Rob Walling

And then you came in, it was either 2023 or 2024, last year, and you bought into the business, right? And he's now a minority owner now. Tiny Seed obviously owns our percentage, but tell us a little bit about how that went down and like what, who came up with the idea? Cause it's, again, it's unorthodox. And I like to tell stories on this show to give people an idea of, oh, that's possible.

And then you came in, it was either 2023 or 2024, last year, and you bought into the business, right? And he's now a minority owner now. Tiny Seed obviously owns our percentage, but tell us a little bit about how that went down and like what, who came up with the idea? Cause it's, again, it's unorthodox. And I like to tell stories on this show to give people an idea of, oh, that's possible.

I didn't know you could do that. Right. And that when I heard your story, I was like, huh, yeah, it's an interesting, interesting way. So walk us through what happened.

I didn't know you could do that. Right. And that when I heard your story, I was like, huh, yeah, it's an interesting, interesting way. So walk us through what happened.

So did you and John know each other before this? No, we did not. Okay, how did you find each other?

So did you and John know each other before this? No, we did not. Okay, how did you find each other?

Ah, very nice. I didn't know that Quietlight would do majority but not full acquisitions.

Ah, very nice. I didn't know that Quietlight would do majority but not full acquisitions.

As we move towards wrapping up, I have a question for you that I'd like to ask of a lot of guests that come on the show. And it's in your experience running, growing, building this business, what has been the hardest thing about it? And you can either say overall, like, ooh, it's been X, Y, Z challenge. Or if there's a moment where you were like, this is so f***ed. I'm not having fun at all.

As we move towards wrapping up, I have a question for you that I'd like to ask of a lot of guests that come on the show. And it's in your experience running, growing, building this business, what has been the hardest thing about it? And you can either say overall, like, ooh, it's been X, Y, Z challenge. Or if there's a moment where you were like, this is so f***ed. I'm not having fun at all.

You can also just go to a moment.

You can also just go to a moment.

The uncertainty. Yeah. And it's not just the money. It's your opportunity cost, man. Like you could get a job working for a company in the Bay Area and make lots of money. And yet you are basically, you know, I'm guessing taking a below market salary as most of us do and just trying to figure it out. And that is a real it's a gamble.

The uncertainty. Yeah. And it's not just the money. It's your opportunity cost, man. Like you could get a job working for a company in the Bay Area and make lots of money. And yet you are basically, you know, I'm guessing taking a below market salary as most of us do and just trying to figure it out. And that is a real it's a gamble.

You know, kind of the traditional, like maybe Silicon Valley or YC founder is like a 23-year-old founder doing it at a garage, you know, or having a this and that. And there's a reason for that stereotype. Most of the microconf, tiny seed, startups for the rest of this ecosystem tends to skew a little older, let's say 30s and 40s, some folks in their 50s.

You know, kind of the traditional, like maybe Silicon Valley or YC founder is like a 23-year-old founder doing it at a garage, you know, or having a this and that. And there's a reason for that stereotype. Most of the microconf, tiny seed, startups for the rest of this ecosystem tends to skew a little older, let's say 30s and 40s, some folks in their 50s.

But the further you get on and the more, you know, you're making 350 grand a year as an engineer, senior engineer for Facebook or something. It becomes really hard to leave that for the uncertainty of a startup. And I think it is, I mean, it's just one of the big concerns that folks have.

But the further you get on and the more, you know, you're making 350 grand a year as an engineer, senior engineer for Facebook or something. It becomes really hard to leave that for the uncertainty of a startup. And I think it is, I mean, it's just one of the big concerns that folks have.

Yeah. Yeah, being alone in the uncertainty is even harder. And being alone and having a spouse and or a family in the uncertainty. And it's like, well, I'm going to spend all these nights and weekends for, you know, at least you're able to do a full time, hopefully mostly during the day. But the bootstrap, you know, I bootstrapped five companies and then raised money for tiny seed.

Yeah. Yeah, being alone in the uncertainty is even harder. And being alone and having a spouse and or a family in the uncertainty. And it's like, well, I'm going to spend all these nights and weekends for, you know, at least you're able to do a full time, hopefully mostly during the day. But the bootstrap, you know, I bootstrapped five companies and then raised money for tiny seed.