Startups For the Rest of Us

Rob Walling
  • 4.9 (67)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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The original podcast for bootstrapped and mostly bootstrapped startups, this show follow the stories of founders as they start, acquire, and grow SaaS companies. Hear when they fail, struggle, succeed, and take you with them through the tumultuous life of a SaaS founder. If you like Mixergy, This Week in Startups, or SaaStr, you’ll enjoy Startup for the Rest of Us.

  1. 18 HRS AGO

    Episode 792 | Hot Take Tuesday: GPT-5 Struggles, the A.I. Bubble, and the Windsurf Debacle

    Is GPT-5 a real risk for SaaS founders, or just the beginning of a new chapter? In this Hot Take Tuesday, Rob Walling, Einar Vollset, and Tracy Osborn dig into GPT-5’s mixed reviews, signs of stress in the A.I. bubble, and how Windsurf’s $2.4B exit left early employees with nothing. They also unpack why returning a VC fund is such a rare (and big) deal. Episode Sponsor This episode is brought to you by Gearheart.io, which specializes in helping early-stage founders validate ideas, prototype SaaS products, and build AI-powered MVPs with real user testing, so your code won’t crumble when your first customers show up. Founded by entrepreneurs who’ve launched and exited their own startups, Gearheart has helped launch over 70 B2B SaaS products, including SmartSuite (which raised $38 million). They get where you’re at. Book your free strategy session at gearheart.io and mention Startups for the Rest of Us to get 20% off discovery, validation, or prototyping services. Topics we cover:  (3:12) – TinySeed returns Fund One (9:40) – GPT-5: Upgrade or letdown? (19:19) – Are we in an AI bubble? (24:09) – The Windsurf debacle: $2.4B exit, $0 for early employees (31:06) – The bigger problem: Are startups forgetting to share the upside? (40:05) – Lifestyle vs. Ambitious Bootstrapping Links from the Show:  TinySeed Fall 2025 Applications Live Q&A - Join us Wednesday September 3rd TinySeed SaaS Accelerator - Applications are Open! Invest in TinySeed MicroConf SaaS Institute Discretion Capital  Einar Vollset | LinkedIn Einar Vollset (@einarvollset) | X Tracy Osborn  Tracy Osborn | LinkedIn Tracy Osborn (@tracymakes) | X 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! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

    46 min

  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    Episode 791 | TinySeed Tales s5e2: Growing Pains

    In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling reconnects with Harris Kenny, founder of OutboundSync, to explore the rapid evolution of his SaaS business just months after transitioning from agency work. Harris shares how niching down to outbound-focused agencies unlocked sales momentum. He talks about hiring, his Salesforce breakthrough, SOC 2 prep, and why finally spending his TinySeed funding changed everything. Topics we cover:  (2:27) – Launching a lower-priced version and building expansion revenue (6:40) – How lead-gen shops are outpacing legacy rev ops (12:01) – Hiring full-time: Dev speed, onboarding load, and customer success firepower (18:15) – A surprise Salesforce breakthrough and what it means for product strategy (24:42) – SOC 2 prep, pricing confidence, and finally spending the TinySeed check Links from the Show:  Join the TinySeed Mailing List Apply for TinySeed - Applications reopen September 1, 2025 OutboundSync Harris Kenny | LinkedIn Coaching Call Bonus Dynamite Jobs Vanta 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! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

    29 min

  3. 26 AUG

    Episode 790 | From Scrappy to Scalable: Evolving Your Role as a Founder

    How can you scale yourself as a founder? In this episode, Rob Walling is joined by Yaniv Bernstein (co-founder and CTO of Violet, former COO, VP of Engineering, and Google leader) to unpack how a founder’s role must change as the company grows. From writing the code yourself to leading managers of managers, they dig into the tough transitions every founder faces, and what happens if you don’t adapt. Topics we cover:  (3:27) – How the founder/CEO role changes as your SaaS scales (8:44) – The turning point where systems and processes matter (14:49 – When to hand off marketing, sales, or product as a founder (19:44) – Why setting context is your #1 job as a founder-CEO (28:19) – Why hiring right (and firing fast) makes or breaks scaling Links from the Show:  SaaS Institute MicroConf | The community for SaaS founders MicroConf YouTube Channel People Engineering  The SaaS Playbook  Yaniv Bernstein | LinkedIn Yaniv Bernstein (@ybernsteindig) | X The Startup Podcast 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! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

    34 min

  4. 21 AUG

    Episode 789 | TinySeed Tales s5e1: From Agency to SaaS

    Welcome to Season 5 of TinySeed Tales, the documentary-style series where we follow one SaaS founder’s journey over 12 months to hear about the wins, the missteps, and everything in between. In this season premiere, Rob Walling introduces Harris Kenny of OutboundSync. After running a successful agency, Harris makes the leap to go all-in on SaaS. It’s a high-stakes transition that many agency owners are never able to make.  Topics we cover:  (2:25) – From agency owner to TinySeed-backed SaaS (6:38) – Walking away from consistent agency revenue to go all-in on SaaS (13:51) – Going all-in vs. splitting focus (16:13) – Why most agencies fail at SaaS (28:15) – What’s working, what’s not, and what’s next Links from the Show:  Join the TinySeed Mailing List - Applications reopen in September 2025 Apply for TinySeed Coaching Call Bonus MicroConf Connect OutboundSync The SaaS Playbook Harris Kenny | LinkedIn 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! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

    31 min

  5. 19 AUG

    Episode 788 | Do I Need a Co-founder? And More Listener Questions (with Derrick Reimer)

    What are the real risks of AI-generated code and “vibe coding”? In this episode, Rob Walling is joined once again by fan-favorite Derrick Reimer to answer a fresh batch of listener questions. They dig into solo vs. co-founder trade-offs, managing scope creep, and how integrations can shape early traction. Want to get your questions answered? Drop them here. Topics we cover:  (2:33) – Do you need a co-founder to succeed in SaaS? (5:18)  – The Risks of AI-Generated Code and “Vibe Coding” (13:50) – How to manage scope creep as a solo founder (23:32) – Finding and retaining great contractors (39:43) – How to build a startup culture with a bias for action Links from the Show:  MicroConf Europe | Istanbul, Sep 28-30, 2025 TinySeed Tales Podcast MicroConf Connect TinySeed Fund SavvyCal Derrick Reimer | LinkedIn Derrick Reimer (@derrickreimer) | X 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! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

    58 min

  6. 12 AUG

    Episode 787 | "We Shut Down a $1.5M Product, and Raised $10M Instead"

    How do you know it’s time to move on from a product that’s growing? In this episode, Rob Walling chats with Braden Dennis, co-founder of Fiscal.ai (formerly FinChat), about a rare founder journey: bootstrapping, catching lightning in a bottle, and choosing to go big with venture capital. They dive into the emotional and strategic weight of shutting down a $1.5M ARR product, what shifts when you scale past 40 people, and why Braden prioritized long-term vision over short-term revenue. Topics we cover:  (2:30) – From FinChat to Fiscal.ai: rebranding and repositioning (6:50) – Why they raised a $10M Series A (13:09) – From bootstrapped to venture-backed: what changes? (19:56) – Becoming a real CEO at 25 employees (26:44) – Why they shut down a $1.5M product (30:30) – Lessons from having four co-founders (33:13) – The benefits of joining TinySeed Links from the Show:  MicroConf Connect The Great CEO Within TinySeed: SaaS Institute Fiscal.ai (formerly FinChat) Braden Dennis (@BradoCapital) | X Braden Dennis | LinkedIn 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! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

    38 min

  7. 5 AUG

    Episode 786 | Questions About Bootstrapping SaaS to a $90M Exit (with Kevin Wagstaff)

    How do you really know when you’ve hit product-market fit? In this episode, Rob Walling welcomes back Kevin Wagstaff, co-founder of Spectora, to answer listener questions about early traction in Facebook groups, finding product-market fit, handling criticism, and what it really took to bootstrap to a $90M exit. Want to get your questions answered? Drop them here. Topics we cover:  (3:15) – Early traction using Facebook groups (7:17) – The tradeoff between growth and work-life balance (12:26) – Participating inside Facebook groups run by rivals (14:39) – Ranking for niche SEO terms (19:06) – Funding the early days through consulting (25:14) – Surviving churn in a seasonal, high-turnover market Links from the Show:  SaaS Institute Mark Cuban Blog Post Kevin Wagstaff | LinkedIn Kevin Wagstaff (@KevinWagstaff3) | X Spectora 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! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

    45 min

  8. 29 JULY

    Episode 785 | Choosing Between AI Products, Building Multiple Apps, and More Listener Questions (A Rob Solo Adventure)

    How do you choose between multiple product ideas? In this solo episode, Rob Walling answers listener questions about picking between two SaaS ideas, product positioning, and how to know when to stop working on a project. Want to get your question answered? Drop them here. Topics we cover:  (3:06) – Choosing between two AI products (9:38) – Will early niche positioning hurt future growth? (14:51) – At what point would you consider lowering prices? (22:35) – Narrowing your ICP and product focus (28:07) – How do you spec agency projects? (30:10) – Should you keep building on a changing platform? Links from the Show:  MicroConf Europe | Istanbul, Sep 28-30, 2025 SaaS Launchpad TinySeed The SaaS Playbook  MicroConf Connect 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! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

    34 min
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4.9
out of 5
67 Ratings

About

The original podcast for bootstrapped and mostly bootstrapped startups, this show follow the stories of founders as they start, acquire, and grow SaaS companies. Hear when they fail, struggle, succeed, and take you with them through the tumultuous life of a SaaS founder. If you like Mixergy, This Week in Startups, or SaaStr, you’ll enjoy Startup for the Rest of Us.

Information

  • Creator
    Rob Walling
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2025
  • Episodes
    329
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Startups For the Rest of Us
  • Show Website
    Startups For the Rest of Us

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