Startups For the Rest of Us

In episode 604, Rob Walling talks with Derrick Reimer and gets the latest update on SavvyCal, how he makes product decisions, and they also share the best things they’ve bought for $100 and $1000 that have added much more value to their lives than the price point. Topics we cover: [4:50] Apple’s influence on startup founders [8:52] SavvyCal’s new Squadcast integration [12:51] Some upcoming features in the works for SavvyCal [14:05] Experimenting with a freemium feature—meeting polls [17:07] Derrick’s mental framework for deciding what features to build next [23:58] Switching from an employee to a founder mindset [25:56] Would you rather fight one duck-sized horse or a thousand duck-sized horses? [27:25] The best purchase Derrick has made for under $100 in the last 6 months [33:14] The best purchase Derrick has made for under $1000 in the last 6 months Links from the Show: Derrick Reimer (@DerrickReimer) I Twitter SavvyCal Squadcast If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In episode 603, Rob Walling chats with David Darmanin, one of the founders of Hotjar. Hotjar was bootstrapped to $40 million ARR with a fully distributed team of 170 employees. David and his cofounders sold the company for a 9-figure exit in 2021. From their incredible launch story and their unique DTC approach to sales and marketing in a B2B SaaS business to David’s mental models and the thought process behind selling the business, there is no shortage of key insights in this episode. Topics we cover: [5:07] How David initially financed building Hotjar [8:11] The biggest difference between Hotjar and its competitors [12:03] The unique approach that David took when launching Hotjar [12:44] Lessons learned from a failed product launch prior to Hotjar [15:01] How they built their initial launch list to 60,000 subscribers [19:32] How to know how much to spend on paid ads [24:53] Why David said it was easy to work 60-80 hour workweeks for the first 6-9 months of Hotjar [27:22] The two key ingredients needed if you want to sell a low-priced SaaS product [30:31] How they tripled their growth from $1M - $3M in the first year [33:26] How their initial launch strategy gave them a major competitive advantage when they started doing content marketing later on [34:03] What led him to sell Hotjar [40:39] How long the exit process took Links from the Show: David Darmanin @DavidDarmanin I Twitter Hotjar Episode 569 I The Life-Changing Decision of When to Sell your Company How a 7-hour workweek led to Anna Maste’s 7-figure sale I They Got Acquired Conversion Rate Experts Delivering Happiness Selling The Invisible The Dip Built to Sell The Great CEO Within Let My People Go Surfing Just Cause If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please

In episode 602, Rob Walling explains SaaS metrics to his kid. This is a great episode to listen to if you are unfamiliar or not well-versed in SaaS because we dig into from first principles, starting with dollars, revenue, and the purpose of businesses, all the way to SaaS metrics like MRR, ACV, and LTV. And, even if you are well-versed in SaaS metrics, you’ll likely learn a few things from this conversation. Episode Sponsor: Microsoft for Startups Founder Hub Microsoft for Startups is on a mission to help all founders innovate and grow no matter their background, location, or progress. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a platform that provides founders with free resources to help solve startup challenges, including access to Azure credits, development tools like Github, mentorship resources, Microsoft collaboration and productivity software like Teams and Outlook and more. The program is open to all and takes 5 minutes to sign up, with no funding required. Learn more aka.ms/startupsfortherestofus Topics we cover: [1:55] MicroConf Local London tickets are on sale [3:17] Starting with the basics: money, dollars, and businesses [7:01] Revenue [7:12] Expenses [10:51] SaaS [13:29] Recurring revenue [13:58] Average revenue per account (ARPA) [14:56] Monthly recurring revenue (MRR) [15:08] Average revenue per customer [17:08] Annual contract value (ACV) [18:18] Churn [19:30] Differences between Revenue Churn and Customer Churn [21:18] Lifetime value [22:10] Average customer lifetime value [25:49] Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In episode 601, Rob Walling chats with Nick Fogle of ChurnKey. Nick previously cofounded Wavve which was acquired in early 2021. In this conversation, they chat about how the idea for Churnkey came from his other business, decision to sell Wavve, and some of the key differences between bootstrapping a B2C vs a B2B SaaS. Topics we cover: [2:11] Tips for reducing churn [3:26] Asking for feedback at the point of cancellation via feedback surveys [8:09] When he knew it was the right time to double down on ChurnKey [9:06] A piece of advice for bootstrappers looking for SaaS business ideas [14:44] The process Nick and his cofounder used to sell Wavve for a life-changing exit. [22:13] The potential pitfalls of off-market deals [26:56] His initial reaction after selling Wavve [29:04] The key differences between selling B2B and B2C [30:36] Why Nick made the difference to hire a head of sales for ChurnKey [32:14] The mindset shifts he had to unlock around shifting from low touch to high touch sales [33:43] Why he decided to join the current batch of TinySeed Links from the Show: Nick Fogle (@nickfogle) I Twitter Churnkey Wavve TinySeed If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In episode 600, join Rob Walling for a solo adventure as he dives into topics ranging from when to hire your first manager to a mental framework for deciding which things to work on vs. what to delegate to your team. He also shares his thought process behind when things take multiple iterations and how to know whether or not you are on the right track. Episode Sponsor: Microsoft for Startups Founder Hub Microsoft for Startups is on a mission to help all founders innovate and grow no matter their background, location, or progress. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a platform that provides founders with free resources to help solve startup challenges, including access to Azure credits, development tools like Github, mentorship resources, Microsoft collaboration and productivity software like Teams and Outlook and more. The program is open to all and takes 5 minutes to sign up, with no funding required. Learn more aka.ms/startupsfortherestofus Topics we cover: [1:04] A mental framework for deciding what things you should focus on as a SaaS founder vs. what to delegate [7:28] The importance of resting and taking proper breaks as a SaaS founder [14:28] When to hire your first manager [14:50] The two main components of management: supervising and leading [18:45] The importance of continuous iterations [26:21] Why you need to manage your own psychology as a founder [28:11] Hitting a big podcast milestone: 600 episodes Links from the Show: Strawberry Fields I Beatles Yesterday I Beatles Episode 200: Customer Acquisition Plans for Bootstrappers If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In episode 599, Rob Walling chats with Dominic “Dom” and Tracy Phillips of CodeSubmit. CodeSubmit provides a library of real-world, take-home tasks in more than 60 coding languages. Some of their customers are Audi, Netflix, Carbon Health, 3M, and Apple. Dom and Tracy were also a part of the spring 2020 batch of TinySeed. During that year, they managed to 25x their MRR. In this episode, we’re digging into how they did that, what led to their bootstrapped hockey stick growth moment, what it is like working on a company with your spouse, and much more. Topics we cover: [2:20] How Dom and Tracy came up with the idea for CodeSubmit [6:59] The approach they used to build their product MVP on nights and weekends [11:16] Running a startup with your spouse [13:42] The catalyst that led to their hockey stick growth moment [17:06] When they knew they had product market fit [21:46] The number of different marketing channels they tried before they decided to double down on content marketing and SEO [26:19] The biggest mistakes that hiring managers and recruiters make when vetting new developers via take-home challenges [29:40] Thoughts on building a lifestyle business Links from the Show: CodeSubmit Dominic Phillips @domrdy I Twitter Tracy Phillips @tracy_s9z I Twitter ScrapingBee If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In episode 598, join Rob Walling as he answers listener emails. Topics range from diversity in the startup ecosystem and when’s the right time to write your company’s mission, philosophy, and values to how to find good business ideas and the different approaches for developing features for a new app. Episode Sponsor: Microsoft for Startups Founder Hub Microsoft for Startups is on a mission to help all founders innovate and grow no matter their background, location, or progress. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a platform that provides founders with free resources to help solve startup challenges, including access to Azure credits, development tools like Github, mentorship resources, Microsoft collaboration and productivity software like Teams and Outlook and more. The program is open to all and takes 5 minutes to sign up, with no funding required. Learn more aka.ms/startupsfortherestofus Topics we cover: [1:21] MicroConf Remote 4.0 [1:59] Improving diversity in the startup ecosystem [8:11] Is bootstrapping the great equalizer in business? [8:51] The right time to work on company values, mission statements, and philosophy [14:02] Developing features for a new app [15:18] How to figure out your minimum lovable product [21:18] How to find business ideas Links from the Show: State of Independent SaaS The Updated Survival Guide for Bootstrapping SaaS I MicroConf On Air Episode 589 I Finding a SaaS idea through 70 cold calls My First Million Tropical MBA If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In episode 597, Rob Walling chats with Ashley Baxter, the founder of With Jack. With Jack gives peace of mind and protection for UK freelancers through insurance, professional indemnity, public liability, contracts, legal expenses, etc. We dig into the lessons Ashley learned from a failed insurance business she inherited from her father, how she used her freelance photography to fund With Jack in the early days, along with sharing many of the successes and failures she has had on her entrepreneurial journey. Topics we cover: [1:49] Tickets for MicroConf Remote 4.0 are now on sale [2:55] Putting a tech twist on a regulated industry [3:27] Improving the onboarding experience [5:24] How Ashley came up with the name for her business, With Jack [8:24] How she used the money from her freelance photography business to fund the early development costs for With Jack [10:16] Lessons learned from taking over her father’s insurance business at 18 [15:20] The danger of depending on only one channel to run your business [17:49] Ashley’s three pivotal business moments [21:27] The concept of a vitamin vs. painkiller business [27:10] The challenges of hiring an executive or admin assistant in a highly regulated industry [28:42] How Ashley responded when a competitor stole her website design [31:17] Why you shouldn’t be intimidated if a competitor gets funding Links from the Show: Ashley Baxter @iamashley I Twitter With Jack I Company Website Ashley Baxter I Ashley’s website If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In episode 596, Rob Walling is joined by Einar Vollset and Tracy Osborn for a bootstrapper news roundup episode. They cover a wide range of topics from Google’s decision to bring employees back into the office (and the potential implications for bootstrapped companies), founder salary data trends, email management strategies, and much more. Episode Sponsor: Microsoft for Startups Founder Hub Microsoft for Startups is on a mission to help all founders innovate and grow no matter their background, location, or progress. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a platform that provides founders with free resources to help solve startup challenges, including access to Azure credits, development tools like Github, mentorship resources, Microsoft collaboration and productivity software like Teams and Outlook and more. The program is open to all and takes 5 minutes to sign up, with no funding required. Learn more aka.ms/startupsfortherestofus Topics we cover: [0:59] The State of Independent SaaS Report & Livestream [5:38] Google is ending work from home options for most Bay Area employees [12:11] How much do startup founders pay themselves? [14:51] The impact on having cofounders and salaries [19:41] Why you are probably using email wrong [26:21] Rob’s system for filtering emails [30:45] Twitter is making it harder to choose the reverse chronological feed [37:37] Practical strategies for working with and getting money to your existing developers in Ukraine and Russia Links from the Show: Google mandates workers back to Silicon Valley, other offices from April 4 I Reuters What do startup founders pay themselves? I Sifted Twitter makes it harder to choose the old reverse-chronological feed I The Verge If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In episode 595, Rob Walling catches up with Brian and Scottie Elliott, the husband and wife co-founders of Gather, an interior design project management SaaS. This husband and wife duo shared their victories, challenges, and failures, including a cash crunch, moving upmarket, and managing to double revenue over their nine episodes of TinySeed Tales Season 2. It’s been over a year since they were last on the podcast and wanted to see how the company is doing. It turns out Gather is on track to 10x their MRR. In this episode, we reflect on what they learned in the last year, how their thought process has evolved around deploying capital to grow the business, and what they are most excited about in 2022. Topics we cover: [3:33] How Gather is on track to 10x MRR [4:26] Shifting from solo designers and small design firms to catering to large firms [5:51] Moving upmarket [8:28] Why they shut down Gather consulting services [10:38] How they knew when they had product-market fit [12:57] How they bounced back after their developer accidentally crashed their entire app [20:11] Their thought process for deploying capital to grow the business [23:02] What they are most excited about in 2022 Links from the Show: Gather | Website Brian Elliott (@brianleeelliott) | Twitter Thanks for listening to another episode of TinySeed Tales. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out all of Season 2 of TinySeed Tales with Brian and Scottie and Season 1 of TinySeed Tales, where we follow the SaaS journey with Craig Hewitt of Castos. If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 594, Rob Walling chats with Dan Andrews and Ian Schoen, the founders of Dynamite Jobs and the TropicalMBA podcast. We talk about how they started over. They started a new business, Dynamite Jobs, a couple of years after selling their physical products company back in 2015. Episode Sponsor: Microsoft for Startups Founder Hub Microsoft for Startups is on a mission to help all founders innovate and grow no matter their background, location, or progress. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a platform that provides founders with free resources to help solve startup challenges, including access to Azure credits, development tools like Github, mentorship resources, Microsoft collaboration and productivity software like Teams and Outlook and more. The program is open to all and takes 5 minutes to sign up, with no funding required. Learn more aka.ms/startupsfortherestofus Dynamite Jobs was born after seeing a need within their community, The Dynamite Circle, a community for location independent entrepreneurs. It’s a need that would be hard for most people to bootstrap because it is a two-sided marketplace, but Dan and Ian had an advantage with their existing business and audience, and were able to capitalize on it. In fact, after humble beginnings, the business has grown 10x in the last year. In this episode, we chat about how they are bootstrapping and growing a two-sided marketplace, along with a wide range of other topics. Topics we cover: [2:37] Why Dan and Ian both settled in Austin, Texas and the unexpected benefits that has had for their businesses [3:22] Why their digital nomad journey in the early days was born out of necessity [4:35] The events that led to the first DCBKK event in 2012 and the impact it had on their business [6:16] Embracing the chops index instead of the old school digital marketer “guru” model [8:21] The ideas that led Dan and Ian to start Dynamite Jobs in 2017 [14:46] The first key metric for Dynamite Jobs back in the early days [17:12] How deciding to hire a CTO was the catalyst that scaled Dynamite Jobs exponentially in late summer 2020 [20:34] The critical mistake they made that cost them months of development time [22:51] The concept of CEO bombing vs. diving deeper into the core features that matter [24:53] The 1000 day principle [28:14] Where Dynamite Jobs is in relation to the 1000 day principle [29:00] How they 10x’ed the revenue for Dynamite Jobs in 2021 [30:26] The value of hiring senior people who are better than you [35:59] Actionable tips for recruiting and hiring great people [38:44] The lowest cost, highest leverage hiring advantage for founders [41:21] The rip, pivot and jam framework [43:14] Why some of their “best ideas” turned out to be the biggest failures Links from the Show: Tropical MBA Dynamite Jobs Dan Andrews (@tropicalmba) | Twitter

In Episode 593, join Rob Walling for a Solo Adventure as he chats about accidentally deleting all of his old tweets, retaining talent, the ideal market for a SaaS business, and more. The topics we cover [3:10] Deleting old tweets [8:43] Retaining talent [12:39] Ideal market for a SaaS business If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 592, Rob Walling is joined again by Cody Duval for a technical conversation about the dos and don'ts for amazing customer support. The topics we cover [2:00] Customer success vs customer support [5:10] Response time [8:59] Post-support surveys [10:58] When to hire first customer support person [13:02] Chat widgets [17:09] Doing customer support early on as a founder [18:01] Training customer support to ask a question [19:00] Dealing with abusive customers [21:10] Customer support tool Links from the show How to Deal with Rude Customers Cody Duval (@codee) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 591, Rob Walling chats with Cody Duvall about his story of acquiring and growing Keeping in a really crowded space of help desk and customer support tools. The topics we cover [4:34] Launching into a crowded market [8:00] Keeping's sales process [10:01] Background on acquiring Keeping [14:53] Outsourcing a team to rewrite the codebase [20:03] Migrating customers [24;01] Challenges with building in a established category [26:09] Hitting product-market fit [28:30] Applying for TinySeed Links from the show Keeping Cody Duvall (@codee) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 590, Rob Walling chats with Craig Hewitt about building versus buying internal tools, how to compete in a competitive space, accounting software, a founder who has a zombie company where investors want their money back, and more. The topics we cover [5:03] Finding a co-founder as a non-technical founder [11:20] Balancing priorities between day job and a SaaS idea [17:35] Zombie company where investors want their money back [26:00] Accounting software for startups [28:10] Building in a competitive market as a solo-founder [32:24] When to buy vs build internal tools Links from the show The Mom Test - a book by Rob Fitzpatrick Audience Podcast Bench Accounting | Online Bookkeeping and Tax Filing Services for Your Small Business Craig Hewitt (@thecraighewitt) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 589, Rob Walling chats with Jason Buckingham about how he found a startup idea from making more than 70 cold calls. It's a great story about staying focused, putting in the time and doing the hard work. The topics we cover [7:14] Finding a problem via cold calls [13:07] Identifying a problem and deciding what to do next [22:32] Getting spouses on board with entrepreneur journey [25:06] Working day jobs while building the product [30:09] Getting into Tiny Seed right before COVID-19 Links from the show Episode 45: Onboarding Your Spouse | Zen Founder Senior Place - Senior Placement and Referral Agency Software If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 588, Rob Walling chats with Courtland Allen about a wide range of bootstrapper and indie hacker topics including the struggles with motivation/depression, bootstrapping today, fighting the urge to quit, and frameworks for getting your first dollar. The topics we cover [3:43] Hiring a podcast producer [6:21] Letting go in business [7:09] Invite-only experiment on Indie Hackers [16:03] Thinking about the future [20:47] Financial freedom and starting a business [25:05] Depression as a founder and rediscovering purpose [37:10] Fighting the urge to quit [41:10] Getting your first dollar [52:35] The bootstrapper scene in 2010 and the relevance of bootstrapping Links from the show Rob Walling on Twitter The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life Courtland Allen (@csallen) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Also, if you haven't seen, applications are open for TinySeed's Spring 2022 programs. TinySeed is a year-long remote accelerator program is designed to help founders with a revenue-generating SaaS optimize product-market fit and grow faster. Read about the program and how to apply here. Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 587, join Rob Walling as he answers listener emails including feedback and a critique about the podcast, the state of microentrepreneurship, and where to start with user growth. The topics we cover [2:22] The reason Rob continues to podcast [5:26] Renaming a company or podcast [8:40] Revisiting inflation [15:06] The state of microentrepreneurship [20:00] Where to start with user growth Links from the show Where to Publish Plugins Episode 581 | Inflation for Founders Start Small Stay Small Quiet Light Brokerage MicroAcquire, the #1 Startup Acquisition Marketplace Empire Flippers Rob Walling - Serial Entrepreneur | Building, Launching and Growing Startups If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 586, Rob Walling chats with Michele Hansen about her new book where she talks about how to master customer interviews as a startup founder. The topics we cover [5:00] User experience research for startup founders [11:20] Customer Interviews for developers [12:30] Feature requests as customer research springboard [19:55] Practicing customer interviews [23:37] Comparing to Jobs to Be Done framework Links from the show Deploy Empathy: A practical guide for talking to customers Software Social Episode 524 | Bootstrapping a Commodity SaaS Michele Hansen (@mjwhansen) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 585, Rob Walling chats with Sherry Walling about moving outside your comfort zone, the power of relationships, psychedelic-assisted therapy, as well as her new book about grief launching later this year. The topics we cover [3:22] Deciding against self-publishing [12:00 ] Building an audience vs. a network [14:26] Psychedelic-assisted therapy [24:00] The power and importance of relationships Links from the show The Entrepreneur's Guide To Keeping Your Sh*t Together Touching Two Worlds: A Guide for Finding Hope in the Landscape of Loss Sherry Walling (@zenfounder) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 584, Join Rob Walling for a Happy New Year edition of the show where looks ahead to 2022 and evaluates what he wants to focus on. The things we choose not to do are just as important as the things we chose to do and Rob encourages you to think hard about what is and is not working for you today. The topics we cover [3:00] Founder's retreat [4:36] Estimating growth [9:23] Hiring a full-time content producer [15:32] The power of focus Links from the show The Zen Founder Guide to Founder Retreats If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 583, Rob Walling chats with Sam Parr about about building an email list, selling to Hubspot, podcast growth, and how to spot business opportunities. The topics we cover [3:53] Building Hustle to 8 figures in revenue [5:52] Growing an email list [11:01] Selling to a B2B SaaS [19:00] My First Million and growing podcasts [23:45] TikTok marketing [27:30] Spotting interesting opportunities [34:70] Manifest cowboy Links from the show Sam Parr (@theSamParr) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 582, Rob Walling is joined by Einar Vollset to answer listener questions about enterprise sales, crowdfunding, replacing yourself, and things that every B2B SaaS founder should know. The topics we cover [1:26] Investing with Reg CF [6:20] Enterprise plans and pricing [13:31] Finding your replacement [19:29] Best way to give software demos [21:55] What fundamental things should startup founders should know Links from the show Sales Funnel Optimization for Bootstrapped Founders – Steli Efti – MicroConf Europe 2019 Einar Vollset (@einarvollset) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 581, Rob Walling discusses how to grow money sensibly while protecting the principle during inflationary times. He explores real estate, collectibles, crypto, stocks, bonds, and other strategies to consider as inflation and other economic changes occur. The topics we cover [2:00] Inflation is here [7:20] Pricing flexibility with SaaS [9:44] Rules when inflation goes up [13:53] Inflation and home mortgages [16:29] Emergency funds during inflation [17:36] Bonds during inflationary times [18:40] Growth stocks If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 580, Rob Walling chats with Ross Hudgins, an SEO expert, about seven common things that SaaS founders either do well or frequently get wrong. The topics we cover [4:42] Put your blog in a subfolder, not a subdomain. [7:18] With keyword-focused content, make the URL exactly the main keyword. [10:10] Be thoughtful about feature page keywords [13:39] It’s really hard to rank for “best X software” queries [16:24] Use on-page content marketing best practices [20:50] Build passive link assets around keyword [22:58] Answer keyword questions immediately, right after the H1 Links from the show On-Page Content Marketing Best Practices Readability: the Optimal Line Length Ross Hudgins (@RossHudgens) | Twitter This episode of Startups for the Rest of Us is sponsored by Software Promotions. Get better results from Google. If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In this special episode of Startups For the Rest of Us, Rob Walling chats with Einar Vollset about not only the announcement of the TinySeed Syndicate but also the investment landscape for B2B SaaS today. Even if you don't think you'll raise funding, it's important to understand the dynamics of the investment and acquisition market as a bootstrapped founder. The topics we cover [1:40] Investment landscape for bootstrapped SaaS [10:26] What is a syndicate? [13:57] Introducing the TinySeed Syndicate Links from the show Invest — TinySeed Apply — TinySeed Einar Vollset (@einarvollset) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling SaaS that you'd like us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 578, Rob Walling is joined again by co-host emeritus, Mike Taber for an update on his progress with Bluetick. Today we find out how Mike's merger that he has been working on for the past year has panned out. The topics we cover [3:55] Mike reflects on time and effort working on partnership [7:20] What to do when a deal stalls [9:00] Doubling down on Bluetick [14:50] Differentiating Bluetick [17:47] Moving fast as a startup [19:03] Finding your intrinsic motivation [26:10] Mike's 90 day plan Links from the show Bluetick.io Mike Taber (@SingleFounder) | Twitter This episode of Startups for the Rest of Us is sponsored by Software Promotions. Get better results from Google. If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 577, Rob Walling chats with Jim Kalbach about how to uncover the right problem to solve with the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework. If you haven't been exposed to JTBD, this episode will be a great primer as we dive into practical examples for bootstrapped or mostly-bootstrapped founders. The topics we cover [3:00] Defining Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) [6:45] JTBD are stable over time [10:27] Be solution-agnostic [11:20] JTBD for pre-product or pre-solution [17:53] Questions to ask to find JTBD [20:50] Switch interviews [24:41] A switch interview case study Links from the show The Jobs To Be Done Playbook: Align Your Markets, Organization, and Strategy Around Customer Needs JTBD Toolkit Jim Kalbach (@jimkalbach) | Twitter This episode of Startups for the Rest of Us is sponsored by Software Promotions. Get better results from Google. If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 576, Rob Walling chats about permissionless entrepreneurship, why you probably shouldn't be a media company if you're an early stage or bootstrapped SaaS, and the importance of exploring beyond what your customers ask for to find out what they actually need. The topics we cover [2:01] Permissionless entrepreneur [9:25] All startups should not become media companies [15:10] Find out what your customers need, not what they ask for This episode of Startups for the Rest of Us is sponsored by Software Promotions. Get better results from Google. If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 575, Rob Walling is joined by Derrick Reimer for a quick update on SavvyCal and some recent hiring decisions he has made. They also answer listener questions about shipping code as a bootstrapper, pivoting, selling a business through a broker, and more The topics we cover [2:23] The latest with SavvyCal [12:02] Shipping code as a bootstrapper vs larger team [21:39] Considering a zoom-in pivot [25:15] Progressive web app vs two native app [28:20] Thoughts on white-label approach for SaaS [33:55] Selling a bootstrapped business through a broker Links from the show Episode 530 | Making Development Decisions, Regrets about Selling, and More Listener Questions (with Derrick Reimer) Episode 559 | Bootstrapping a Two-Sided Marketplace with MicroAquire SavvyCal MicroAcquire Quiet Light Brokerage Derrick Reimer (@derrickreimer) | Twitter This episode of Startups for the Rest of Us is sponsored by Software Promotions. Get better results from Google. If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

TinySeed, MicroConf's venture fund and SaaS accelerator, is launching their Fall 2021 accelerator batch this week.

In Episode 574, Rob Walling chats with Andrew Fiebert, a founder who just couldn't get away from software. He's a software developer, turned podcaster, turned marketer, and now he's a software entrepreneur and on this episode, they discuss his success and struggles while building Lasso. The topics we cover [2:40] Introductions [4:15] WordPress plugin with an annual subscription [5:51] Starting a podcast [8:00] Experiments with monetizing a podcast [13:26] Starting Giftlab.co [15:08] Starting another software business [16:35] Building Lasso [21:23] Launching without the right pricing/product [23:32] Discovering the sticking points in the UI/UX [29:29] Freemium vs paid users [31:06] The biggest struggle with building Lasso [35:23] The future for Lasso Links from the show Lasso GiftLab Listen Money Matters Andrew Fiebert (@andyfieb) | Twitter This episode of Startups for the Rest of Us is sponsored by Software Promotions. Get better results from Google. If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

We need your help! The 2022 State of Independent SaaS Survey is now live and we need as many eligible founders of B2B SaaS businesses to complete the survey. This survey will be used to create our third annual State of Independent SaaS report, offering recommendations, insights, and pitfalls critical to planning for a future in B2B SaaS. Venture funded businesses have a wealth of research and data helping them make decisions about the next steps they should take with their business - our community and niche of indie funded SaaS businesses shouldn't miss out on these best practices. Fill out the 2022 State of Independent SaaS survey today! microconf.com/state-of-indie-saas

In Episode 573, Rob Walling chats with Einar Vollset and Tracy Osborne about the part-time contractor versus hiring full-time debate, the acquisition of Sandhills Development, as well as the launch of a TinySeed Europe. The topics we cover [02:14] FT vs PT Contractor [09:06] When could part time contracting work? [10:25] Sandhills Development acquisition [14:50] TinySeed Europe announced [21:04] DuckDuckGo and Privacy Links from the show Episode 551 | Task-level vs. Project-level Thinkers, No Such Thing as an Autopilot Business, and More (A Rob Solo Adventure) Awesome Motive has acquired our WordPress products and services – Sandhills Development, LLC Josh Pigford on Twitter Regarding FT vs PT Contractor DuckDuckGo and Privacy Careers — TinySeed Invest — TinySeed Tracy Osborne on Twitter Einar Vollset (@einarvollset) | Twitter This episode of Startups for the Rest of Us is sponsored by Software Promotions. Get better results from google. If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 572, Rob Walling does another solo adventure to talk about taking responsibility for the outcomes of your business and the importance of putting in the reps as a founder. Bootstrapping a startup is a marathon, not a sprint and it's important to enjoy the journey along the way. Thanks to Software Promotions for supporting this podcast! Learn more about their SEO and AdWords services The topics we cover [1:56] Intro [2:20] It's not your fault, but it's your responsibility [8:35] It's not the game, it's the practice [15:23] Dietary patterns Rob wishes he would've known 15 years ago Links from the show Episode 551 | Task-level vs. Project-level Thinkers, No Such Thing as an Autopilot Business, and More (A Rob Solo Adventure) 11 Years to Overnight Success: From Beach Towels to A Successful Exit – Rob Walling – MicroConf 2017 Thanks to Software Promotions for supporting this podcast! Learn more about their SEO and AdWords services If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 571, Rob Walling chats with Peter Suhm about moving on from WP Pusher and Branch. We also dive into how he came up with the idea for Reform and his process for validating the idea with a landing page before building. The topics we cover [1:28] Intros [2:48] Default alive and selling Branch [8:15] Changing customer behavior is hard [12:25] Struggling through customer interviews from a small studio [16:20] Thinking through all the options and deciding to keep going [18:45] Moving from a list of requirements to a form builder [27:23] Building a high-quality MVP, starting with a landing page [34:52] Entering a big, horizontal, crowded space Links from the show Branch - Automated deployments for WordPress Reform - Hosted forms. No code required. Start Small, Stay Small Obviously Awesome - How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get it, Buy it, Love it Peter Suhm (@petersuhm) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 570, Rob Walling answers listener questions about the ideal business for bootstrapping, how to create trust with potential customers, navigating depression as an entrepreneur as well as advice for introverted founders. The topics we cover [1:42] Problems that are more conducive to bootstrapping [8:51] Creating trust with potential customers [10:51] Battling depression or mental illness as an entrepreneur [13:45] Advice for introverted founders [18:95] Standard operating agreement for co-founders If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 569, Rob Walling chats with Anna Maste, a founder who's been a part of the MicroConf community for several years. They talk about how Anna bootstrapped a two-sided RV marketplace and eventually sold it for a healthy multiple. The topics we cover [1:16] An RV boondocker [2:53] Selling for a healthy multiple [5:21 ] Building a business with a a family member [7:02] Tech stack used [8:23] Launching and early customers [12:45] Experimenting with business models and pricing [14:01] Inflection in growth [18:21] Bootstrapping and fitting in [23:53] First purchase offer [28:05] Accepting the second strategic offer Links from the show Boondockers Welcome Anna Maste (@skulegirl) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 568, Rob Walling talks about MailChimp selling for $12 billion to Intuit, the largest exit for a bootstrap company, ever. Not that all founders aspire to grow to this scale, but it's truly an incredible day for bootstrapped founders to know that we have the potential to get to this level without raising institutional funding. The topics we cover [1:41] $800 million in ARR without outside funding [4:14] Acquisition multiple [7:42] Everyone sells, eventually [9:31] Respect for MailChimp [11:49] Disappointed with the UX [13:21] Equity vs higher salaries and bonuses [18:00] Long term outlook for existing Mailchimp customers [21:21] Never say you're never going to sell [21:42] Being an email service provider today is hard Links from the show Episode 519 | Profit Sharing, Stock Options, and Equity (A Rob Solo Adventure) Rob Walling (@robwalling) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 567, Rob Walling chats with Don Pottinger about joining a company as a developer, transitioning to CTO within 6 months, buying the company for $1, and then later on selling it for a life-changing sum of money. The topics we cover [1:13] Introductions [4:08] Learning to code independently vs learning on the job [06:38] Joining Kevy in 2014 [8:00] Transitioning to Director of Engineering and then to CTO [11:58] Difficulty of laying employees off [14:20] A new CEO and $0 MRR [16:08] Cap table difficulties [19:56] CEO departure and buying the company for $1 [26:30] Starting over and doing it solo [29:01] Running as a lifestyle business and selling the company [35:02] Launching a new startup Links from the show Kevy Langua Talk Don Pottinger (@donpottinger) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 566, Rob Walling chats with Hana Mohan about her journey as a SaaS founder. They compare and contrast bootstrapping and being venture-backed, hiring a chief of staff early on as a startup founder, and more. The topics we cover [2:17] Intro [3:36] Deciding not to bootstrap MagicBell [6:34] The team Composition at MagicBell [9:15] The marketing approaches that are working today. [10:47] Technology behind MagicBell [19:32] Bootstrapping vs raising funding [24:24] The importance of finding the right investors and hiring the right people [25:27] Hiring a Chief of Staff Links from the show Starting a new tech business as a transgender woman From Bootstrapped to Venture-Backed with Hana Mohan Hana Mohan (@unamashana) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 565, Rob Walling answers listener questions about focusing on one product vs multiple, sharing revenue metrics with early employees, and how to overcome the lack of motivation when starting new projects. The topics we cover [05:31] Focusing on one core product vs multiple separate products at the same time [14:59] Sharing revenue metrics with new employees [18:37] Struggling with motivation and consistency Links from the show Cargo cult 1 simple rule to figure out which advice you should follow Episode 559 | Bootstrapping a Two-Sided Marketplace with MicroAquire Rob Walling (@robwalling) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 564, Rob Walling chats with Sol Orwell about growing his website, examine.com to millions of views per month, changing revenue models, and the importance of doing customer interviews. The topics we cover [2:14] Intro [3:06] How Examine started [7:21] Examine's differentiated approach based on scientific research [9:33] 10,000 paying subscribers [10:59] Building trust through transparency [15:26] Interviewing customers [21:14] Getting hit by Google [26:52] Sol's stunt marketing pages Links from the show Our Mistakes | GiveWell Examine SJO.com Sol Orwell (@sol_orwell) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 563, Rob Walling answers listener questions about startup operating agreements for co-founders, common cloud hosting solutions, struggling as a young entrepreneur, and selling your startup when you have over $1M in annual recurring revenue. The topics we cover [1:40] Operating agreements for startup co-founders [5:50] How to do startup vesting when not working fulltime on a project [9:41] Common cloud hosting solutions for startups [11:04] Struggling as a young entrepreneur [18:20] Call to action for info product [20:54] Virtual assistance [23:05] Selling above $1M ARR Links from the show LegalZoom Rocket Laywer Upcounsel Start Small, Stay Small Upwork Best Jobs Virtual Staff Finder Rob Walling (@robwalling) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

The application for TinySeed’s Fall 2021 SaaS accelerator batch of startups will open for two weeks starting on August 9th, 2021. Watch the video recording of the Fall 2021 Batch Info Session here: https://youtu.be/6dqTClonO2Y Interested in applying? Join us for an info session with the TinySeed team to talk about the application process, what to expect as a member of TinySeed, and some of the things we are looking for in companies we welcome into the fold. https://tinyseed.com #tinyseed We’ve written a few posts that might be helpful if you’re considering applying: — Our Fall 2021 application announcement: https://tinyseed.com/latest/tinyseeds-fall-2021-application-announcement — Preview our Fall 2021 application and requirements in this overview: https://tinyseed.com/latest/2021-application-preview — Curious about what it's like being a TinySeed founder? Part 1 - https://tinyseed.com/latest/whats-it-like-being-a-tinyseed-founder Part 2 - https://tinyseed.com/latest/part-2-tinyseed-founder

In Episode 562, join Rob Walling for another solo adventure to talk about enterprise sales, mental frameworks for founders, undoable decisions, and how to handle being approached about an acquisition. The topics we cover [2:33] Enterprise sales advice [5:48] Measure twice, cut once for SaaS [10:56] Holy Grail of SaaS: Expansion Revenue [13:12] Holy Grail of SaaS: Virality [14:25] Holy Grail of SaaS: Big space with slow-moving incumbents [15:46] Things to keep in mind when being approached about an acquisition Links from the show Josh Ledgard on Twitter Rob Walling (@robwalling) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 561, Rob Walling chats with Andy Cabasso, co-founder of Postaga, about launching on Product Hunt, having a done-for-you service in addition to a DIY self-service SaaS app, growing to a team of six people, having a free plan, and doing a ton of customer development in the early days. The topics we cover [01:35] Selling an agency with retainers to start Postaga [03:46] Explaining Postaga simply and succintly [06:32] Size and stage of Postaga [07:24] Using Postaga to market Postaga [10:22] Learning from early users [13:56] Launching on Product Hunt [18:09] Was it worth it to launch on Product Hunt? [20:30] Not charging at launch [22:22] Conjecturing on a Product Hunt flop [23:26] Postaga pricing plans [25:58] A big month of growth [32:13] A SaaS product with a service component Links from the show Postaga | Automated Post Promotion and Marketing Platform Andy Cabasso (@andycabasso) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 560, Rob Walling is joined by Einar Vollset and Tracy Osborn to talk about deciding when it's time to hire someone, how to think about which role to hire next, changing location to force productivity, and more. The topics we cover [2:52] Deciding to hire a community manager [9:28] Location hacks for improved productivity [14:52] Delta airline pilot suing Delta for stealing app [20:35] Product → Business → Company [27:18] Facebook Users say "No" and Advertisers are Panicking [32:32] Tech-enabled modern banks Links from the show MicroConf Remote Community Manager Tracy Osborn's Tweet on Location Hacking Delta pilot sues the airline for allegedly stealing an app he designed | Engadget Rob Walling's Tweet on Product → Business → Company FacebookUsers Said No to Tracking. Now Advertisers are Panicking Square Business Banking | Checking, Savings, & Loans If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 559, Rob Walling chats with Andrew Gazdecki, the founder of MicroAcquire, about bootstrapping a two-sided marketplace in a competitive industry. They talk about Andrew's previous successes, including growing Bizness Apps to $10 million in annual recurring revenue. They also unpack Andrew's current business, MicroAcquire, and talk about how it was started, its current success, and the future plans for the business. The topics we cover [6:03] Why did Andrew decide to sell Bizness [8:12] Background on MicroAcquire [10:52] Ideal revenue for MicroAcquire [13:29] Comparing MicroAcquire differs from similar broker websites [16:59] The future of MicroAcquire [20:50] Metrics since launching in January 2020 [23:08] Bootstrapping a two-sided marketplace [26:33] Raising $22 million post-money valuation [31:25] The hardest thing about bootstrapping a business Links from the show MicroAcquire Bizness Apps Andrew Gazdecki (@agazdecki) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

In Episode 558, Rob Walling chats with Einar Vollset about bootstrapping versus funding and the many options that exist in between. No longer is it a decision between a bootstrapped or venture path. With their unique perspectives, Rob and Einar talk about all of the funding options that exist. They also share some things to consider when deciding whether or not to take on funding and, if you do, how much you should plan on raising. The topics we cover [04:24] When funding makes sense for bootstrappers [11:54] Raising pre-revenue vs raising with revenue [15:29] Risks of raising as a platform (e.g. Shopify) business [20:40] Funding options available to bootstrappers [27:57] Convertible notes & SAFE's [29:16] How much should a bootstrapper raise? Links from the show Episode 496 | "The Press Covers Exceptions, Don't Compare Yourself to Slack or Zoom" Episode 411 | Bootstrapping vs. Funding: 19 Questions To Ask Einar Vollset (@einarvollset) | Twitter If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher