I talked to Peter Levels earlier this week, and he had several controversial takes that he shared with me during our conversation. But in the acting being dead, that was probably the most controversial one of all. The conversation around this topic started with a tweet by Peter. He mentioned more competition, less community, and … Continue reading Indie Hacking Isn’t Dead — It’s Just Less Hacky
Author: Arvid Kahl
I write about bootstrapping, audience-building, and building in public at The Bootstrapped Founder.
Formerly FeedbackPanda (exit/2019)
Wrote Zero to Sold, The Embedded Entrepreneur, and made Find your Following.
Pieter Levels — The Indie Hacker’s Guide to AI Startups
My guest today, Pieter Levels, claims that "Indie Hacking is dead." Yet, Pieter runs several indie AI startups (and a few traditional ones), totaling $250,000 in revenue every month. So, how can he be a successful indie hacker while dismissing the foundations of his work? It turns out that Indie Hacking is very much alive. … Continue reading Pieter Levels — The Indie Hacker’s Guide to AI Startups
Accessibility for Profit
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, ultimately, more money. As a software developer, I learned about accessibility while working for large companies. Often, we had to implement government-mandated guidelines to make our software products more usable by … Continue reading Accessibility for Profit
Milly Tamati — The Power and Potential of Generalists
We hire specialists. Deep knowledge in one field, not many skills in all the others. We value and celebrate specialists with promising career paths, titles, and promotions. Can generalists exist in a world of such intricate and complex work requirements? The person who made me realize that it's possible is Milly Tamati, a staunch defender and … Continue reading Milly Tamati — The Power and Potential of Generalists
Monetizing Micro-Communities
Micro-communities are —ironically— becoming a big thing. How big? Life-changing amounts of money big. And it starts with the virtual world. The internet changed my life, in so many ways. And not just when I sold a software business. I remember from my childhood, the late 90s and early 2000s, just how paradigm-shifting it was … Continue reading Monetizing Micro-Communities
Aaron Francis — The Power of Sharing Expertise
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. Aaron lays bare his path, detailing how he crafted his screencasting masterclass and managed to balance his day job, side hustle, and family life, all while forging his unique … Continue reading Aaron Francis — The Power of Sharing Expertise
Proof of Work: How Indie Founders Build Defensible Businesses
I was recently talking to several indie founders about how cloneable their businesses are. Many of them have had to deal with copycats and have since developed methods of either engaging with them or not engaging at all, which is the more common response. They usually keep track of clones and copycats to ensure their … Continue reading Proof of Work: How Indie Founders Build Defensible Businesses
Brennan Dunn — This Is Personal
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 marketing with Brennan Dunn, author of 'This is Personal.' Brennan offers valuable insights into how indie hackers and solopreneurs can best learn about their customers and utilize that knowledge … Continue reading Brennan Dunn — This Is Personal
Pet Rock Projects (And Why They… Rock)
Tony Dinh, a well-known indie hacker, recently shared an article about his Indie Hacker journey that reached the top of Hacker News. As usual, some people reacted negatively to an indie hacker sharing their story. One common criticism was that these small projects, or "pet rock projects," aren't valuable. There was a strong sentiment in … Continue reading Pet Rock Projects (And Why They… Rock)
Aprilynne Alter — Behind the Scenes of a Successful YouTuber
Unearth the secrets of YouTube monetization and growth in our conversation with YouTube creator Aprilynne Alter. Prepare to be enlightened as Aprilynne reveals her journey, from retaking control of her editing process to experimenting with an array of content styles and formats. We dive into her daring exploration of NFTs and the groundbreaking transformation that … Continue reading Aprilynne Alter — Behind the Scenes of a Successful YouTuber