Databases are hard. Making the right choices early and keeping things running smoothly even when budget pressures and customer requests start piling on — that's the hard part that many solopreneurs and indie founders struggle with. I certainly do. So here's a journey through my learnings and experiences from running SaaS offerings with sizeable —talking about terabytes of data— databases. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/indie-hacking-databases-at-scale/ The podcast episode: htt...
Feb 07, 2025•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sometimes, less is more. Here's how I pruned my feature backlog from 120 to 15 items. I'll share my decision-making framework; every single rule comes with examples. Time to cut down on the mental load that is having too many "ideas" in your backlog. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/deleting-your-backlog-a-founders-guide-to-feature-pruning/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/373-delete-your-backlog Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: http...
Jan 31, 2025•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast One day, we'll all meld our minds into one, sharing our thoughts like the Borg on Star Trek. But before that, we have a few things to get done. And for us founders, that's dealing with the ever-increasing speed of technological advancement. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/indie-hacking-the-singularity/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/372-indie-hacking-the-singularity Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fm Send me a voi...
Jan 24, 2025•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Brian Sierakowski (@bsierakowski) has been busy over the last year: he started working on ChangeBot and TRMNL, and both projects are taking off. If you ever wondered what a good changelog looks like or why you might need one, this episode is for you. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/brian-sierakowski-mastering-product-communicati...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I was super sick — to the point where all I could do was rest in bed. The businesses needed to keep running, though. And fortunately, I set them up to do just that. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/building-systems-that-work-while-you-dont/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/370-building-systems-that-work-while-you-dont Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fm Send me a voicemail on Podline: https://podline.fm/arv...
Jan 17, 2025•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Expectations around AI tooling are changing, and software founders will be the first to either provide what people want — or perish. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/expect-ai-tions/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/369-expect-ai-tions Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan....
Jan 10, 2025•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Johannes Jäschke is a pioneer in the intersection of technology and mental health. From a college seminar to the forefront of digital well-being, Johannes developed Hypnu, a hypnosis app that gained significant traction during the pandemic. His innovative approach offered an alternative to traditional methods, addressing insomnia and anxiety without side effects. After successfully exiting Hypnu, Johannes continues to inspire with his journey through the competitive startup world, exploring how ...
Jan 08, 2025•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Now that we're starting a new year, let's look ahead at the opportunities and challenges facing the software business world in 2025. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-biggest-opportunity-of-2025/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/367-the-biggest-opportunity-of-2025 Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mention...
Jan 03, 2025•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Omar Zenhom (@TheOmarZenhom) is one of those few amazing founders who just can't stop giving back to their entrepreneurial peers, no matter how much success they might have. Recently having sold WebinarNinja, Omar still shows up every single day — on Twitter, on the $100 MBA podcast, or wherever builders and makers struggle to build and make. We talk about the exit, how to build a support network as a founder, and what Arnold Schwarzenegger has to do with the AI avalanche. Enjoy! This episode is...
Jan 01, 2025•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast A new business. Raising money. Bootstrapping. Lifting. And then some. My 2024 was a year of progress, changes, and taking a few more risks than usual. Here's my 2024 year in review. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/arvids-year-in-review-2024/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/365-arvids-year-in-review-2024 Check out Po...
Dec 27, 2024•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sometimes, you have to pivot. And that's harder than it seems: old assumptions are deeply ingrained, new frontiers look scary. But right now, Podscan needs this. And today, I'll share what happened, why I'm changing direction, and where this will go. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/breaking-my-own-rules/ The podcast episode: htt...
Dec 20, 2024•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ben Rometsch (@dabeeeenster.bsky.social) , the founder of Flagsmith, created a bootstrapped SaaS success story. Feature flags are transforming software deployment by decoupling releases and enhancing control. And Ben bootstrapped this deceptively simple-looking part of engineering into a significant software business. And then there's the open-source part of all that. The Open Feature project is setting new standards in software development, akin to OpenTelemetry. Ben shares insights into this c...
Dec 18, 2024•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast The podcasting industry is full of business opportunities. I see them every day, either as a podcaster, a listener, or someone running a SaaS in this industry. So here are the most promising ideas and problem areas in podcasting — right now. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/startup-opportunities-in-podcasting/ The podcast episode...
Dec 13, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Pierre de Wulf (@PierreDeWulf ), the founder of Scraping Bee, transformed himself from a frustrated developer into a SaaS success story. Here's what you'll learn from this episode: 1/ 🐝 Pierre's journey began with a subpar web scraping tool, sparking the idea for Scraping Bee. Discover how he bootstrapped his company in a crowded market, emphasizing lean operations and strategic growth. 2/ 🚀 Overcoming growth plateaus in SaaS can be challenging. Pierre shares insights on experimentation with n...
Dec 11, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Imagine standing at a crossroads, juggling countless possibilities yet needing to choose just one path. That's what most early-stage founders struggle with. And for me, that's picking the right course towards the ever-elusive Product-Market fit. Today, I'll share how I tackle this challenge and what I do to show my best customers the highest possible value of my product as early as possible. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so ...
Dec 06, 2024•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Connor Turland (@Entrecurious) is the prototypical software entrepreneur. He found a niche from a "prior life" and is now building an AI bookkeeping SaaS. Now, many founders struggle with bookkeeping, so this is your opportunity to learn more about the pitfalls and opportunities of that field from someone who speaks both "developer" and "bookkeeper." Here's Connor and how he is employing cutting-edge AI in an industry that is usually very resistant to change. Learn more about Connor at https://c...
Dec 04, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast AI was supposed to do our chores while we write prose and compose symphonies. Why is it composing our music and writing our books now, while WE do the chores? As software founders, we have a special responsibility — after all, we're the ones crafting a new reality of AI empowerment. But here's the thing: an AI does not love its work. It can't. And that's a problem. Today, I'll dive into how we can solve this. Oh, and before you get into it: Podscan is running a 30%-off Black Friday Deal — use "B...
Nov 29, 2024•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today, I’ll dive into the difference between a trial user and a trial abuser and what you can do to invite the former and prevent the latter. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/free-trial-error/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/357-free-trial-error Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https...
Nov 22, 2024•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Coding with AI changes everything. It changes how we design, test, and improve our software projects. Today, I’m talking to generative AI expert James Phoenix. He’s written the book on prompt engineering and shares his hard-earned AI insights freely on the show — including a crash course in developing effectively with the Cursor IDE. Are developers just AI wranglers now? Technical managers? Will we ever code again? You’ll find out today. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're lookin...
Nov 20, 2024•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast YouTube is both the best and the worst source of information — because we can watch it all, but no one will tell us what's REALLY worth watching. Here's how the gatekeepers have vanished, and what has taken their place. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-age-of-the-gatekeeper-is-over/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episode...
Nov 15, 2024•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast The problem with having no boss is that there's no one to stop you from procrastinating. I'm challenged by this daily, and I have found a few ways to stay accountable. I'll share those with you today. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-art-of-productive-procrastination/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/354-the-art-o...
Nov 08, 2024•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast I want new prospects to receive the maximum possible value the moment they register for Podscan, so I treat them as customers before they even come to the page for the very first time. Here's the Podscan Dream Customer strategy — from idea to execution. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podscans-dream-customer-acquisition-strategy...
Nov 01, 2024•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Yesterday, I shrunk the size of my production database from four terabytes to just under one terabyte. Something interesting happened last weekend that made me realize I needed to change how I think about scale. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/running-lean-at-scale/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/352-running-lean-a...
Oct 25, 2024•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast When a Podscan user got a bit "too general" with their keywords, all of a sudden, my email provider stopped sending emails. Whoops. Let's talk user error and founder foresight. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/from-overload-to-opportunity/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/351-from-overload-to-opportunity Check out Pod...
Oct 18, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast SaaS founders are simultaneously tenants and landlords, renting the tools we need while offering our own services for subscription. It's a world where true ownership seems increasingly elusive, yet understanding its nature is crucial for building lasting value. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/building-your-castle-in-someone-else...
Oct 11, 2024•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bootstrapping is all about dealing with constraints: no money, the day job, lack of experience, and having no distribution. If you want to know how I tackle the restricted resources I am building Podscan on, this one's for you. Today, we'll dive into what drives my priorities and how they find their way into a complex platform that juggles a lot of expensive operations. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what ...
Oct 04, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast “I didn’t see it coming.” I had to admit that to myself a few times recently. Over the last couple of weeks, I've been experiencing several issues with Podscan that only came to pass because I didn't really have any observability on my system. At least that’s what I know now. Today, let me share my early-stage learnings about system observability in this distributed, data-centric SaaS of mine. Even if you don't have a software business or don't operate with millions of data feeds every single da...
Sep 27, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast AI is revolutionizing the way I work as a solopreneur. So why not share exactly how I use it? You'll hear how I use AI tools for everything from coding to marketing, and how they've become my secret weapon for punching above my weight. I also get into the nitty-gritty of the challenges and limitations of AI, and how I navigate them. If you're curious about how AI can supercharge your solo business, this episode's got you covered. And stick around for my thoughts on the future of AI in software d...
Sep 20, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast It started with a minor refactoring. It ended with an avalanche that almost caused an infrastructure explosion. From code to collapse — and a few weeks of frantic restoration. That's what Podscan was for the last 2 weeks. Here's why dealing with external data and its scale can be very dangerous for indie founders. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/when-podcasts-attack-the-unexpected-challenges-of-external-data/ The podcast episode: https://...
Sep 13, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to the weird world of web scraping in the AI age, where founders have to protect their data from hungry AI companies but also need to collect information from all kinds of (not so) public APIs. Today, I dive into a particularly confusing situation I am in with Podscan when it comes to scraping and keeping the web free and open. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/crawl-or-be-crawled/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/345-sc...
Sep 06, 2024•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
