Reading Time: < 1 minute Louie Bacaj (@LBacaj), once a Walmart engineer, made a bold career shift into the unpredictable world of venture capitalism and entrepreneurship. Now a co-leader of a thriving community for bootstrapped entrepreneurs, Louie reveals how the ‘small bets’ philosophy guides individuals toward financial freedom and fulfillment. Together with Daniel Vassallo, he has created a unique space that thrives on exclusivity and practicality, challenging the traditional go-big-or-go-home mentality. Reflecting on our shared transition from engineer to entrepreneur, we explore how s ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s been two months of running Podscan for real. So let’s take a look at what happened, what didn’t happen, and if I already spent all that funding money. First, because it’s quite likely the most interesting topic, let’s talk money. I never disclosed the full amount, and I likely won’t for a while, but let’s just say it’s a 6-figure number. That’s not a surprise, as it’s pretty usual for the Calm Company fund to invest this much into bootstrapped companies like mine. So, did I spend 6 figures on the business already? Of course not. I spend around $10.000 so far — an ..read more

Reading Time: 8 minutes I am writing this still from the hotel where MicroConf 2024 just wrapped up. I’m on the road in Atlanta, and I want to share my impressions from this conference and the things I learned, the things I’m taking home with me to work on my software as a service business, my media brand, and my involvement in the community. As usual, after two and a half days of MicroConf, my mind is overflowing with ideas, conversations I had with new friends and old friends, and reprioritized tasks that I’m taking home with me. This conference is something extremely special. I don’t think ..read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute Nicolai Klemke (@nicolaiklemke) is an Indie Hacker with a PhD in Physics. Talk about a career change! Nicolai shares his founder journey from learning how to code to making waves in the music industry. We chat about carving out a niche in the bustling AI market, honing in on a customer segment that has a need (and a budget!), and building a team to turn a hobby into a profitable business. Nicolai on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicolaiklemke ..read more

Reading Time: 5 minutes Last week, I dove into my ideal customer. Now that I have chosen that elusive ideal customer profile, there are consequences. I have found the right people to build for, but what do they need? I’ll walk you through my product challenges today. Let’s recap. I decided to turn Podscan into the most comprehensive podcast data platform it can be. My ideal customer is anyone who wants to build a product, a service, or a business on top of that data platform. And that means that I’m selling something that is extremely easy to copy, clone, and abuse. The thing that I want to ..read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute Aaron Francis (@aarondfrancis) lost his job and gained a new outlook on life — or rather, he stepped into entrepreneurship for good. Aaron weighed his options, found old friends who were ready for new adventures and finally took the plunge that his supportive audience wanted to see him take. Building his platform in public got him here. The skills he developed along the way keep the customers coming. So, where will this journey take him? Aaron will share his approach, his fears, his hopes, and his strategy with you here today. And he’s trying really hard&n ..read more

Reading Time: 6 minutes Who is Podscan’s ideal customer? Who should I sell and market to? And how can I find out who could be ideal, and what choices do I have to make when whittling down that list? Today, I’ll dive into the Ideal Customer Profile for my recently-funded yet still very-much owner-operated software business Podscan. Let’s start with where I am (in terms of understanding my customers). Honestly, I wouldn’t be anywhere had I not talked to dozens of them over the last few weeks. When I set up my transactional email systems on ConvertKit, I had an epiphany: the welcome email is th ..read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute Jessica Malnik (@jessicamalnik) deeply understands how remote work has changed the world of marketing and running a business. And fortunately, she’s sharing her knowledge. In fact, we talk a lot about how to communicate right: with your customers, with your market, and even with your globally distributed remote employees. From preventing coworker burnout to customer engagement strategies and hiring for fractional roles, Jessica shares her valuable insights. And if you ever wondered how an introvert should approach talking to people (for “fun” and profit), this ..read more

Reading Time: 8 minutes Two months ago, I started tinkering on a new business. A few weeks ago, I created a company for it. A few days ago, I signed a document. And yesterday, a massive wire arrived in a (less-than-a-day-old) bank account. Podscan is now a real company that has been funded by the Calm Company fund — with a 6-figure amount. Enough to allow me to press the proverbial NITRO button in the equally proverbial racing car that is this B2B SaaS business called Podscan. Today, in celebration of this massive milestone, I will dive into why I got funded, why I said yes to it in the firs ..read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute 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 traditional databases look like ancient relics, and the role of developers shifts dramatically. Instead of crafting code, they could be steering the helm of AI-generated software, potentially dealing with the whims of a virtual ‘petulant child.’  Our chat pushes us to ponder the changing value of code and the skills that will matter in the face of technology’s relentless march forward. What does it mean that we are pr ..read more