The Bootstrapped Founder

The speaker discusses the importance of taking breaks and shares personal stories of when they neglected to do so, leading to mental health issues. They also reflect on the challenges of recording a podcast while on a break and express gratitude to their sponsor, Acquire.com. The speaker shares their experience of selling a business as a way to take a break and mentions their current environment in Toronto with their girlfriend and puppy. They discuss the significance of mental health and building friendships in the tech industry, including the risks and rewards of starting out in the field. The importance of managing personal energy and allowing oneself to recharge through taking breaks is emphasized.

Emmet Gibney, former customer support turned interim CEO of Rewardful, shares his journey and insights on referral and affiliate programs. Topics include setting up referral programs, identifying ideal affiliates, and building impactful communities. They also discuss the benefits of collaboration within a private equity company, the power of customer referrals and affiliate programs, building relationships in the info product space, customer behavior in a recurring revenue system, and exploring selling your business.

Discover the significance of creating a sellable business, even if you have no intention of selling. Learn about the benefits of exit planning for SaaS businesses and valuable insights from experienced founders. Find out strategies for assessing sellability, organizing important documents, de-risking the financial situation, and planning for a business exit to attract potential buyers.

Ever wonder how to build a successful start-up from scratch? This week, I'm joined by Louis Pereira, an indie founder who has done just that. Creator of the successful audio transcription product, AudioPen, Louis sheds light on his journey and the calculated risks he took with pricing and subscriptions to validate demand early on. He's a firm believer in building and launching products in public, a practice that he believes played a critical role in growing his audience and gaining traction — and it paid off mightily.This isn't just a conversation about entrepreneurial success; it's a deep dive into the inner workings of a product, from handling customer conversations to managing bug reports and feature requests. Enjoy the inside view of a successful business on the rise.00:00:01 Indie Founder Discusses Building Successful Startup00:10:30 Building Features and Handling Customer Conversations00:18:38 Building Business Trust00:26:38 Building in Public and Unexpected Success00:38:36 "Hackathon Launch Strategies and Productivity Mindset"00:43:55 The Value of Reading and Accessibility00:53:41 The Impact of Writing ToolsLouis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/louispereira/Louis' website: https://louispereira.xyz/AudioPen: https://tbf.link/audiopenThe blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/louis-pereira-when-an-indie-hacker-strikes-gold/The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/ad81b535The video: https://youtu.be/y0GbP43xtpoYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comThis episode is sponsored by Acquire.com (00:01) - Indie Founder Discusses Building Successful Startup (10:30) - Building Features and Handling Customer Conversations (18:38) - Building Business Trust (26:38) - Building in Public and Unexpected Success (38:36) - "Hackathon Launch Strategies and Productivity Mindset" (43:55) - The Value of Reading and Accessibility (53:41) - The Impact of Writing Tools

Battle lines have been drawn. Human writers versus artificial intelligence - who will come out on top? I'm Arvid Kahl, your guide through the minefield of writing in a world where machines such as ChatGPT are generating content at a phenomenal rate. Can human authors still hold their own? Absolutely! Tune in as I reveal why the human touch and authenticity inherent in our content is irreplaceable, no matter how advanced AI becomes.The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/human-creativity-amidst-ai-dominance/The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/b3d424ccThe video: https://youtu.be/MqWEGSjnAlAYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comFind me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com

Ever wondered how to handle the competitive world of AI products and copycats while running a global business? Well, you're in luck. This episode of The Bootstrapped Founder features a heart-to-heart with indie hacker and global entrepreneur, Danny Postma. Danny takes us behind the scenes of his entrepreneurial journey, sharing priceless insights on transitioning from a solopreneur to a team leader, cleverly leveraging SEO, and the fascinating world of domain acquisitions.Picture this: You're living the digital nomad lifestyle, working across time zones while experiencing new cultures. How do you make it all work? Danny Postma gives us a peek into his life as a digital nomad, the cultural differences that affect his way of work, and how he deals with the 12-hour time difference with grace. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the value of a good domain name and how it can be a game-changer for any business. Join us on this exciting journey and tap into the world of a successful global entrepreneur.Danny on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dannypostmaa/The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/danny-postma-an-indie-hackers-business-evolution/The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/1fbba06aThe video: https://youtu.be/X36_7wRC_WIYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comThis episode is sponsored by Acquire.com (00:00) - Successful Global Business Building (10:05) - Solopreneur to Team Building Transition (17:09) - Dealing With Copycats in Business (25:10) - Competition and Evolution of AI Products (35:09) - Discovery of B2C and Acquisition Strategies (38:59) - Importance of SEO for Indie Hackers (50:12) - Building a Network, Avoiding Fame (56:10) - Digital Life, Remote Work, Cultural Differences

We delve deep into the world of online communities, exploring their growth, evolution, and the disruptive elements that can lead to their downfall. Drawing compelling parallels with traditional villages, we seek to understand the role of trust, shared culture, and considerate interaction in these digital spaces.We touch on the dynamics that can lead to the erosion of online communities, such as inconsiderate self-promotion and the mass influx of new members who lack a shared understanding of the community's values. Drawing inspiration from Immanuel Kant's teachings, we discuss how short-term gains can often lead to long-term reputation costs.The podcast episode offers insights on how to contribute positively and build a reputation as a valued member of these virtual communities. It serves as a guide to navigating the complex dynamics of online spaces, focusing on their enrichment rather than erosion.The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/things-that-kill-the-village/The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/f317d6bbThe video: https://youtu.be/gakz2PeCYGYYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comFind me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com

Brian Sierakowski, CEO of Bearmetrics after acquisition, shares challenges faced, making business more sellable, canceling subscriptions, managing expectations, career transitions, and running a business during uncertain times.

Learn about the power of eventual reciprocity and how it can benefit your business. Discover how giving without expecting anything in return can lead to long-term success, and find out how to strike the perfect balance between offering free content and monetizing your trade secrets. Don't miss out on this valuable lesson in entrepreneurship and audience building.The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/eventual-reciprocity/The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/bb7d24fbThe video: https://youtu.be/6T_fRdQukMoYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comFind me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com

Step into the world of Tony Dinh, an accomplished indie hacker famed for his ability to craft products with show-stopping aesthetics while keeping them public on Twitter. Tony, who holds the helm in the product design world, made waves with his browser extension, Blackmagic, and his unique pricing and revenue model approach. Our chat offers a deep dive into Tony's journey and his decision-making process during the Twitter API price increase, eventually leading to the sale of Blackmagic to HypeFury. His insights on product design and experiences as a front-end engineer are worth their weight in gold.00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:24 How do you get good at design? 00:07:50 Working in enterprise businesses first. 00:13:08 Selling as an indie hacker. 00:18:18 How to complete the sale? 00:23:02 Transitioning the ownership. 00:28:31 Running into platform risk. 00:34:13 The launch of the product. 00:38:42 Do you have a process for internal documentation? 00:47:22 How do you deal with clones? 00:51:19 The importance of having a ProductHunt-compatible audience. 00:55:39 What’s your current software portfolio like? 01:01:09 What to do when you’re stuck? Tony on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tdinh_meThe blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/tony-dinh-ups-and-downs-of-an-indie-hacker-journey/The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/ee414120The video: https://youtu.be/i99OHAacxbkYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comThis episode is sponsored by Acquire.com! Go to http://try.acquire.com/arvid/ to get started with making sure you run a sellable business. (00:00) - Introduction (01:24) - How do you get good at design? (07:50) - Working in enterprise businesses first. (13:08) - Selling as an indie hacker. (18:18) - How to complete the sale? (23:02) - Transitioning the ownership. (28:31) - Running into platform risk. (34:13) - The launch of the product. (38:42) - Do you have a process for internal documentation? (47:22) - How do you deal with clones? (51:19) - The importance of having a ProductHunt-compatible audience. (55:39) - What’s your current software portfolio like? (01:01:09) - What to do when you’re stuck?