The Joe Reis Show Bootstrapping a Data Consultancy Amidst The Great AI Grift w/ Nikhil Suresh (CEO @ Hermit Tech, Blogger)
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Dec 17, 2025 Nikhil Suresh, the bootstrapped CEO of Hermit Tech and a savvy blogger on data consulting, shares insights from his first year running a services business. He explains the shift from hourly to fixed pricing and why coding is often the least profitable aspect of projects. Nikhil critiques hustle culture in Silicon Valley, highlighting the stresslessness of running a small consultancy. He also discusses spotting 'status games' in tech leadership and the pitfalls of offshoring while emphasizing the profitability of non-technical services.
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Just Start By Talking To Customers
- Do talk to customers and offer services; starting a tech services business is simpler than myth suggests.
- Avoid overcomplicating launch plans; a laptop and conversations often suffice.
Audience Opens Doors, Doesn't Sign Checks
- Personal notoriety helps open doors but rarely drives paying decisions.
- Relying on content virality isn't a repeatable sales pipeline.
Don't Confuse Hustle With Effectiveness
- Avoid performative hustle; long hours often signal status-posturing rather than productivity.
- Build a sustainable rhythm that avoids the 9-to-9 grind.