If you work in tech and or with startups and you haven’t heard a dozen people say a version of “we need to add AI” ot “I’m building an AI product”, then well weve been in different meetings. It can feel like a mess of talk and buzzwords, and honestly a lot of it is, so how does the average founder navigate all the noise and work out what we really should be focusing on when it comes to AI? is here to help try to asnwer that question. Gavin is the founder of Tactic AI and the developer of the Air...
Sep 09, 2024•42 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast What influences the decision to bootstrap a startup as opposed to going down the fundeaising route, and if you decide to go that waty, how do you do it? My guest for this episode, Tom Bruining, stepped out of a long histopry of working in funded startups and decided to do just that. Along with his co-founders, Tom started HowdyGo , a product that allows you to easyilu Capture real, interactive product demos To share that journey and help us learn from it, Tom joins us now. -------- The Bootstrap...
Aug 30, 2024•40 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Most founders don’t see themselves as sales people, and many either try to avoid taking on that role altogether, or offloading it as soon as possible. What is the best way for founders to approach sales when its not a comfortable pair of shoes, how do you know when it’s time to transition away from founder-led sales, and how do you do it? To help me unpack this host Scotty Allen is joined by Gavin Tye . Gavin is the founder of sales market fit where he helps founders, and their teams create a re...
Aug 21, 2024•48 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast When you hear the word crowdfunding you might think about that Kickstarter you backed for that groovy new gadget that you may or may not have ever received, or the GoFundMe that you donated to help someone going through something terrible, but until recently you may not think of it as viable option for funding your startup. One person who done much more than think about it is Kane Jackson, Kane is the cofounder and CEO of Maslow. A new fintech that is aiming to create a majority customer owned f...
Jul 01, 2024•47 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast At the start, every business is a bootstrapped business. Founders inject their own capital and/or sweat to get things rolling, and then work out what funding model or models is most likely to work for their idea. It’s easy to want to skip through the hard bits and get to the moment where cash is raining down from the sky, but there are things about bootstrapping that give you insights into building businesses that you don’t get anywhere else. To talk about the ways that bootstrapping can make yo...
Jun 10, 2024•54 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Bootstrapping a startup is not for the faint of heart. If you really commit to the journey, there are plenty of lows and setbacks to face before you reach a high - if you ever do. We know the success stories, but not always the pivots and failures that came before them. So what is building a startup really like in 2024? Our guest for this episode is right in the thick of it. Jo Agresta is the CEO and Founder of Abodey , the Ultimate AI Home Buyer's agent. -------- The Bootstrap is a produc...
May 10, 2024•40 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Software as a service, or SaaS, has been responsible for much of the explosive growth of tech as we know it. What is it like to found and build in the world of SaaS startups? How does your approach as a founder have to change if you know you’re going to be entering the world of Software as a Service? To help us unpack this we're joined by Kirk Drage, tech veteran and founder and CEO of LeapSheep . -------- The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media and The Product Bus. It was developed ...
May 05, 2024•45 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast You may have heard the term "Impact Startup" and wondered what it really means. In broad terms, an impact startup is a business that is designed to solve major societal problems, But what does that look like in reality? What are some examples of impact startups and how do you start? To help us unpack this, we're joined by Annette Rose, founder of the Impact Startup Kids Get Money is a fun, easy to use online program that gives kids money skills for life. Annette joins us to share her journey and...
Mar 26, 2024•52 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Getting a startup up and running seems to come with an endless to do list, and while some things are exciting, others are just plain necessary. Knowing when you need to formalise the legal structure of your business, what to choose and how to do it can be overwhelming, so we’ve invited Talt Anast from Allied Legal to help us work out w2hat is what Allied Legal is a Melbourne-base firm that focuses legal solutions and advice to innovative businesses and entrepreneurial minds. -------- The B...
Mar 16, 2024•50 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast There's no end to the list of things a founder needs to think about at the start of the startup journey. Operations might be seen as something that comes later, but laying the groundwork in the early days, without overdoing it, can lead to a much easier path to scale. Tiffany Ashdown, experienced Operations Manager and Co-Founder / COO of The Product Bus , joins us to discuss. -------- The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media and The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen, and ...
Mar 07, 2024•37 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast Do Startups have an Ageism Problem? We recorded our discussion with Kirstin Hunter prior to the WGEA gender pay gap report release, but the discussion couldn’t be more timely. One element of the WGEA report showed that the pay gap for women increases by age range. While you might look at that stat and say it shows the gap is closing generationally, it’s a stark reminder of the additional barriers that older women face in the workforce. Kirstin Hunter the Managing Director (NSW) at Techstar...
Feb 28, 2024•49 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast Building the right team is an essential part of early stage startups. Finding a balance of skills, experience, and personalities can truly be a make or break factor. To discuss the best ways to approach talent acquisition when you’re bootstrapping, I’m joined by Steve Grace, founder and CEO of The Nudge Group, a specialist recruitment company focusing on the startup space. The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media and The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen, and Declan Magee. This ...
Feb 21, 2024•46 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast From the outside, achieving investment in your startup feels like a peak achievement, but the reality is its the start of a much steeper climb that has its upsides and its downs. Someone who knows this journey very well is Nick Chang , who has founded and successfully exited more than one company, and this episode he joins us to help shed some light on what you mightn't know about being funded,. ----- The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media and The Product Bus. It was developed by Sc...
Feb 14, 2024•36 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast As a product focused startup podcast, it’s impossible to spend too much time talking about market positioning. What is it and what simple and affordable strategies can bootstrapping founders use to find it, reassess it, and find it again? To unpack that I’m joined by Michelle Picoto, Michelle is the Co-Founder of Deepstar Strategic . She's spent the last 17 years driving business growth through positioning, messaging, and go-to-market strategies, across tech startups, agencies, and e...
Feb 07, 2024•54 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, we're joined by Kim Kerton from Good Side of The Bed - and the host, creator, and producer of Unemployed & Afraid - a small business podcast for the brave self-employed with 100 episodes. Kim is also a creative and commercially minded podcast strategist, helping brands and business owners build themselves big podcasts. There’s a lot to learn from Kim’s entrepreneurial journey, which started at the age of 21, and we're going to cover it all, with a lot for early stage founder...
Jan 29, 2024•59 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast We're back for 2024 with brand new episodes starting this week! In our first show of 2024, we're joined by Jane Del Rosso of The Business of Food to talk about "Taking the Entrepreneurial Leap". When do you know it’s time to take the lead and follow your entrepreneurial dream? Can you leave it too late? What are the pitfalls to look out for? We talk about this and much more. We also look at how so much of the product mindset and strategy is the same across both digital and physical products. ---...
Jan 24, 2024•42 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast While The Bootstrap is on a production break,we're bringing you select episodes of another podcast we produce - Starting Line. Starting Line episodes are founder journey stories, and we've chosen six episodes from that series that exemplify the bootstrapping journey in a range of industries. This episode, we talk to Lisa Reiner of Curvature Clothing about her pathway to entrepreneurship and her mission to bring inclusively sized slow fashion to the market. You can find Starting Line in its own f...
Jan 04, 2024•33 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast While The Bootstrap is on a production break,we're bringing you select episodes of another podcast we produce - Starting Line. Starting Line episodes are founder journey stories, and we've chosen six episodes from that series that exemplify the bootstrapping journey in a range of industries. This episode, we talk to Anthony Kwok - Co-Founder of Zilio - about his experience in bringing a revolutionary idea in virtual clothes fitting to life - and to market, You can find Starting Line in its own f...
Jan 04, 2024•33 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast While The Bootstrap is on a production break,we're bringing you select episodes of another podcast we produce - Starting Line. Starting Line episodes are founder journey stories, and we've chosen six episodes from that series that exemplify the bootstrapping journey in a range of industries. This episode, we talk to Tania Stacey - Co-Founder of East Forged, about her entrepreneurial journey and her mission to bring Nitro Iced Tea to the Australian Market. You can find Starting Line in its own fe...
Dec 27, 2023•25 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast While The Bootstrap is on a production break,we're bringing you select episodes of another podcast we produce - Starting Line. Starting Line episodes are founder journey stories, and we've chosen six episodes from that series that exemplify the bootstrapping journey in a range of industries. This episode, we talk to Jeremy Fleming of Stagekings about his business journey, and navigating the Covid pandemic when events ground to a halt. You can find Starting Line in its own feed to listen to other...
Dec 25, 2023•26 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast With new startups popping up every other minute standing out is important. Beyond a memorable brand identify is the experience that your prospects and customers have with your business. In this episode we're joined by Garry Williams, the Director of Engagement at Tractor Ventures. Over the last three years Tractor Ventures has built a recognisable brand and voice as the premier alt-capital funding solution for Australian and New Zealand Startups, and Garry has had a pivotal role in shaping...
Dec 20, 2023•57 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Do you know the difference between a product mindset and a project mindset? Which one you apply to your startup can have a major impact on your chances of success. On this Bootstrap Bites, we're discussion "How a project mindset can kill your startup". What's the difference between product / project mindset, how can you use the strengths of each at the right times in the startup journey, and what are the traps to avoid? We have the answers! ----- The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media and...
Dec 18, 2023•31 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast The venture capital space is a world unto its own, and when founders misunderstand what it is and isn’t the results can be disastrous. What are the basics you need to know, and how should a bootstrapping founder navigate it? To unpack we're joined by Sramana Mitra . Sramana is the founder and CEO of the global virtual incubator and accelerator One Million by One Million , and a highly regarded Silicon Valley entrepreneur and strategist. ----- The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media a...
Dec 14, 2023•36 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast Does the language you use in your startup pitch communicate what you intend, or does it send the wrong message altogether? On this Bootstrap Bites, we talk through five of the biggest red flags that our host Scotty Allen keeps an ear out when listening to startup ideas. Are you guilty of any of these? Listen to find out, and discover better things to say instead! ----- The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media and The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen, and Declan Magee. This epis...
Dec 11, 2023•34 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast Total Addressable Market, or TAM, is an important validation metric that is often misunderstood and misused, so how do you navigate TAM without getting lost in the numbers, and how relevant is TAM to bootstrapping founders? To unpack this, we're joined by Alex Urquhart - a growth and product marketing specialist and the founder of Market Science , helping businesses understand, prioritise & action the next steps in growing their business. The Bootstrap is your twice-weekly source of ne...
Dec 07, 2023•54 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch. Each week we look at startup news and discussion that goes beyond the latest fund raises by taking a more analytical look at the world of startups, and discussed practical, actionable strategies that any founder and startup can use to start or further their founder journey. The Bootstrap is now coming to you twice a week! Our Thursday episodes...
Dec 05, 2023•47 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch. Each week we look at startup news and discussion that goes beyond the latest fund raises by taking a more analytical look at the world of startups, and discussed practical, actionable strategies that any founder and startup can use to start or further their founder journey. This episode, we're joined by Roann Junio-Hartmann of Cobber to share ...
Nov 29, 2023•38 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch. Each week we look at startup news and discussion that goes beyond the latest fund raises by taking a more analytical look at the world of startups, and discussed practical, actionable strategies that any founder and startup can use to start or further their founder journey. This episode, we're joined by Andrew Sharpe - Tech and Scaleup Advisor...
Nov 23, 2023•55 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch. Each week we look at startup news and discussion that goes beyond the latest fund raises by taking a more analytical look at the world of startups, and discussed practical, actionable strategies that any founder and startup can use to start or further their founder journey. This episode, we're joined by Erin Clark from The Exchange Collective ...
Nov 15, 2023•45 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch. Each week we look at startup news and discussion that goes beyond the latest fund raises by taking a more analytical look at the world of startups, and discussed practical, actionable strategies that any founder and startup can use to start or further their founder journey. This episode, we're joined by Kirstin Hunter of Techstars and Nikki Tu...
Nov 13, 2023•49 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast 
