The Bootstrapped Founder

Arvid Kahl

1 Creator

Arvid Kahl talks about starting and bootstrapping businesses, how to build an audience, and how to build in public.

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Top 10 The Bootstrapped Founder Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Bootstrapped Founder episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Bootstrapped Founder for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Bootstrapped Founder episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

324: Tim Schumacher — The Bootstrapper's Mindset

The Bootstrapped Founder

05/29/24 • 38 min

Tim Schumacher (@TimSchu), the mastermind behind SEDO and Adblock Plus, now leads the SaaS Group to new heights. With $60 million ARR, 20 thriving businesses, and 300 employees, Tim shares his incredible journey from a coder to an influential entrepreneur in scaling businesses.

From his strategic focus on developer and online marketing tools to his forward-thinking perspective on the role of AI in reshaping the industry, we dive deep into the bootstrapping mindset and how it empowers founders to build something extremely valuable that SaaS Group can keep running, growing, and creating life-changing exits at the same time.

Oh, and did you know that Tim almost bought my business?

Tim on Twitter: https://x.com/TimSchu

00:00:00 Private Equity and Business Growth Trends
00:12:34 Evaluating Niche Business Acquisitions
00:24:39 Acquisition and Growth Strategies in Business

This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com

The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/tim-schumacher-the-bootstrappers-mindset/

The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/324-tim-schumacher-the-bootstrappers-mindset

The video: https://youtu.be/16MQT8hU7wY

You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com

Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast

Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter

My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/

My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/

My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com

Here are a few tools I use. Using my affiliate links will support my work at no additional cost to you.
- Notion (which I use to organize, write, coordinate, and archive my podcast + newsletter): https://affiliate.notion.so/465mv1536drx
- Riverside.fm (that's what I recorded this episode with): https://riverside.fm/?via=arvid
- TweetHunter (for speedy scheduling and writing Tweets): http://tweethunter.io/?via=arvid
- HypeFury (for massive Twitter analytics and scheduling): https://hypefury.com/?via=arvid60
- AudioPen (for taking voice notes and getting amazing summaries): https://audiopen.ai/?aff=PXErZ
- Descript (for word-based video editing, subtitles, and clips): https://www.descript.com/?lmref=3cf39Q
- ConvertKit (for email lists, newsletters, even finding sponsors): https://convertkit.com?lmref=bN9CZw

(00:00) - Private Equity and Business Growth Trends
(12:34) - Evaluating Niche Business Acquisitions
(24:39) - Acquisition and Growth Strategies in Business

308: Michael Taylor — Prompt Engineering for Fun & Profit

The Bootstrapped Founder

04/03/24 • 57 min

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 providing the training data for AI systems with every click and every word we type? Are we working for the machine? Is the machine working for us?

What do authorship and ownership look like in this future? Tune in to learn from someone who has their finger on the digital pulse of an industry that changes every day.

00:00:00 The Future of AI and Coding
00:09:29 Ethical Engineering Certifications and Implications
00:17:44 Testing and Optimizing AI Models
00:27:32 Ethics and Future of AI Development
00:39:14 Future of AI and Writing Books
00:44:19 Approaching AI in Book Writing
00:56:18 Support and Subscribe for More Growth

Mike on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hammer_mt
The Complete Prompt Engineering for AI Bootcamp (2024) on Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/share/108qiI3@nx4J1RlPgttwJptgsZlaNemKN-wBYhGJmxVa4txcnDmUVgvwNTZKf4TTWimfnTdUvw==/

This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com

The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/michael-taylor-prompt-engineering-for-fun-profit/

The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/308-michael-taylor-prompt-engineering-for-fun-profit

The video: https://youtu.be/QeMuUjGaSUw

You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com

Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast

Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter

My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/

My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/

My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com

104: Copycats and Endurance

The Bootstrapped Founder

10/01/21 • 17 min

Copycats and Endurance

This episode of the Bootstrapped Founder podcast is sponsored by Balsamiq, makers of Balsamiq Wireframes, the OG of low-fidelity wireframing tools.

If you want a promo code for Balsamiq, go to balsamiq.com/go/bootstrapped-founder/

How I Self-Published Zero to Sold, a Bestselling Book on Bootstrapping

The Bootstrapped Founder

08/28/20 • 56 min

You can find articles on the topics discussed in the episode here:

✍️ How I Self-Published Zero to Sold, a Bestselling Book on Bootstrapping

The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold.

19. Continuous Validation: Staying in Touch with Your Market

The Bootstrapped Founder

03/09/20 • 19 min

Arvid talks about how you can make sure you're still solving the right problem for the right people and if you still enjoy it.

18. The Do's and Don'ts of the Minimum Viable Product

The Bootstrapped Founder

03/06/20 • 35 min

Arvid explains what an MVP is, how to scope and time it, and what should go into a successful product.

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

The Bootstrapped Founder

09/01/23 • 8 min

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, and I argue that this should be viewed as a robust validation signal rather than a reason to abandon your idea. We delve into how competition indicates interest and a potential market for your product. We'll also discuss how this presents a unique opportunity, especially for solopreneurs and indie hackers, to make different choices that appeal to unsatisfied customers.

On the path of entrepreneurship, we often face a myriad of choices. In this episode, we unpack the concept of path dependency and how it locks existing businesses into specific niches or ways of problem-solving. We delve into how this provides an opportunity for you, the indie hacker, to identify unmet needs in the market and create a better solution tailored to those needs. We further explore the importance of setting aside your ego and focusing on satisfying unfulfilled demands rather than chasing the over-glorified founder dream. So, take a seat, open your mind, and join us as we explore the power of validation and path dependency. Don't chase the dream, chase validation!

The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/youre-not-too-late-capitalizing-on-pre-validated-ideas/

The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/77cbb759

The video: https://youtu.be/G8RJ2l5AyFM

You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com

Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast

Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter

My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/

My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/

My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com

Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/

This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com

269: Embracing Obstacles for Opportunity

The Bootstrapped Founder

11/17/23 • 12 min

How can we master the art of managing constraints and turning obstacles into opportunities?

With intentional choices.

Join me as I candidly share my experiences of juggling a media business and several SaaS businesses — while still making time for a life beyond business. You'll discover the techniques I use to stay focused, consistent, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It's about setting boundaries, creating one-to-many processes, and being intentional with your time.

This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com

The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/embracing-obstacles-for-opportunity/

The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/98bf7cab

The video: https://youtu.be/PWzODzmXKhs

You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com

Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast

Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter

My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/

My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/

My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com

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

The Bootstrapped Founder

03/22/24 • 22 min

“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 founders I’ve been talking to recently.

So, what about AI should we focus on? Where will this tech slow down, where will it speed up even more, and what should we focus on for our businesses?

This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com

The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/ai-hype-the-straight-line-bias-and-the-fear-of-not-keeping-up/

The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/305-ai-hype-the-straight-line-bias-and-the-fear-of-not-keeping-up

Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fm
Send me a voicemail on Podline: https://podline.fm/arvid

You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com

Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast

Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter

My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/

My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/

My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com