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, Brian Casel and Jordan Gal tackle thorny topics – from pricing and product strategy to work-life balance. No gurus, no easy answers – just real conversations we'd normally have behind closed doors.
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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....
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 alg...
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...
Justin is wondering whether AI customer support is worth it. Brian is navigating the emotional rollercoaster of YouTube. He's wondering whether he should pursue sponsorships as a revenue stream. Brian introduces Agent OS, a new development tool designed to streamline coding processes when working with AI tooling (which got a big reaction during the live stream). Timestamps: (00:33) - Justin's experiment with AI support chat bots (15:20) - Do you want AI writing your responses? (19:06) - Trying t...
Brian and Justin discuss Brian's recent YouTube success focusing on AI for professional developers and his shift towards a creator-led business model. They explore the challenges of video editing tools, reflect on historical business failures like Steve Jobs' early ventures and Apple's recent stumbles, and emphasize the importance of identifying personal blind spots through community and self-reflection. Brian shares why the SaaS business model no longer energizes him compared to teaching and building software, and they discuss the ongoing challenge of finding sustainable monetization that aligns with personal interests and audience needs.
It's Justin's turn in the hot seat to talk about what he's got in his buckets : which projects make the most money? Which take the most time? Where is he focused on breaking new ground? How does Transistor, The Podcast Standards Projects, and other projects he's got going all fit together? Plus: what kind of grit, desire, and resilience do you need to actually build a company that works? Timestamps: (01:09) - Why Brian will never join your Slack (04:54) - What email client did Brian switch to? (...
Brian Casel shares a first look at BuilderMethods.com . Brian dig into how he's going to grow an email list from scratch, and we had a great chat about what makes an email newsletter awesome. The bulk of our chat was about honestly assessing the resources, time, and energy Brian is putting into each project, and how much revenue each project is producing. ( Check out Justin's diagram here ) Timestamps: (00:05) - We're back live! (01:15) - What is BuilderMethods.com? (04:04) - Brian's building a ...
Brian's walking through the new website and idea he's launching and getting Justin's feedback on what he thinks will work and what could use refining, the struggle of creating video content in 2025, keeping course content fresh, whether another podcast is the best use of time, and whether targeting junior or professional software developers is the best route to go. Timestamps: (00:00) - What broke the internet? (02:00) - Sports is heartache (05:49) - The trouble with hosting video costs (24:57) ...
Big episode! Brian shares the results of his launch of Instrumental Components (sales numbers, and how he's feeling). He also talks about his next project: helping devs and teams navigate how to use AI in software development and design. This episode was recorded live, with tons of folks joining us in the "panel" chat. Adam Wathan ended up joining us last-minute to talk about how he's changed is mind on AI and coding, and how AI is affecting Tailwind's business. Timestamps: (02:50) - What is Ins...
Justin and Brian check in on The Panel podcast format, discussing the challenges of booking guests and brainstorming a potential live show where the audience serves as the panel. Justin shares insights from The Podcast Show conference in London, highlighting major industry shifts like YouTube's growing dominance in podcast consumption across all age groups and the potential threat this poses to traditional hosting companies like Transistor. They explore opportunities in the open ecosystem, influencer marketing, and potential new features for Transistor.
Justin and Brian discuss Brian's launch of Instrumental Components, highlighting technical challenges, AI usage, and marketing strategies. Brian shares his experience of launching as a solo developer, the role of AI in his workflow, and his thoughts on community feedback. Justin offers insights on pricing, positioning, and leveraging user stories to drive adoption.
Justin and Brian discuss strategic decisions for their businesses, including exploring new products, addressing market threats, and leveraging AI. They share their personal experiences, marketing insights, and the challenges of balancing CEO responsibilities with product development. They also delve into community engagement and optimizing for search engines.
Jordan Gal is breaking the mold with his new startup Rosie . He's targeting non-technical small business owners using consumer-style marketing rather than the B2B approaches most SaaS use. He talks about the opportunities and risks with AI-based startups, and how he's waiting for the "dam to break." Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro (03:42) - Using what I want to listen to to guide what I create (12:10) - The advantage of finding your audience (16:26) - What kinds of experiments have you run lately? (...
Adam Wathan sat down with Justin and Brian to talk about the challenge of staying motivated with your own business, even when you've "made it." However successful you think a well-known product or founder might be, the truth is everyone's dealing with stresses and challenges and things that don't work and figuring out what to do next. That's what this episode is about. The discussion also touches on the potential of video content and YouTube as a way of getting in motion and regaining motivation...
Brian Casel hosts Val Sopi and Christian Genco to discuss the realities of launching SaaS products in 2025. They share strategies for validating ideas, dealing with competition, and defining success beyond revenue. The conversation explores the impact of AI on product development and the importance of founder-product fit for sustainability and enjoyment.
Marie Poulin and Aaron Francis join us to discuss the realities of building creator-driven businesses. We talked a lot about YouTube (they describe how each got traction there) and their current video making process. They also challenged conventional wisdom about sticking to one niche. For them, pivoting between projects keeps them fresh and prevents burnout, even when the traditional wisdom is to "just focus." Chapters: (00:06) - Introduction (03:23) - What is happening in Marie Poulin's world?...
Peldi is the founder of Balsamiq and pioneered transparent business building in 2007. In this episode, he came to the Panel looking advice on "build in public." We invited Jay Clouse , of Creator Science , on to share his wisdom. Jay had tons of practical suggestions for SaaS founders looking to build community and build in public in an authentic way. Chapters: (00:08) - Introduction of The Panel (04:24) - Why is Peldi interested in build in public in 2025? (09:32) - Build in public has become b...
Is web development still a good career choice in 2025? What's the future of open source? Justin and Brian dive deep with Taylor Otwell (Laravel) and Caleb Porzio (Livewire, Alpine.js, Flux) about the state of web dev, building a business on open source, and the anxiety of managing competition. Chapters: (03:31) - Should people still pursue web development as a career? (11:04) - Are we still excited about the web? Why is Laravel growing? (16:27) - How big are your customers? (25:23) - How interes...
Is bootstrapping a SaaS dead in 2025? How will AI affect software development as an industry? What's working when it comes to marketing? Justin Jackson ( Transistor.fm ) and Brian Casel ( Instrumental Products ) are joined by Colleen Schnettler ( SaaS Marketing Gym ) and Tyler King ( Less Annoying CRM ) to debate our predictions for the new year. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - What to expect 3:25 - Is SaaS Getting Harder in 2025? 5:16 - Bootstrapped SaaS is past its prime 8:32 - "Can you really build a good p...
When it comes to bootstrapping and building software, there's rarely one correct answer. The secret to building better products, profitable companies, and a better life is knowing how to find the best answer for you . That’s the purpose of The Panel podcast. Join hosts Justin ( Transistor.fm ) and Brian Casel ( Instrumental Products ) in each episode as they bring together a panel of founders, software developers, and friends to discuss hot topics like: - What's really working in SaaS marketing ...
