Indie Founder #303 - Interviewing Tony Dinh on how to run a successful indie businesses
In this podcast episode, Tiago interviews Tony Dinh, a successful indie hacker, about the challenges and goals of running an indie company. They discuss their own experiences and the importance of finding the right co-founder. They also talk about the different phases of being an indie hacker and the goals that come with each phase. Tony shares his approach to design and marketing, while Tiago talks about his transition from struggling to finding success with his startup. They also discuss profitability margins, lifestyle priorities, hiring freelancers, managing tasks and deadlines, and competing with bigger players in the industry.
Links
Timestamps
The challenges of running an indie company [00:01:12]
Tiago discusses his challenges of running an indie company, including hiring and setting goals.
Finding product-market fit and gaining credibility [00:02:17]
Tiago and Tony discuss the importance of finding product-market fit and how it can lead to credibility and success.
The different phases of being an indie hacker [00:09:08]
Tiago and Tony talk about the roller coaster journey of being an indie hacker and the different phases and goals that come with it.
The profitability margins [00:12:03]
Discussion about the profitability margins of the company and the impact of having employees on revenue.
Goals as an indie hacker [00:12:40]
Discussion about short-term and medium-term goals as an indie hacker, including reaching the level of other successful indie hackers.
Prioritizing lifestyle over money [00:15:32]
Discussion about the preference for a lifestyle with more freedom and independence over having a lot of money.
The hiring process and working with freelancers [00:23:17]
Discussion on the benefits of hiring freelancers, the types of tasks they can handle, and the decision-making process of when to hire them.
Trusting freelancers and managing their hours [00:28:10]
Exploration of the trust factor in hiring freelancers, giving them access to code, and managing their hours and invoicing.
Transitioning a freelancer to a full-time employee [00:30:07]
The process of hiring a freelancer as a full-time employee, starting with a specific role and expanding their responsibilities based on their skills and willingness to help.
No deadlines [00:34:05]
Discussion on the absence of deadlines in the company and how tasks are allocated and managed without them.
Managing freedom and goals [00:36:41]
Exploration of the paradox of wanting to achieve goals and beat competitors while maintaining freedom and not setting deadlines.
Dealing with competition [00:41:14]
Discussion on how the speaker manages competition and believes there is still a place for their product in the market.
Links and Mentions
Marketing:
Product Hunt: 00:06:02
Twitter: 00:06:02
Instagram: 00:06:02
Communication and Task Management:
Telegram: 00:34:47
Linear: 00:35:13
Slack: 00:43:45
References:
My First Million podcast: 00:36:54