Evelyn J. Starr is a brand-building expert. We talk about finding the right niche, having a community-centric long-term perspective, and how brands evolve —you might call it “grow up”— over time. Here’s Evelyn. My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm Evelyn's Twitter: https://twitter.com/EvelynJStarr The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/evelyn-j-starr-the-evolution-of-a-brand/ The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/69cc34f4 The video: http...
May 24, 2023•50 min
Building in public is a popular trend in entrepreneurship. However, it may not always be the best approach. Entrepreneurs should consider their personality traits, the nature of their business, and their competitive advantages before deciding whether to adopt this approach. Building in public is about generosity, transparency, and community, and can be a powerful way to gain customers' trust, build a brand, and grow a business if these values align with the business model and personal style — bu...
May 19, 2023•12 min
Today, I’m talking to Jack Ellis, the co-founder of Fathom Analytics, a privacy-conscious web analytics business that I personally use for all my web properties. The company that Jack co-founded with Paul Jarvis competes directly with Google on their linchpin advertising product. That’s a pretty high order. We chat about Jack's role in a growing successful software business and just how much he hesitates to go from coder to manager. We dive into choosing reliable dependencies to power an always-...
May 17, 2023•54 min
People would rather sift through fake AI results than see yet another ad. Something is happening in advertising, and the creator economy is affected greatly. The shift towards trust-based advertising is a wake-up call for founders and creators when crafting their marketing strategy, as honesty, integrity, and trust are now essential components of a successful approach to outreach. Here are the steps that you need to take to keep up with this development. My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler...
May 12, 2023•12 min
When Fatih started his sticker business Stikkernet, his peers asked him, “You’re a developer; why don’t you write this from scratch?” His response? “Why should I?” Today, I'm talking to my dear old friend Fatih Kadir Akın — or fka for short. We discuss his unexpected journey of building a successful business out of a simple idea. Fatih shares his experience with building Stikkernet and how he grew his audience through community building. We chat about the challenges of logistics when shipping in...
May 09, 2023•54 min
What happens when we encounter something so novel that our minds can't fully comprehend it? Today, let’s explore the "Rubber Band Effect" and how it impacts both journalists and entrepreneurs alike. Learn how to build products that fit seamlessly into your customers' workflows and how to effectively communicate the results your product can achieve, without overwhelming them with the complexity of the underlying technology. The Ai researcher's video "The A.I. Dilemma": https://www.youtube.com/wat...
May 05, 2023•8 min
“As an entrepreneur, you need someone you’ve been through shit with already” — and that’s exactly why Dagobert and Lucie are the perfect power couple co-founders. I chatted with @dagobertrenouf about overcoming struggle, growing a business together, and dealing with the lack of motivation when things get complicated. We discuss the power of Twitter and building an audience before creating a product. Dagobert shares his personal journey with Logology and how he lost motivation before finding insp...
May 03, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Using ChatGPT as a writing partner helps strengthen arguments by acting as an editor, proofreader, and devil's advocate. It prompts the AI to provide counterpoints and can detect emotional subtext, highlight missing pieces of the argument, and suggest better examples. This adversarial writing approach with generative AI results in writing that is both in the author's voice and accessible to a wider readership. 00:00:14 Intro 00:01:33 ChatGPT as a writing buddy 00:03:13 Bias-busting with a Devil'...
Apr 28, 2023•10 min
Few people had an impact on my founder journey as Dr. Sherry Walling — and she didn't even know. But I got to tell her! We discussed burnout, imposter syndrome, and stress among founders. Sherry explained the need for mental health professionals who understand the unique challenges of entrepreneurship and shared that burnout is a diagnosable issue. While entrepreneurs have more control over their work, long hours and hustle culture can still lead to burnout. Her book, "The Entrepreneur's Guide t...
Apr 26, 2023•55 min
This week, I got on my first post-COVID trip and headed to Denver, Colorado for MicroConf 2023. It. Was. Awesome. Unsurprisingly, being in the same room with 250 other bootstrapped SaaS founders is one of the nerdiest things you can do. And it was as enlightening as it was nerdy. I just arrived back home in Canada a few hours ago, so I took the opportunity to share my insights from the conference on my podcast. Enjoy! 00:00:14 Intro 00:02:26 What is MicroConf? 00:08:42 STIR 00:11:21 The talks 00...
Apr 21, 2023•49 min
When it comes to building an "owned audience," nothing beats an email list. Louis Nicholls is a newsletter expert, and he shared with me how to monetize a list, how to grow it reliably, and why cold emails are often done spectacularly wrong. Louis will show you how to do email right. 00:00:00 Why did you choose to build SparkLoop? 00:05:23 Grow an audience, monetize a list 00:09:07 How do you maintain customer quality in a network? 00:14:55 Advice on how to cross-link your knowledge with other c...
Apr 19, 2023•51 min
ChatGPT is everywhere. But can we build businesses on it? What risks will we face? Let's dive into the future of entrepreneurship in a world where AI is ubiquitous. My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/chatgpt-goldmine-or-minefield-for-indie-hackers/ The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/efd69983 The video: https://youtu.be/J4eNi1uqxUI You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappe...
Apr 14, 2023•20 min
Marie and Ben are a power couple. Together, they run Notion Mastery, an intense workshop for people who want to use Notion professionally and productively. In our conversation, we'll dive into platform risk, building a sustainable educational business, how to work together as a couple, and why social media distribution matters a lot to educational founders. Enjoy! 00:00:00 What can we learn from permaculture? 00:04:55 How do you make it profitable? 00:10:57 Building an info product on top of a s...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 5 min
Artificial scarcity, a marketing tactic that fosters urgency in customers, can lead to short-term financial gains but raises ethical concerns and negative consequences in the creator economy. Drawbacks include damaging relationships, promoting impulsive purchases, and exacerbating global inequality. While there are exceptions, such as outcome-oriented communities and front-loading financial gains, adopting an abundance mindset and cultivating genuine relationships is a more sustainable long-term...
Apr 07, 2023•15 min
Most of Josh Spector's newsletter issues are just a few sentences. Sometimes, just a link. And still, advertisers and readers alike flock to Josh's emails. In our conversation, you will learn why brevity is so attractive, how to make sure you're telling the right stories to the right people, and how to build systems that keep people coming back for more. 00:00:00 How to think about scarcity 00:04:16 Josh's newsletter(s) 00:08:49 Ads that feel less like ads 00:12:21 Why you need to know what you ...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr
This is probably the most concentrated and well-produced podcast I've been on in a long while. And I want to share it with you here today as a bonus episode. Kudos to @YongSooChung for putting his money where his mic is. He spent a lot of time, money, and energy to make this episode happen. This is a great ep, and if want to learn about my whole founder journey, I recommend a listen. Here's the original show: https://www.firstclassfounders.com/life-changing-wisdom-with-arvid-kahl-from-selling-a-...
Apr 03, 2023•36 min
What are the factors involved in choosing a solid business name? From securing an available domain to choosing a unique name for SEO reasons, I delve into the linguistic and cultural considerations of choosing a business name, including avoiding potentially offensive or negative connotations in various markets. I also emphasize the importance of trademarking the business name and domain to protect from infringement and legal disputes. Future-proofing a business name involves securing social medi...
Mar 31, 2023•17 min
Peter knows how to get good domains and turn them into businesses. He's selling onions, helps dude ranchers get clients, and will share his approach to monetizing domains as well as purchasing them on the cheap side. Peter's been building online marketplaces for a while, and he'll teach you how he approaches setting up profitable businesses. 00:00:00 Peter’s unique approach to building a business. 00:02:59 The right mindset to become an entrepreneur. 00:05:46 Getting into domain name investing. ...
Mar 29, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Here are my personal strategies for achieving consistency in content creation, which encompass implementing accountability systems, connecting with my audience, and reaping financial and lifestyle rewards. Additionally, I explore the difficulties of maintaining motivation and the vital role of community in this process. I recount my own story, beginning with the launch of a blog and ultimately leading to the development of a self-perpetuating content creation cycle. Throughout this journey, I've...
Mar 24, 2023•20 min
Justin Jackson has been successfully bootstrapping Transistor.fm with a small team throughout the ups and downs of a shifting economy. He even rejected massive clients to be able to keep running a calm and self-funded business. Find out just how important it is to stay independent, resilient, and nimble, and what building on open standards has to do with that. 00:00:00 Justin Jackson 00:01:24 The world of ideas 00:10:32 Understanding the context of advice. 00:15:58 The importance of attribution ...
Mar 22, 2023•1 hr 6 min
Looking to build a successful SaaS business? Don't just focus on product-market fit. In this video, learn about the Solution-Workflow Fit, a crucial element to consider for success. Discover why the medium in which your solution is implemented and the workflow of your customers matter just as much as the technical side of your solution. See real-life examples and learn how to research your target industry's existing workflows, design your solution to fit between existing tools, and adapt your so...
Mar 19, 2023•12 min
Rob Fitzpatrick is a serial entrepreneur, a writer, a community leader, and a very curious human being. I talk to Rob about building an incredibly complicated business, the world of self-publishing, what AI tools can and will do for humanity, and how to build communities that can run by themselves. 00:00:00 Rob Fitzpatrick 00:03:38 The challenges of building the Useful Books business 00:10:01 A rare breed 00:14:47 The passion discount 00:21:12 What’s changed in self-publishing? 00:26:43 What’s y...
Mar 15, 2023•1 hr 5 min
How to secure your product, the business, and an eventual exit, including using established frameworks, outsourcing to secure third-party vendors, and having clear and complete account separation. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/securing-your-saas/ The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/6c645953 The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNOr7BheIz8 You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.c...
Mar 10, 2023•22 min
Troy Hunt (of HaveIBeenPwned fame) is a cybersecurity expert who has been around long enough to be able to give actionable and pragmatic security advice without complicating things. In our conversation, we chat about best practices for securing your SaaS business, how to get your family to be more secure, what it means to vet your vendors, if you should build your own authentication and why passwords just won't die. After this conversation, you will know how to adequately secure your SaaS busine...
Mar 08, 2023•53 min
Goodhart's law is powerful and important to remember for every creator: when a measure becomes a target, people tend to optimize their behavior to meet that target, which can lead to unintended consequences. You'll see examples of this law in action, including in education and social media, and learn the negative consequences of over-optimizing for follower count. But I won't let you go without prevention methods and tips for building a quality audience on social media. 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:51 G...
Mar 03, 2023•18 min
Today, I’m talking to Matt Wensing — the founder behind Summit and tweeter of many often controversial things. We talk about bootstrapping a financial SaaS, how to deal with integrations, and when to take funding. Here’s Matt. 00:00:00 An exchange of stories 00:04:54 What’s your strategy? 00:09:31 Writing long-form 00:15:05 Bridging the gap between invention and commercialization. 00:19:56 Creators and salespeople. 00:25:58 How a little bit of cash can change the trajectory of your business. 00:...
Mar 01, 2023•1 hr 9 min
Stair-stepping into software entrepreneurship is a great way for developers to start their own businesses without taking on massive risks. Building a plugin on an established platform allows developers to leverage existing user bases and traffic to grow their business quickly, while also being aware of the risks associated with platform dependency, profit-sharing, and limited flexibility. My interview with Collen Schnettler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpcYTO5x3cY Rob Walling's Stair-Steppin...
Feb 24, 2023•14 min
Today, I’m talking to Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hammerstone and build-in-public podcaster. We talk about getting bootstrapper-compatible funding, juggling way too many projects, and selling a business when you know it’s time to move on. Here’s Colleen. 00:00:00 A lot of podcasts 00:06:01 Building on Heroku 00:12:25 Building on Marketplaces 00:16:59 Dealing with support requests 00:21:49 Pressure to sell? 00:26:27 Hammerstone 00:31:24 Business Value 00:35:46 Value of value 00:41:11 The ri...
Feb 22, 2023•53 min
Arvid shares what writing can bring to the founder table. Self-funded entrepreneurs can benefit from honing their writing skills, as it can be used to communicate ideas and thoughts clearly, attract attention, foster relationships, and build a personal brand. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/writing-for-founders/ The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/735924e4 The video: https://youtu.be/1R5scFwM5Xw You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfou...
Feb 17, 2023•12 min
Today, I’m talking to Hassan Osman— he’s the host of Writer on the Side, and himself a prolific writer. We talk about crafting books that sell (and keep selling), self-publishing on Amazon, and how to write while having a full-time job. Here’s Hassan! 00:00:00 Introduction to Hassan Osman 00:05:59 Slowly shifting your perspective 00:10:48 Do you update your books that you have written? 00:17:24 How short-sighted publishers can be 00:24:29 The importance of the time component in your book 00:29:1...
Feb 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min
