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In episode 741, Rob Walling talks to Wes Bush, CEO and Founder of ProductLed, about the nuances and misconceptions of product-led growth. Wes debunks common myths and explains how companies can leverage their product to drive user acquisition, engagement, and growth. They dive into a real-world example and explore how founders can avoid the trap of thinking the product will “sell itself” while contrasting PLG and sales-led strategies.
Episode Sponsor:Hiring senior developers can really move the needle in your business, but if you bring on the wrong person, you can quickly burn through your runway. If you need help finding a vetted, senior, results-oriented developer, you should reach out to today’s sponsor, Lemon.io.
For years, they’ve been helping our audience find high quality, global talent at competitive rates, and they can help you too.
Longtime listener Chaz Yoon, hired a senior developer from Lemon.io and said his hire ”definitely knew his stuff, provided appropriate feedback and pushback, and had great communication, including very fluent English. He really exceeded my expectations.”
Chaz said he’d definitely use Lemon.io again when he’s looking for a senior level engineer.
To learn more and get a 15% discount on your first four weeks of working with a developer at lemon.io/startups.
Topics we cover: 2:01 – Defining product-led growth6:07 – Are users able to get value for free? 11:38 – Hybrid: both product-led and sales-led14:52 – Determining the main outcome of your free model19:23 – Misuse of the PLG terminology22:00 – The benefits of PLG over sales-led growth24:08 – Workshopping SavvyCal’s product-led strategyLinks from the Show: Mastermind Applications are open until December 4thWes Bush (@wes_bush) | XProductLed (@productled) | XProductLedProduct-Led Growth: How to Build a Product That Sells Itself by Wes BushThe Product-Led Playbook: How to Unlock Self-Serve Revenue and Dominate Your Market (With a Tiny Team) by Wes BushFree Audiobook of The Product-Led PlaybookProduct-Led Onboarding by Ramli JohnTinySeedSparkToroSavvyCalIf 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!
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In episode 740, Rob Walling speaks with Dr. Sherry Walling about their new book, "Exit Strategy: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Selling Your Business Without Regret." They explore the emotional, psychological, and practical aspects of selling a business, emphasizing the universal challenges entrepreneurs face. The book draws on both Rob and Sherry’s unique experiences that they’ve shared with countless founders throughout their careers.
Exit Strategy is now live on Kickstarter!
Topics we cover: 2:01 – Not just a book for those selling SaaS8:13 – The Kickstarter for the book is live today12:16 – Before, during, and after the exit14:55 – Why exiting is so hard20:39 – Life after the exit25:10 – A few traps await founders shortly after exit26:24 – What do you do with a big pile of money?Links from the Show: MicroConf Remote Goes Live November 20th!Exit Strategy: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Selling Your Business Without RegretRob Walling (@robwalling) | XDr. Sherry Walling (@sherrywalling) | XZen FounderZen Founder PodcastThe SaaS PlaybookThe Art of Selling Your Business by John WarrillowBefore the Exit by Dan Andrews Finish Big by Bo BurlinghamMicroConfTinySeedTesting Two Worlds by Dr. Sherry WallingIf 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!
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In episode 739, Rob Walling interviews Andy Kim, co-founder of Trotto, about his unique journey into SaaS. Andy shares how “go links” work, and why they are so valuable for internal, enterprise use despite their relative obscurity. They also explore the marketing hurdles and customer adoption challenges in a business like Trotto.
Episode Sponsor:Hiring senior developers can really move the needle in your business, but if you bring on the wrong person, you can quickly burn through your runway. If you need help finding a vetted, senior, results-oriented developer, you should reach out to today’s sponsor, Lemon.io.
For years, they’ve been helping our audience find high quality, global talent at competitive rates, and they can help you too.
Longtime listener Chaz Yoon, hired a senior developer from Lemon.io and said his hire ”definitely knew his stuff, provided appropriate feedback and pushback, and had great communication, including very fluent English. He really exceeded my expectations.”
Chaz said he’d definitely use Lemon.io again when he’s looking for a senior level engineer.
To learn more and get a 15% discount on your first four weeks of working with a developer at lemon.io/startups.
Topics we cover: 3:13 – Go links, URL shorteners for enterprise6:14 – History of the problem and core users9:44 – Customer education and growth opportunities15:37 – Finding the repeatable marketing funnel21:07 – Buying into a co-founder role at Trotto24:42 – What’s the hardest part of running Trotto?Links from the Show: Exit Strategy: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Selling Your Business Without RegretMicroConf Masterminds - Applications close on December 4th, 2024Trot.toTrotto go links (@TrottoHQ) | XTinySeedHow did go links start and evolve at Google?Quiet LightIf 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!
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In episode 738, join Rob Walling for a solo adventure as he answers listener questions. He explores how to target larger, enterprise deals after achieving product-market fit, and why word of mouth marketing can be great, yet is tricky to control. Rob also answers a later-stage question and cautions against trying to educate the market as a bootstrapper.
Topics we cover: 1:58 – Expanding to enterprise deals after product-market fit6:39 – Word of mouth marketing is tricky for B2B SaaS14:36 – Educating the market as a bootstrapper20:07 – Selling integrations through incubators and accelerators24:38 – Developing a profit sharing modelLinks from the Show: Register for MicroConf Remote before Nov. 7th for Early Bird pricing & extrasAsk a Question at Startups For the Rest of UsThe SaaS PlaybookTinySeedAdjacency Matrix: How to expand after PMF by Jason CohenF5BotSyftenPodscanVeedDevising a profit sharing program for micro-multinationals by Peldi GuilizzoniIf 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
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In episode 737, Rob Walling is joined by Derrick Reimer to recap the experience from MicroConf Europe 2024 in Dubrovnik. They discuss the differences between MicroConf US and MicroConf Europe, some small programming tweaks over the years, and they revisit the highlights from the talks at this event.
If you missed the event and had some MicroConf FOMO, get your tickets now for our New Orleans event!
Episode Sponsor:Hiring senior developers can really move the needle in your business, but if you bring on the wrong person, you can quickly burn through your runway. If you need help finding a vetted, senior, results-oriented developer, you should reach out to today’s sponsor, Lemon.io.
For years, they’ve been helping our audience find high quality, global talent at competitive rates, and they can help you too.
Longtime listener Chaz Yoon, hired a senior developer from Lemon.io and said his hire ”definitely knew his stuff, provided appropriate feedback and pushback, and had great communication, including very fluent English. He really exceeded my expectations.”
Chaz said he’d definitely use Lemon.io again when he’s looking for a senior level engineer.
To learn more and get a 15% discount on your first four weeks of working with a developer at lemon.io/startups.
Topics we cover: 2:47 – MicroConf Europe vs. MicroConf US6:44 – Adding “excursions” to the programming11:29 – From Maker to Founder to Owner to Entrepreneur with Peldi Guilizzoni 18:55 – Thinking big and small: Data-driven growth strategies to grow your business with Andrew Davies20:45 – Contributing factors to the success of this event in particular23:47 – 10 Lessons Learned in 10 Years of Starting, Growing, and Selling WebinarNinja with Omar Zenhom 26:40 – Bootstrapping Our Freemium Form Builder: From Zero to $1.5M ARR with Marie Martens30:37 – 3 mistakes I won’t repeat after growing my business to +35M and selling it with Tim Vandecasteele33:50 – Breaking Through the 7 SaaS Growth Plateaus with Rob WallingLinks from the Show: Get Tickets for MicroConf US 2025, New OrleansSignup for the MicroConf newsletterDerrick Reimer (@derrickreimer) | XSavvyCalPeldi from Balsamiq (@peldi) | XThe SaaS PlaybookOmar Zenhom (@TheOmarZenhom) | XEpisode 717 | Bootstrapping to $1.3M ARR and 300,000 Free UsersIf you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please
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In episode 736, join Rob Walling as he answers some later-stage listener questions in another solo adventure. He discusses common pitfalls in delegation, transitioning from one-time transactions to SaaS models, and when it makes sense to target multiple ICPs. Rob also warns about the limited impact that social media marketing can have on growing your SaaS tool.
Episode Sponsor:Are you drowning in challenging tech decisions? You should check out today’s sponsor, Techstack.
Unlike typical staffing agencies, these folks are startup specialists with over a decade of experience in startup software development.
Techstack can help your startup build an MVP that's designed for explosive growth, rapidly expand your team for new features, or optimize your existing codebase for peak performance. Whether you're launching, scaling up, or fine-tuning, they've got the expertise to supercharge your tech.
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Here's an exclusive offer for "Startups For the Rest of Us" listeners: Get a 10% discount on your first month of development with Techstack. And if you're one of the first 10 listeners to get in touch, you'll also receive a free, in-depth tech assessment and expert consultation – a $3,000 value – in your choice of critical areas like architecture, infrastructure, development process or project management. This could be the game-changer your startup needs.
Don't let tech challenges slow you down. Check out https://www.tech-stack.com/startups to discover how Techstack can turbocharge your growth.
Topics we cover: 2:17 – What to delegate on the path to $10k MRR6:43 – Be wary of social media marketing masquerading as productivity10:31 – DIY vs. hiring a growth agency for B2B SaaS marketing15:22 – Not every business should be a subscription business22:00 – Defining, targeting, and selling to different ICPsLinks from the Show: Get Tickets for MicroConf US 2025, New OrleansThe SaaS LaunchpadTinySeedThe Stair Step Method of BootstrappingFounding Sales by Peter KazanjyRob Walling (@robwalling) | XIf 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!
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In episode 735, join Rob Walling for a solo adventure where he categorizes the different levels of SaaS platform risk. He introduces a framework with three key factors: Replacement, Customer Concentration, and Lead Flow. Rob then defines eight levels of risk according to these factors and other vulnerabilities such as relying on open source – a hot topic with recent news about WordPress, WP Engine, and Automattic.
Episode Sponsor:Hiring senior developers can really move the needle in your business, but if you bring on the wrong person, you can quickly burn through your runway. If you need help finding a vetted, senior, results-oriented developer, you should reach out to today’s sponsor, Lemon.io.
For years, they’ve been helping our audience find high quality, global talent at competitive rates, and they can help you too.
Longtime listener Chaz Yoon, hired a senior developer from Lemon.io and said his hire ”definitely knew his stuff, provided appropriate feedback and pushback, and had great communication, including very fluent English. He really exceeded my expectations.”
Chaz said he’d definitely use Lemon.io again when he’s looking for a senior level engineer.
To learn more and get a 15% discount on your first four weeks of working with a developer at lemon.io/startups.
Topics we cover: 2:32 – Are replacements available for this platform?4:56 – How concentrated are your customers on this platform?5:31 – What is your lead or customer flow?8:54 – Level 1: almost no platform risk10:04 – Level 2: reliant on a commoditized platform11:49 – Level 3: using large cloud providers like AWS15:33 – Level 4: deeply tied to open source software like WordPress18:11 – Level 5: high switching costs, but replacements exist like in no-code20:00 – Level 6: 100% lead flow risk21:44 – Level 7: a friendly app ecosystem23:24 – Level 8: aggressive platforms, few replacements, customer concentrationLinks from the Show: Get Tickets for MicroConf US 2025, New OrleansTinySeedRob Walling (@robwalling) | XAsk a Question on SFTROUHow to find and validate business ideas from 75+ SaaS MarketplacesIf 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!
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In episode 734, Rob Walling interviews Ian Landsman, founder of HelpSpot, about his 20-year bootstrapper journey. They discuss Ian's transition from on-prem software to SaaS, the challenges and benefits of each, and the early days of building the business. They wrap up by discussing the potential impact of AI on the customer service industry.
Topics we cover: 1:11 – Ian, the OG bootstrapper2:22 – Benefits of on-prem software in 20245:46 – Slow, steady, profitable growth through the years9:20 – Embracing a risky start14:11 – Getting early awareness18:52 – Transitioning to SaaS26:37 – Laravel raises $57M28:59 – AI impact on customer serviceLinks from the Show: The SaaS PlaybookTinySeedIan Landsman (@ianlandsman) | XHelpSpot (@helpspot) | XHelpSpotPodscanAccel invests $57M into Laravel Products & Open-Source FrameworkMostly TechnicalIf 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
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In episode 733, join Rob Walling for a solo adventure where he covers several topics. In this episode he differentiates between good and bad distractions, weaknesses versus blind spots, and shares personal experiences of struggle. He concludes with actionable advice – uncover the blind spots, then launch, iterate, and take feedback.
Topics we cover: 2:09 – Not all distractions are bad5:42 – The worst distractions masquerade as productivity9:48 – Weaknesses versus blind spots16:41 – Everybody struggles 24:40 – Launch, iterate, and take feedbackLinks from the Show: The SaaS LaunchpadThe SaaS PlaybookMicroConf ConnectThe Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben HorowitzWhy Startup Founders Should Stop Reading Business Books by Rob WallingTraction by Gabriel Weinberg, Justin MaresEpisode 725 | SEO in the Age of AI, Freemium, When Brand Becomes Important, and More Advanced Listener Questions (with Ruben Gamez)Launch. A Startup Documentary.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!
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In episode 732, Rob Walling interviews Jeff, a mostly anonymous and retired founder, about his mostly bootstrapped business and subsequent exits. Jeff shares how he started the company in 2003 and how he persevered in the early, lonely years to achieve traction in the business. They also discuss finding fulfillment after a huge, life-changing exit.
Topics we cover: 2:17 – Jeff, the retired SaaS founder you haven’t heard of3:32 – Refreshing the bank balance after multiple exits5:26 – ARR multiples across several exits8:11 – “Accidentally” SaaS, growing the business in the early days11:35 – Getting through the toughest moments in the journey16:31 – Why did the business work?20:14 – “Short term generous, long term greedy”24:32 – Staying busy after an exit32:09 – Giving back to foundersLinks from the Show: Purchase The SaaS Launchpad before September 30th to get access to a live Q&A with RobTinySeedRetired Founder (@RetiredFounder) | XContact Retired FounderBeyond The Finish LineIf 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!
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In episode 731, join Rob Walling and Derrick Reimer as they tackle some more advanced listener questions. They discuss delegation and giving up areas of control as a founder, including examples from their time together at Drip. Derrick describes how he approaches partnering with other SaaS businesses and why planning a full quarter ahead doesn’t work for many bootstrapped founders.
Episode Sponsor:Hiring senior developers can really move the needle in your business, but if you bring on the wrong person, you can quickly burn through your runway. If you need help finding a vetted, senior, results-oriented developer, you should reach out to today’s sponsor, Lemon.io.
For years, they’ve been helping our audience find high quality, global talent at competitive rates, and they can help you too.
Longtime listener Chaz Yoon, hired a senior developer from Lemon.io and said his hire ”definitely knew his stuff, provided appropriate feedback and pushback, and had great communication, including very fluent English. He really exceeded my expectations.”
Chaz said he’d definitely use Lemon.io again when he’s looking for a senior level engineer.
To learn more and get a 15% discount on your first four weeks of working with a developer at lemon.io/startups.
Topics we cover: 1:17 – Delegating as a perfectionist7:19 – Learning to hire those that are better than you in some domains14:50 – Risk vs. certainty19:01 – Finding specialized marketing roles vs. a generalist24:04 – Managing partnerships with other SaaS products31:17 – Reaching out about partnerships32:46 – Quarterly planning for your SaaS34:20 – Planning in smaller time blocks40:58 – Quizzing developers’ on their knowledgeLinks from the Show: Purchase The SaaS LaunchpadTinySeedThe SaaS PlaybookMicroConf YouTube ChannelDerrick Reimer (@derrickreimer) | XSavvyCalFinding Fulfillment by Jason CohenShape UpIf 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!
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In episode 730, Craig Hewitt turns the table and interviews Rob Walling about releasing The SaaS Launchpad course. Craig, founder of Castos, asks Rob about the course's purpose and structure, which founders that it’s designed for, and why he made a course as opposed to a new book, or a YouTube series. They also discuss the pricing strategy, hosting platforms, accountability, community, and more.
If you’re trying to take your SaaS from zero to one, purchase The SaaS Launchpad before September 30th to get access to a live Q&A with Rob.
Topics we cover: 2:00 – Why a course?4:35 – Who is it for?9:37 – Breaking down the pricing behind the course14:32 – Choosing a platform to host the course17:47 – Enabling action from those who enroll27:33 – Course topics that help founders get early traction30:26 – The biggest problems early-stage founders faceLinks from the Show: The SaaS LaunchpadCraig Hewitt (@TheCraigHewitt) | XCastosThe Rouge Startups podcastCraig’s YouTube ChannelEpisode 606 | The Podcasting Landscape, Keeping Your Saw Sharpened, and Scaling Your Team with Craig HewittThe SaaS PlaybookMicroConf ConnectMicroConf Mastermind MatchingThe MicroConf YouTube channelTinySeedEpisode 726 | Selling 29,000 Copies, Information vs. Motivation, and Making Your First Level Last (A Rob Solo Adventure)Circle.soRuben Gamez (@earthlingworks) | XLianna Patch (@punchlinecopy) | XDerrick Reimer (@derrickreimer) | XRoss Hudgens (@RossHudgens) | XEpisode 628 | The 5 PM Pre-Validation FrameworkIf you have questions about starting or scaling a software busines...
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In episode 729, join Rob Walling as he shares insights from the 170+ SaaS investments he’s made through his B2B SaaS accelerator, TinySeed. Key patterns include the survivability of SaaS, the lucrative value of these companies, and commonalities across the ones that grow the fastest. To see even more patterns that didn’t make this episode, be sure to check out the MicroConf YouTube channel.
Episode Sponsor:Hiring senior developers can really move the needle in your business, but if you bring on the wrong person, you can quickly burn through your runway. If you need help finding a vetted, senior, results-oriented developer, you should reach out to today’s sponsor, Lemon.io.
For years, they’ve been helping our audience find high quality, global talent at competitive rates, and they can help you too.
Longtime listener Chaz Yoon, hired a senior developer from Lemon.io and said his hire ”definitely knew his stuff, provided appropriate feedback and pushback, and had great communication, including very fluent English. He really exceeded my expectations.”
Chaz said he’d definitely use Lemon.io again when he’s looking for a senior level engineer.
To learn more and get a 15% discount on your first four weeks of working with a developer at lemon.io/startups.
Topics we cover: 2:24 – Survivability of B2B SaaS in TinySeed4:09 – SaaS is extremely valuable8:26 – Vertical and orthogonal SaaS face fewer headwinds 12:36 – A supermajority of TinySeed companies want a big exit15:51 – TinySeed founder count aligns with the broader MicroConf ecosystem17:04 – Ruined cap tables have prevented deals19:35 – A quarter of TinySeed companies raise subsequent fundraising21:17 – Common advisory topics: pricing, plateaus, cofounders, funding, sellingLinks from the Show: Apply for TinySeedInvest in TinySeedMicroConf YouTube: 6 Lessons From My Most Successful Investments (B2B SaaS)Episode 727 | Gymdesk Sells for More than $32.5 million, Hiring Gets Easier, and More Hot Take Tuesday TopicsEpisode 728 | Bootstrapping Gymdesk to a More Than $32.5M ExitState of Independent SaaS ReportIf 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 |
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In episode 728, Rob Walling interviews Eran Galperin, founder of Gymdesk, about his incredible exit. Eran shares his journey of transforming Gymdesk from "Martial Arts on Rails" into a successful gym management software company. He discusses how they succeeded in a competitive market, the role of TinySeed in their growth, and how feelings of burnout eventually led to a majority buyout for the company.
Topics we cover: 2:02 – Gymdesk Announces a $32.5 Million Strategic Growth Investment5:13 – How the investment will be used6:38 – Eran’s projects before Gymdesk9:21 – Sticking with one idea long enough to see success12:45 – Entering a competitive market16:37 – Rapid growth as a marketing leader20:54 – Dealing with burnout and entertaining an acquisition26:45 – Handling a stressful sales process32:19 – The future of GymdeskLinks from the Show: Apply for TinySeedGymdesk Announces a $32.5 Million Strategic Growth Investment from Five Elms CapitalEpisode 727 | Gymdesk Sells for More than $32.5 million, Hiring Gets Easier, and More Hot Take Tuesday TopicsGymdesk.comEran Galperin (@erangalperin) | XEran Galperin | LinkedInEran’s WebsiteFinancial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) Explained: How It WorksDiscretion CapitalIf 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!
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In episode 727, Rob Walling is joined by Tracy Osborn and Einar Vollset to give their hot takes on some recent news. First they celebrate Gymdesk’s recent funding and evaluate what that means for TinySeed companies. Then, they weigh in on bootstrapper hiring, grappling with new challenges as MRR grows, and how to really move the needle in your business.
Episode Sponsor:Hiring senior developers can really move the needle in your business, but if you bring on the wrong person, you can quickly burn through your runway. If you need help finding a vetted, senior, results-oriented developer, you should reach out to today’s sponsor, Lemon.io.
For years, they’ve been helping our audience find high quality, global talent at competitive rates, and they can help you too.
Longtime listener Chaz Yoon, hired a senior developer from Lemon.io and said his hire ”definitely knew his stuff, provided appropriate feedback and pushback, and had great communication, including very fluent English. He really exceeded my expectations.”
Chaz said he’d definitely use Lemon.io again when he’s looking for a senior level engineer.
To learn more and get a 15% discount on your first four weeks of working with a developer at lemon.io/startups.
Topics we cover: 2:19 – Gymdesk Announces a $32.5 Million Strategic Growth Investment9:06 – Is it getting easier for bootstrappers to hire?12:22 – Facing different challenges as MRR grows 19:37 – Identifying what really moves the needle23:56 – Listen to those who have built businesses before youLinks from the Show: Subscribe to the Startups For the Rest of Us Email ListTinySeedThe SaaS PlaybookDiscretion CapitalTracy Osborn (@tracymakes) | XEinar Vollset (@einarvollset) | XTinySeed (@tinyseedfund) | XGymdesk Announces a $32.5 Million Strategic Growth Investment from Five Elms CapitalEran Galperin (@erangalperin) | XEpisode 697 | 7 Predictions for SaaS Bootstrappers in 2024State of Independent SaaS ReportThe Elephant in the room: The myth of exponential hypergrowth -
In episode 726, join Rob Walling for a solo adventure where he covers several topics. In this episode he reveals the sales details around “The SaaS Playbook” by sharing the volume and sales channel data. He explores the importance of motivation over mere access to information, particularly for developers, with the introduction of AI. Rob also previews several exciting projects to be released in the near future.
Topics we cover: 2:49 – The SaaS Playbook sales channel breakdown8:20 – Learnings from the book launch9:51 – Upcoming books and courses12:07 – ”Teach them how to run fast, better”16:04 – Access to information vs. motivation19:40 – Creating your onboarding lastLinks from the Show: Discretion CapitalEinar Vollset (@einarvollset) | XEpisode 707 | Once.com, Open Source to FT Income, and More (Hot Take Tuesday)TinySeedThe SaaS PlaybookThe SaaS Launchpad video courseSherry Walling (@sherrywalling) | XNetflix’s SprintJohn Romero (@romero) | XMasters of Doom by David KushnerDoom Guy by John RomeroIf 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
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In episode 725, join Rob Walling and Ruben Gamez as they answer several more advanced listener questions. They discuss the challenges of pursuing freemium as a bootstrapper and make a suggestion that might surprise you. Rob and Ruben also talk about why building your business as a SaaS founder is usually the best way to build your brand indirectly.
Episode Sponsor:Hiring senior developers can really move the needle in your business, but if you bring on the wrong person, you can quickly burn through your runway. If you need help finding a vetted, senior, results-oriented developer, you should reach out to today’s sponsor, Lemon.io.
For years, they’ve been helping our audience find high quality, global talent at competitive rates, and they can help you too.
Longtime listener Chaz Yoon, hired a senior developer from Lemon.io and said his hire ”definitely knew his stuff, provided appropriate feedback and pushback, and had great communication, including very fluent English. He really exceeded my expectations.”
Chaz said he’d definitely use Lemon.io again when he’s looking for a senior level engineer.
To learn more and get a 15% discount on your first four weeks of working with a developer at lemon.io/startups.
Topics we cover: 2:31 – Considering a freemium plan as a bootstrapper9:52 – Freemium, but without the intent to convert free users12:24 – Raising prices as an alternative to starting a freemium plan18:32 – When to start caring about your “brand”25:10 – Investing directly in branding31:00 – Revisiting your marketing funnels34:08 – AI’s impact on SEO38:20 – Google’s search results are already changingLinks from the Show: Get notified about The SaaS LaunchPadAsk a Question on SFTROUEmail a Question on SFTROUMicroConfTinySeedThe SaaS PlaybookRuben Gamez (@earthlingworks) | XSignWellEpisode 724 | Managing Managers, Breaking Through Plateaus, Thoughts on EOS, and More Later-Stage Listener QuestionsEpisode 717 | Bootstrapping to $1.3M ARR and 300,000 Free UsersVal Sopi (@valsopi) | XBlogstatic -
In episode 724, join Rob Walling as he takes on some later-stage listener questions in another solo adventure. He provides several tips for managing managers, how to break through MRR plateaus, and how to think about SaaS versus agency work. Rob also offers his take on how he would talk about his product at conferences, without overselling it.
Topics we cover: 3:48 – Three tips for managing other managers8:42 – Schedule “skip level” meetings9:50 – Attending a conference without overselling15:00 – Breaking out of the $20k-$30k MRR plateau19:57 – How to keep your self-serve SaaS from becoming an agency23:58 – Scaling management through company growthLinks from the Show: Get tickets for MicroConf Europe in Dubrovnik, Croatia (before August 15th)TinySeedChristopher Gimmer (@cgimmer) | XEpisode 480 | Stairstepping Your Way to SaaS with Christopher GimmerSeeking ScaleIf 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
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In episode 723, Rob Walling interviews Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author, about the significance of effective communication for founders. They discuss practical advice on recognizing different types of conversations, techniques for understanding and transitioning conversations, and how to quickly move past small talk in a conference setting.
Episode Sponsor:Hiring senior developers can really move the needle in your business, but if you bring on the wrong person, you can quickly burn through your runway. If you need help finding a vetted, senior, results-oriented developer, you should reach out to today’s sponsor, Lemon.io.
For years, they’ve been helping our audience find high quality, global talent at competitive rates, and they can help you too.
Longtime listener Chaz Yoon, hired a senior developer from Lemon.io and said his hire ”definitely knew his stuff, provided appropriate feedback and pushback, and had great communication, including very fluent English. He really exceeded my expectations.”
Chaz said he’d definitely use Lemon.io again when he’s looking for a senior level engineer.
To learn more and get a 15% discount on your first four weeks of working with a developer at lemon.io/startups.
Topics we cover: 2:42 – What’s a “super communicator?”4:35 – Getting better at being a great communicator8:10 – Identifying the types of conversations you are having11:31 – Transitioning between different types of conversations16:51 – Advice for introverts engaging in deep conversations with new people22:01 – How to quickly improve small talk27:22 – Non-verbal communication has slightly different rulesLinks from the Show: MicroConf ConnectCharles Duhigg (@cduhigg) | XCharles Duhigg’s websiteSupercommunicators by Charles DuhiggThe Power of Habit by Charles DuhiggSmarter, Faster, Better by Charles DuhiggCrucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny et. alIf 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!
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In episode 722, Rob Walling interviews James Mooring, co-founder of Astalty, a SaaS serving Australia's NDIS market. James reveals how they bootstrapped from zero to seven figures in just 18 months and then they explore the strategic decisions, clever pricing, and deep industry knowledge that propelled Astalty's remarkable growth, proving their success was far more than just a lucky break.
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Topics we cover: 2:44 – NDIS software for providers of disability care4:23 – Astalty’s rapid growth6:34 – Finding success with a strong co-founder pairing8:39 – Deciding to tailor the Astalty MVP12:25 – Building a free Chrome extension, smart or lucky?17:18 – Launching a paid plan and nailing the pricing21:57 – Explosive word of mouth growth25:19 – Selling at in-person events and in Facebook groups31:02 – A clever way of raising prices35:00 – Learning from fast iterationLinks from the Show: The SaaS PlaybookTinySeedJames Mooring | LinkedInAstaltyHow Ben Chestnut Bootstrapped Mailchimp to a $12 Billion ExitQuestion & Answer with Jason Fried, Co-Founder, Basecamp – MicroConf Growth 2019If 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!
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