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 Andrew Davies (@andjdavies) runs marketing for Paddle, the payment provider that powers several of my businesses. They also recently ran an AI launchpad accelerator, which massively impacted the trajectory of my business, Podscan. It's about time we chat more about money on the pod. Today, I get to talk to Andrew about all things payment, why a Merchant of Record is something way too few bootstrappers leverage, and what the future holds for online payments. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.f...
Aug 28, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast I gave up going to tech conferences. But that probably is an outdated opinion, particularly since as an entrepreneur, I benefit much more from hanging out with my peers. Here's what changed and why you should really consider going to these events if you're an indie founder. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/should-indie-hackers-go-to-tech-conferences/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/344-should-indie-hackers-go-to-tech-conferenc...
Aug 23, 2024•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, instead of writing code, I delegated it — to AI. I've been doing this a lot lately. But does that mean I am losing my ability to code? And what about people learning how to code? Is AI serving them, or does it block them from learning the real thing? Here's what's happening in software development, if it's even worth bothering with, and what new coders should know about AI. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-evolution-of-codin...
Aug 23, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Feeling the weight of success can be just as challenging as the climb to get there. At any point during your journey, you're confronted with having to make choices where the outcome is uncertain. I'm right in that position. So let's dive into a balancing act between the grand vision and the minutiae of running a business. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/striking-a-balance/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/341-striking-a-balanc...
Aug 16, 2024•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast @kerollmops , the technical brain behind the open-source search engine Meilisearch, joins me for a nerdy chat about all things search. I’ve been using this blazing fast tech for my own business, podscan, and kero has helped me through a few challenges over the last few weeks. I really want to dive into the economics of building a business on top of an open-source piece of software. Let's chat about self-hosted search engines today! This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://t...
Aug 14, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is it a good idea to guide your users through your app when they sign up? Or does it show that your interface is too convoluted? The answer is: yes. Both. And it depends on what you're building, who it's for, and what they expect. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/does-your-saas-need-a-user-tour/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/339-does-your-saas-need-a-user-tour Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts...
Aug 09, 2024•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast I ran into a pretty substantial question this week. Am I working in my business, or am I working on my business? I've been spending so much time building features, talking to customers, – it's operational work in the trenches. It’s taking small steps, looking at the ground, instead of dreaming of giant leaps while gazing at the stars. So, what can I do to get out of this? You'll hear it here today. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/working-...
Aug 02, 2024•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast What happens when something that was good enough isn't good enough anymore? Unscalable hands-on experiments work great in the early stages of a business. But what if you run into the scale problem without wanting to? (And what do you do about it when everything explodes while you figure it out?) This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/doing-things-that-dont-scale-unintentionally/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/337-doing-things-that-...
Jul 26, 2024•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast `Indie Hackers have sinned. They allowed the seven deadly sins into their founder lives. And now we must cast them out. Well, let's be a little bit less dramatic. We already have enough drama in our busy founder lives. Still, something about the seven deadly sins translates pretty well into how many indie hackers comport themselves. Here's where we find greed, sloth, pride, wrath, envy, gluttony, and lust in the world of SaaS entrepreneurship. And, more importantly, how we can avoid them all. Th...
Jul 19, 2024•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast These last weeks have been a bit much. What do they say? “Take a break before the break takes you?” Well, I got quite close to that this week. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/tipping-over/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/355-tipping-over Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fm Send me a voicemail on Podline: https://podline.fm/arvid You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https:...
Jul 12, 2024•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Do you want to win the game or keep on playing? Today, I'll dive into a mentality shift I experienced recently while building Podscan: how about I just get rid of all the "professional posturing?" Here's to being sincere and not being too serious! This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post :https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/sincere-not-serious/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/334-sincere-not-serious Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https...
Jul 05, 2024•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast @Kitze, a Serial indie hacker and entrepreneur, shares his journey through a landscape filled with multiple projects like Sizzy, a browser for developers, Benji, a productivity app, and a comprehensive full-stack video course. Kitze opens up about how his ADHD diagnosis has shaped his work ethic and productivity, revealing the personal motivations behind creating tools like Benji. True indie hacker fashion: he built a tool that he needed for himself. And that kickstarted a lot of other things. H...
Jul 03, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast What happens when the 'small bets' strategy leads to a big win, and you're not prepared for it? Well, you adapt! So that's what I'm working on this week: figuring out a way forward now that circumstances have shifted. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/beyond-small-bets-embracing-the-big-play/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/332-beyond-small-bets-embracing-the-big-play Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on pod...
Jun 28, 2024•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Geoff Roberts (@GeoffTRoberts) is the co-founder of Outseta, and he's halfway there, 7 years in. Outseta —the SaaS starter kit and the business behind it— is built and operated on a multi-decade timeline, and it's not been easy to achieve profitability. Geoff shares the ups and downs of a long and painful story; what it means to think and operate both in the here and now as well as focusing on the birds-eye view when it comes to bootstrapping a SaaS business. We also dive into Outseta's choose-y...
Jun 26, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week was a duality of extremes for me. On one hand, I experienced an unprecedented growth spurt in my user numbers, while on the other hand, I stumbled into frustrating scarcity and infrastructure problems. That’s entrepreneurship for you: big wins while struggling to not lose control of the whole thing. The juxtaposition of these two experiences in a single week was both challenging and enlightening. Today, I want to share the story of navigating the good and the bad simultaneously. This e...
Jun 21, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Generative AI used to be for early adopters. But now, Apple is bringing it to every iPhone. What does this mean for indie founders? This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/ai-for-the-rest-of-us/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/329-ai-for-the-rest-of-us Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fm Send me a voicemail on Podline: https://podline.fm/arvid You'll find my weekly article on my blog...
Jun 14, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast A few months ago, I raised a low 6-figure investment for Podscan. Here's the conversation between me and my investor, @tylertringas, that happened just before I signed the contract. You usually don't get to listen in for one of those. Today, you will. Tyler and I discuss how the Calm Company Fund navigates the alignment challenge between founders and investors, what makes a business like Podscan investable, and the risks of funding a portfolio of niche bootstrapped businesses. Tyler on X: https:...
Jun 12, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I almost lost access to my database, including all its backups. Also, a full-text index brought down my product. Neither were intended —obviously—, but both made me revisit my safety precautions and how I approach depending on platforms like AWS. Here's what happened, how I got out of there, and what there is to prevent this in the future. This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/two-surprisingly-scary-tales-of-platform-risk/ The podca...
Jun 07, 2024•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Zeno Rocha (@zenorocha) went through YC to build Resend, yet he still acts and thinks like a bootstrapper. In a world of polarized opinions about venture funding and not raising money, Zeno is both "one of us" and "one of them" — for both sides! Today, we talk about overcoming purism and embracing pragmatic entrepreneurship, starting with picking a niche Zeno truly understands: developers. We dive into how he's building an email platform that makes email fun again, what unexpected challenges a d...
Jun 05, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Everyone and their mother are talking about AI. Every founder releases their 500th GPT wrapper." "AI is all hype, no substance." Or is it? What if our collective perspective is really skewed, and our gathering places are to blame? Here's my take on why indie hackers have a dangerously biased view on what AI businesses are and should look like. This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/indie-hackers-myopic-view-of-ai/ The podcast episode: https://...
May 31, 2024•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tim Schumacher (@TimSchu) , the mastermind behind SEDO and Adblock Plus, now leads the SaaS Group to new heights. With $60 million ARR, 20 thriving businesses, and 300 employees, Tim shares his incredible journey from a coder to an influential entrepreneur in scaling businesses. From his strategic focus on developer and online marketing tools to his forward-thinking perspective on the role of AI in reshaping the industry, we dive deep into the bootstrapping mindset and how it empowers founders t...
May 29, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today, you get a glimpse into an ongoing marketing experiment for Podscan.fm. What if I can frontload value for my future customers even before they sign up? Here's why I chose to create a Dream Customer List and how it will help me jumpstart customer acquisition. This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-power-of-the-dream-customer-list The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/323-the-power-of-the-dream-customer-list Check out Podscan to ...
May 24, 2024•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Noah Kagan (@noahkagan) has made AppSumo a massive success — and he's spilling the beans on how to launch, build, and grow a successful software business. Noah likes to keep things weird, and our conversation is proof of that: from Taco T-shirts to failing at entrepreneurship, we walk through the ups and down of a wild and intriguing founder journey. If you're looking for guidance that actually helps you find your footing, Noah's your man. 00:00:00 Lessons From Noah Kagan's Entrepreneurial Journ...
May 22, 2024•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast It started as a normal day — but then things started going wrong. And my stress levels rose. But I recently learned how to use that to my advantage. Here's how I wrangled with a SaaS founder's worst nightmare, what happened, and how I turned the tables. This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/unexpected-downtime-stress-as-enhancement-vs-stress-as-panic The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/321-unexpected-downtime-stress-as-enhancement-vs-...
May 17, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
