕 Get our book! The Pragmatic Podcaster: a step-by-step guide to starting an a...
Nov 29, 2023•42 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast Arnab and Ilya discuss different approaches to building products from the angle of do-what-you-want platforms vs. opinionated products. Show notes Insanely Simple WeCrashed Super Pumped Blackberry Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Fall of Civilizations Hardcore History What Now? Podcast Industry News The Metallica Podcast 🚀 Get the Metacast podcast app: https://metacast.app ✉️ Subscribe to Metacast newsletter: https://www.metacastpodcast.com 👋 Send feedback or say hi: hello@metacastpodcast.com ...
Nov 22, 2023•45 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast Dave Thomas, co-author of The Pragmatic Programmer and Agile Manifesto, on the true spirit of being agile (vs. "doing agile"), common mistakes engineering teams make, and common practices of successful teams. Segments: [00:23] Dave's background [08:45] The genesis of The Pragmatic Programmer [12:47] People don't know what they want, importance of feedback loops [20:24] Doing Agile vs. being agile [24:43] Practices of successful engineering teams [34:42] Being pragmatic at an early stage startup ...
Nov 15, 2023•58 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast Arnab and Ilya reminisce about their first social media experiences with ICQ and Orkut, discuss fixing X-Twitter, read an eulogy for Threads, and strategize about becoming social media influencers. Segments: [03:12] First experiences with social media [10:52] Reddit [16:19] Threads [18:35] Misuse of Instagram as a text blogging platform [21:25] Can existing social networks be replaced? [23:47] The hard life of a social media influencer [25:28] X / Twitter [29:04] AI content creation [32:23] Valu...
Nov 09, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast Jennie Buechner is a Senior Software Engineer and the first hire at Metacast. We discussed leaving Amazon to join an early stage startup and how we thought about equity compensation when we can't afford to pay a salary yet. Segments: [02:04] Jennie introduces herself [03:57] ChatGPT introduces Jennie, Ilya and Arnab [07:29] Explaining the number 42 [10:38] Leaving Amazon [20:46] Joining Metacast [28:08] Working for equity without a salary component [45:57] Living off savings [49:29] Jennie's rol...
Nov 01, 2023•59 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast What features do you build first - table stakes or what makes you differentiated? What's the difference between an MVP and an MLP? Is it worth applying to YC? ...and a few recommendations of books and podcasts that we're into these days. Segments: [03:40] Differentiating features vs. table stakes features [06:58] MVP vs. MLP [14:00] The MAYA principle [16:57] We applied to YC [23:31] Building a landing page with Carrd [26:22] Chaos engineering for customer empathy [31:56] The Three-Body Problem ...
Oct 25, 2023•49 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast A conversation with founders of Tramline, a CI/CD platform for mobile apps that we use for releasing Metacast. We talked about release standards (or lack thereof) for mobile and how Tramline solves this problem. We also dug into the founding story of the company, how they sold to first customers, fundraising from angels, and a few more topics. Get tramline at https://www.tramline.app/ Tramline on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tramlinehq Pratul Kalia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pratulkalia/ Nived...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast 
