Startups For the Rest of Us

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.

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 fro

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 ha

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

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 b

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, p

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

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 | Spotif

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: iTune

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 sof

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,