The Bootstrapped Founder

339: Does Your SaaS Need a “User Tour?”

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is it a good idea to guide your users through your app when they sign up? Or does it show that your interface is too convoluted?The answer is: yes. Bo...

338: “Working In” vs “Working On” the Business

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I ran into a pretty substantial question this week.Am I working in my business, or am I working on my business? I've been spending so much time buildi...

337: Doing Things that Don’t Scale …Unintentionally

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when something that was good enough isn't good enough anymore?Unscalable hands-on experiments work great in the early stages of a busines...

336: The 7 Deadly Sins of Indie Hacking

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

`Indie Hackers have sinned. They allowed the seven deadly sins into their founder lives. And now we must cast them out.Well, let's be a little bit les...

335: Tipping Over

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

These last weeks have been a bit much. What do they say? “Take a break before the break takes you?” Well, I got quite close to that this week.This...

334: Sincere, not Serious

05 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to win the game or keep on playing?Today, I'll dive into a mentality shift I experienced recently while building Podscan: how about I just...

333: Kitze — Juggling Projects, ADHD, and the Indie Hacker Lifestyle

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

@Kitze, a Serial indie hacker and entrepreneur, shares his journey through a landscape filled with multiple projects like Sizzy, a browser for develop...

332: Beyond Small Bets — Embracing the Big Play

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when the 'small bets' strategy leads to a big win, and you're not prepared for it? Well, you adapt! So that's what I'm working on this we...

331: Geoff Roberts — Playing the Long Game

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Geoff Roberts (@GeoffTRoberts) is the co-founder of Outseta, and he's halfway there, 7 years in. Outseta —the SaaS starter kit and the business behi...

330: 50% New Users Overnight… and a Burning Server

21 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week was a duality of extremes for me. On one hand, I experienced an unprecedented growth spurt in my user numbers, while on the other hand, I st...

329: "AI For The Rest of Us"

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Generative AI used to be for early adopters. But now, Apple is bringing it to every iPhone. What does this mean for indie founders?This episode is spo...

328: Negotiating Bootstrapper Funding with Tyler Tringas

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A few months ago, I raised a low 6-figure investment for Podscan. Here's the conversation between me and my investor, @tylertringas, that happened jus...

327: Two (Surprisingly Scary) Tales of Platform Risk

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I almost lost access to my database, including all its backups. Also, a full-text index brought down my product. Neither were intended —o...

326: Zeno Rocha — From Bootstrapping to YCombinator

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Zeno Rocha (@zenorocha) went through YC to build Resend, yet he still acts and thinks like a bootstrapper. In a world of polarized opinions about vent...

325: Indie Hackers’ Myopic View of AI

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

"Everyone and their mother are talking about AI. Every founder releases their 500th GPT wrapper.""AI is all hype, no substance."Or is it? What if our ...

324: Tim Schumacher — The Bootstrapper's Mindset

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Schumacher (@TimSchu), the mastermind behind SEDO and Adblock Plus, now leads the SaaS Group to new heights. With $60 million ARR, 20 thriving bus...

323: The Power of the Dream Customer List

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, you get a glimpse into an ongoing marketing experiment for Podscan.fm. What if I can frontload value for my future customers even before they s...

322: Noah Kagan — Early Stage Founder Hurdles & How to Jump Them

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Noah Kagan (@noahkagan) has made AppSumo a massive success — and he's spilling the beans on how to launch, build, and grow a successful software bus...

321: Unexpected Downtime: Stress as Enhancement vs. Stress as Panic

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It started as a normal day — but then things started going wrong. And my stress levels rose.But I recently learned how to use that to my advantage. ...

320: Dr. Jessica Gold — Emotional Resilience and Self-Care for Founders

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Jessica Gold (@blissscience) helps founders live an intentional and passionate life — which ultimately impacts their entrepreneurial success. Sh...

319: My SaaS Server Exploded (& How I Salvaged It)

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this week, I finally found time to work on a large code change. When I deployed it, things got worse quickly. Here's what happened, why it hap...

318: Louie Bacaj — Betting Small to Win Big

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Louie Bacaj (@LBacaj), once a Walmart engineer, made a bold career shift into the unpredictable world of venture capitalism and entrepreneurship. Now ...

317: Podscan, 2 months and $1k MRR in

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's been two months of running Podscan at full speed.Have I spent 6 figures of money yet? Well, you'll see in this week's update :)This episode is sp...

316: Marybeth Alexander — Knowledgebase Secrets

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Marybeth Alexander is the Chief Executive Owl at KnowledgeOwl, a SaaS that focuses on providing the most impactful knowledgebase you could possibly ha...

315: MicroConf Atlanta — My Biggest Learnings

26 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I went to MicroConf 2024 in Atlanta — here is what I learned. Literally. My brain just absorbed this. I recorded this episode minutes after waking u...

314: Nicolai Klemke — Switching Lanes: Physics PhD to Indie Hacker

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nicolai Klemke (@nicolaiklemke) is an Indie Hacker with a PhD in Physics. Talk about a career change! Nicolai shares his founder journey from learning...

313: Challenges of Offering an API

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When you sell access to an API, what should you keep in mind? How would you protect your data but still make it easy to use? What product and legal re...

312: Aaron Francis — You're FIRED!

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Aaron Francis (@aarondfrancis) lost his job and gained a new outlook on life — or rather, he stepped into entrepreneurship for good. Aaron weighed h...

311: Finding my Ideal Customer Profile

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I share my journey to finding Ideal Customer Profile — live on air. In this episode, I share my framework for determining who I will buil...

310: Jessica Malnik — How to Communicate as an Indie Hacker

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Malnik (@jessicamalnik) deeply understands how remote work has changed the world of marketing and running a business. And fortunately, she's s...

309: Funded!

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Big news! Podscan.fm, my B2B SaaS that alerts you when your keywords or topics are mentioned in any podcast anywhere, has received bootstrapper-aligne...

308: Michael Taylor — Prompt Engineering for Fun & Profit

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Taylor (@hammer_mt) literally wrote the book on Prompt Engineering. He paints a vivid picture of a future where generative AI could make our trad...

307: Addressing my Weaknesses

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I’m a pretty okay developer, but when it comes to marketing and sales, I really need help. And for the longest time, I’ve held myself back.That en...

306: Johannes Radig — Traveling the World and Raising Prices

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Johannes Radig (@joradig) runs a SaaS from the Canary Islands — the most recent stop on a globe-spanning digital nomad trip. Johannes and I chat abo...

305: AI Hype — The Straight Line Bias and the Fear of not Keeping Up

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“If this tech keeps developing as fast as it does right now, will I ever be able to catch up?” is a question on my mind and the minds of many foun...

304: Tyler Tringas — Investing in Bootstrapped SaaS

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tyler Tringas (@tylertringas) invests in bootstrapped businesses. Wait… Aren't those supposed to NOT take investment money? What's going on here?Ali...

303: How I Deal with Investment Offers

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since I started building Podscan in public, I’ve received a lot of attention.And it’s been spectacular: I’ve found early users, prospects, ...

302: Nick Groeneveld — Speaking the Language of your Customers

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nick Groeneveld (@ToolboxOfDesign) understands that design isn't about gadgets, widgets, or buttons. For Nick, design is understanding the needs, desi...

301: Podscan, One Month In (MRR, Expenses, Marketing Tactics)

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you like revenue and expense numbers? I've been running my new SaaS podscan.fm for a month now. And today, I share all the facts and figures behind...

300: Marc Louvion — Becoming a Product Launch Beast

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Marc Louvion (@marc_louvion) is the Maker of the Year 2023 and the visionary behind the innovative ShipFast. His product development philosophy emphas...

299: Adversarial Thinking in Entrepreneurship

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, pondering what your worst enemy would do is a good idea. Taking their point of view gives you a fresh perspective on your own work, your bu...

298: Sharath Kuruganty — Letting Go Isn't Quitting

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sharath Kuruganty (@5harath) is not only a successful software entrepreneur and podcast host, but he's also open about the tough times he's faced, lik...

297: Payment Platforms for Solopreneurs

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Making money is hard. But even TAKING money takes some careful decision-making. Let's dive into payment platforms for solopreneurs today. Between Stri...

296: Yong-Soo Chung — Surviving Serial Entrepreneurship

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Yong-Soo Chung (@yongsoochung) is a champion of the Personal Holding Company: he owns several businesses, a media company, eCommerce, and a service pr...

295: Forever Business or Exit?

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many indie hackers and solopreneurs have a big exit as their primary goal. Thatmight be because of the money, but also because of a business’ limite...

294: RoxCodes — Building Dreams and Letting Go

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rox (@RoxCodes) recently sold his SaaS thumbnailtest.com. But he's pretty conflicted about the sale. What was promised to be a moment of joy and celeb...

293: Local AI

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today I discuss how I've developed my own advanced AI, moving away from relying on external platforms. I've managed to evolve the Podscan system from ...

292: Josh Pigford — The Open-Source Transformation of Maybe

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Josh Pigford (@shpigford)​, who created Maybe and Baremetrics, talks about bringing his financial tool back to life by making it open-source!This ha...

291: To Pivot or Not to Pivot

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join me as I dive into a crucial choice every entrepreneur faces, balancing what excites us with what makes sense. This week, a voicemail made me deep...

290: Spencer Patterson — Mastering Market Niches and Startup Growth

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Spencer Patterson (@SpencePatterson) is a former financial advisor turned tech entrepreneur, who transformed his non-technical background into a $3.5 ...

289: Rethinking the Creator Economy

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The "creator economy" is a dream of self-fulfillment and freedom for many. But once you're in it, it can quickly look bleak.Today, I dive into a world...

288: Thibault Louis-Lucas — Selling a $10M SaaS and Building Another One

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Thibault Louis-Lucas (@tibo_maker), or Tibo for short, is the indie hacker and innovator behind successful ventures like TweetHunter and Taplio — wh...

287: White Glove Onboarding

19 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can you provide white-glove customer service if you don't even know what it looks like? That —and a few very exciting development with my recent...

286: Asia Orangio — Crafting a Growth Blueprint for Emerging Startups

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Asia Orangio (@AsiaOrangio), CEO of Demand Maven, joins me as we dive into the world of customer discovery and (go-to) market strategies. We'll discus...

285: Voices of Influence: How Expert Feedback Shapes SaaS Success

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What's more important? Impact or Influence? Or does one facilitate the other?You'll learn what makes niche influence so valuable in an episode where I...

284: Kasey Jones — The Art of Strategic Self-Revelation in the Digital Age

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kasey Jones (@ABetterJones) is a maven in the realm of authentic online identity. As an entrepreneur who has weathered the storm of digital exposure, ...

283: Business Validation Traps

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Founders often listen to the wrong signals when validating their businesses. Let's dive into common validation traps today.I see three major traps ind...

282: Kevon Cheung — Embracing Vulnerability in Startup Culture

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kevon Cheung (@MeetKevon) is an expert builder-in-public. The moment his life pivoted with the birth of his daughter is where our conversation begins,...

281: AI and the Future of SaaS

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

2023 saw an explosion of AI. 2024 will make 2023 look like cheap fireworks next to the Death Star's superlaser.SaaS founders either go with the flow o...

280: Dominic Monn — Crafting a Thriving Online Mentorship Community

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dominic Monn (@dqmonn), the pioneering founder of MentorCruise, shares the secrets behind building a flourishing online mentorship community that tran...

279: Fear-Setting my SaaS: What’s Enough?

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The holidays are a season when our priorities clash particularly often. And for me, Christmas is also a time for re-evaluating choices, making long-te...

278: Nicolas Cole — Harnessing the Written Word for Profit

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nicolas Cole (@Nicolascole77), co-founder of Ship30for30, will teach you why indie hackers should embrace writing as a transformative tool in their ar...

277: NoCode, AI, and the Future of Software Entrepreneurship

16 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I've always been a fan of no-code tools. But recently, I stumbled into AI-assisted coding. And that has changed everything for me. Initially, I consid...

276: Khe Hy — Breaking Free from the Rat Race

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Khe Hy (@khemaridh), the brilliant mind behind Rad Reads and the Examined Life podcast, shares his introspective journey through the multifaceted worl...

275: I’m starting a new SaaS Journey

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I'm working on a new SaaS, and I'm sharing the journey from day one.Today, I'll introduce you to my market, early tech stack choices, the financials o...

274: Amanda Natividad — Mastering Content Creation and Audience Engagement

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amanda Natividad (@amandanat) is an expert in marketing and writing. She talks about using humor and strong marketing skills to understand what people...

273: Freedom vs. Autonomy

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let's dive headfirst into the crazy world of starting your own business. We're going to chat about how "running your own show" can be freeing, but als...

272: Andrew Hodson — A Mechanic's Leap into Tech Entrepreneurship

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Hudson (@MyBuddyAndrew) is an indie hacker who has taken an unconventional journey. From getting his hands dirty as an auto mechanic to now pav...

271: Arvid's Top 15 Book Recommendations for Founders

24 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re shopping for books this Black Friday, here are the 15 most impactful books I read before and during my SaaS founder journey. From entrepre...

270: Rob Walling — Stair-Stepping into SaaS Success

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rob Walling (@robwalling) unpacks the fascinating world of SaaS businesses, touching on topics like scaling, diversification, and the role of AI in Sa...

269: Embracing Obstacles for Opportunity

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can we master the art of managing constraints and turning obstacles into opportunities?With intentional choices.Join me as I candidly share my exp...

268: Channing Allen — Myths and Realities of the Indie Hacking Scene

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Channing Allen (@channingallen) is the co-founder of Indie Hackers. Today, Channing and I uncover the secrets of thriving in the indie hacking scene f...

267: Risks and Rewards of Building on OpenAI

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Should you build an indie business on top of OpenAI? Absolutely. It's not in OpenAI's interest to build niche solutions that compete with indie hacker...

266: Sakshi Shukla — Understanding Identity and Being the Only One

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you truly know yourself? Have you ever wondered about your multidimensional identity —the many layers of who we are and to whom— and the role i...

265: "Authenticity" in the Digital Age

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What does it even mean to be "authentic" online? Just posting things you want other people to see? Sharing everything, treating people like friends? O...

264: Dickie Bush — Harness the Power of Digital Writing

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dickie Bush (@dickiebush) discusses Ship 30 for 30, a movement he started to transform writing from a solitary to a communal activity, now a structure...

263: Indie Hacking Isn't Dead — It's Just Less Hacky

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Indie Hacking Isn't Dead — It's Just Less Hacky. The transformation of Indie Hacking over the years creates new challenges and opportunities for Ind...

262: Pieter Levels — The Indie Hacker’s Guide to AI Startups

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

My guest today, Pieter Levels, claims that "Indie Hacking is dead." Yet, Pieter runs several indie AI startups (and a few traditional ones), totaling ...

261: Accessibility for Profit

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Accessibility is one of the most overlooked aspects of being a creator, but it is an incredibly powerful tool to make long-term friends and, ultimatel...

260: Milly Tamati — The Power and Potential of Generalists

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We hire specialists. Deep knowledge in one field, not many skills in all the others. We value and celebrate specialists with promising career paths, t...

259: Monetizing Micro-Communities

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I explore the world of microcommunities - small, but incredibly lucrative communities. I examine how microcommunities are different from genera...

258: Aaron Francis — The Power of Sharing Expertise

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Journey with me as we dive deep into Aaron Francis' transformation from a coder to a teacher. Discover the intricate dance of building in the open. Aa...

257: Proof of Work: How Indie Founders Build Defensible Businesses

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever felt annoyed seeing someone else selling a copy of something you made? It's a problem many small business owners face. Today, I'm diving into how...

256: Brennan Dunn — This Is Personal

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is a masterclass in personalized marketing. Brennan even convinces me to ramp up my own efforts!Listen in as I uncover the power of personalized ...

255: Pet Rock Projects (And Why They… Rock)

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are you tired of the mainstream narrative that success as a software developer can only be pegged to the scale of your projects or the economic output...

254: Aprilynne Alter — Behind the Scenes of a Successful YouTuber

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Unearth the secrets of YouTube monetization and growth in our conversation with YouTube creator Aprilynne Alter. Prepare to be enlightened as Aprilynn...

253: Focusing on Customer Retention Features

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Buckle up for a voyage into the intricate world of software feature decision-making! Promising to equip you with insights from my journey, this episod...

252: Erica Schneider — Build Your Personal Platform (And Not Just a Brand)

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Getting started often brings valuable lessons that shape our paths in life; my chat with Erica Schneider, an expert in building authentic personal pla...

251: What I Learned From 250 Podcast Episodes

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to celebrate! This podcast has just reached 250 episodes, and I have a few lessons to share from along the way.The blog post: https://theboo...

250: Amanda Goetz — The Antidote to Hustle Culture

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I finally got to talk to Amanda Goetz, a marketer-turned-full-time-creator, who's generously poured out her wisdom on navigating the creator economy. ...

249: Avoiding the Entrepreneurial Planning Trap

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Three mistakes are common when early-stage founders plan their strategy: scoping, revenue sources, and lack of validation. Let's dive into why we trip...

248: Ruben Gamez — Cracking the E-Signature Market

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get ready to revolutionize your SaaS product signup process with some unique strategies, insights, and actionable tips from our much-awaited conversat...

247: You’re Not “Too Late”: Capitalizing on Pre-Validated Ideas

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever felt deflated upon discovering that your brilliant business idea already exists in the market? Well, you're not alone. I'm Arvid Kahl, a...

246: Corey Haines — Mastering Product Marketing

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get ready to learn everything about product marketing from our guest today, Corey Haines. Corey is a marketing pro who knows a lot about selling the r...

245: Take a Break

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Instead of writing a lengthy article this week, I pointed my iPhone at my face, clipped on a wireless mic, put the puppy in the background of the shot...

244: Emmet Gibney — Referred Into the Role of CEO

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emmet Gibney truly walked the path less taken. Today, you'll hear about an extraordinary journey from customer support to interim CEO of Rewardful. Yo...

243: Bootstrapped SaaS Exit Planning

18 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get ready to unlock the secret to enhancing your business's value — whether you plan to sell or not. This episode will guide you through the concept...

242: Louis Pereira — When an Indie Hacker Strikes Gold

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

241: Human Creativity Amidst AI Dominance

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Battle lines have been drawn. Human writers versus artificial intelligence - who will come out on top? I'm Arvid Kahl, your guide through the minefiel...

240: Danny Postma — An Indie Hacker's Business Evolution

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 T...