As I sit here writing this article, I should probably be doing something else. Something more impactful. Something that actually moves my business forward. But here's the thing about being a solopreneur: nobody's going to tell you what to do or in what order to do it. If I don’t keep myself accountable, nothing will … Continue reading The Art of Productive Procrastination
Category: Bootstrapping
Podscan’s Dream Customer (Acquisition) Strategy
A few months ago, I started thinking about preparing data on Podscan for people who would be ideal customers for what the product currently is — a social listening tool. The easiest approach seemed straightforward: get the names of brands and influential people I'd want as customers and start tracking them. And over the last … Continue reading Podscan’s Dream Customer (Acquisition) Strategy
From Overload to Opportunity
As founders, we often find ourselves in situations that test our foresight and adaptability. This week, I experienced one such moment that served as both a wake-up call and a valuable learning opportunity. It's a story that highlights the importance of anticipating potential issues in your software business, even when they seem unlikely. So, grab … Continue reading From Overload to Opportunity
Navigating Constraints as a Bootstrapper
In recent podcast episodes, I've been discussing constraints and how I deal with limited resources as a bootstrapper. Today, I want to dive deeper into this topic, sharing my experiences with Podscan.fm and how I navigate the challenges of limited adjustable income and fixed expenses. https://share.transistor.fm/s/cb25d715 The Balancing Act Running Podscan involves a delicate balance … Continue reading Navigating Constraints as a Bootstrapper
When Podcasts Attack: The Unexpected Challenges of External Data
As founders, we often focus on scaling our businesses in terms of customers, revenue, or team size. But what happens when the data your business relies on scales faster than anything else? That's the challenge I very recently faced with Podscan.fm, and it nearly brought the entire system to its knees. Nearly! 😉 If you're … Continue reading When Podcasts Attack: The Unexpected Challenges of External Data
Scrape or Be Scraped
With my podcast data scanning business, Podscan, I'm constantly scraping the web for terabytes of audio and metadata - but now I find myself in a wild cat-and-mouse game, trying to protect my own valuable data from aggressive AI companies doing the exact same thing. It's a bizarre tightrope walk: I need data to be … Continue reading Scrape or Be Scraped
Should Indie Hackers Go to Tech Conferences?
Should software founders attend tech conferences? The answer is a resounding yes. If you’d asked me five years ago, I’d have completely disagreed. So today, I’ll share my journey from skepticism to enthusiasm about tech conferences — how they can be invaluable for entrepreneurs in ways that go far beyond just keeping up with the … Continue reading Should Indie Hackers Go to Tech Conferences?
Striking a Balance
Earlier this week, I came across a quote that resonated deeply with me: "I can accomplish anything, but I won't really be worthy until I accomplish the next big thing." This sentiment, shared in a Hacker News conversation about similarities between founders, got me thinking about the self-limiting beliefs we entrepreneurs often grapple with, especially … Continue reading Striking a Balance
“Working In” vs “Working On” the Business
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 building features, talking to customers, implementing fixes, dealing with infrastructure problems, and even trying to upgrade the product design. All of this is still working in the … Continue reading “Working In” vs “Working On” the Business
Two (Surprisingly Scary) Tales of Platform Risk
This week, I ran into two very interesting instances of platform risk in my own software business. I will share what happened, what I did, and how I intend to combat them in the future. https://share.transistor.fm/s/be2432c6 And before I dive into the nitty gritty details, be aware that this episode might get a bit technical. … Continue reading Two (Surprisingly Scary) Tales of Platform Risk