The Bootstrapped Founder

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

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    435: How to Actually Use Claude Code to Build Serious Software

    After six months of building Podscan almost exclusively with Claude Code, Arvid shares the configuration and prompting strategies that make agentic coding actually work. From connecting Claude to your browser with the --chrome flag so it can visually inspect your app, to the "Ralph Wiggum loop" that keeps the agent iterating until a task is truly done, to the permission settings that prevent it from nuking your database—these are the practical lessons that separate productive Claude Code users from those constantly cleaning up messes. Plus: why testing is Claude Code's superpower, and how to build a system prompt that turns raw code generation into genuine collaboration. This episode of The Bootstraped Founder is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/how-to-actually-use-claude-code-to-build-serious-software/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/435-how-to-actually-use-claude-code-to-build-serious-software Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fmSend 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 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

    17 min

  2. 30 JAN

    434: Follow Your Passion (But Not Like That)

    "Follow your passion" consistently ranks as the most frustrating advice entrepreneurs receive. Today I'm breaking down why this well-meaning guidance becomes dangerous when followed blindly, and more importantly, what it actually decodes into when you think about it properly. Using my own experience with miniature painting and 3D printing, I'll show you how the real opportunity isn't doing what you love for money—it's finding others who share your passion and solving the problems they can't solve themselves. This episode of The Bootstraped Founder is sponsored by Paddle.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/follow-your-passion-but-not-like-that/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/434-follow-your-passion-but-not-like-that Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fmSend 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 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

    13 min

  3. 23 JAN

    433: The 1% Improvement Myth

    The "improve 1% every day" mantra sounds inspiring until you realize it mostly gets people tweaking button colors and reorganizing task managers. Real improvements in early-stage businesses come from unexpected moments—like a single customer conversation that reveals you've been doing something wrong for six months. Instead of chasing unmeasurable micro-improvements, talk to one customer every day. \ That's where assumptions clash with reality, where you learn their language, and where you discover the insights that actually move the needle. This episode of The Bootstraped Founder is sponsored by Paddle.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-1-improvement-myth-why-customer-conversations-beat-micro-improvements-every-time/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/433-the-1-improvement-myth Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fmSend 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 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

    8 min

  4. 16 JAN

    432: Don't Give Up... Your Assumptions

    The entrepreneurial world loves telling founders to "never give up"—but what if that advice is slowly killing your business? In this episode, I unpack why persistence without direction is just expensive stubbornness. The real skill isn't grinding through everything; it's knowing which assumptions to abandon while keeping the business alive. I share why running parallel experiments beats blind faith, and what a Twitter thread about Pieter Levels' "ugly" landing pages taught me about the beliefs we cling to without questioning. This episode of The Bootstraped Founder is sponsored by Paddle.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/dont-give-up-your-assumptions/The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/432-dont-give-up-your-assumptions Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fmSend 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 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

    11 min

  5. 9 JAN

    431: Many Heads, Not Many Hats: The Founder's Identity Crisis

    We joke about founders wearing many hats, but that metaphor misses the point. It's not about swapping accessories—it's about growing entirely new heads, each with its own brain that thinks, speaks, and prioritizes differently. In this episode, I explore why the transition from consulting or agency work to software entrepreneurship is so disorienting, and why the instincts that made you successful before might be the exact things preventing success now. From the uncomfortable truth about acquisition in low-touch SaaS to the cognitive dissonance of believing in yourself while questioning everything you know, this is about what it really takes to become someone new while staying grounded in who you've always been. This episode of The Bootstraped Founder is sponsored by Paddle.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/many-heads-not-many-hats-the-founders-identity-crisis/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/many-heads-not-many-hats-the-founders-identity-crisis Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fmSend 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 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

    15 min

  6. 2 JAN

    430: The Case Against Vendor Lock-In: Why Easy Exit Means Better Retention

    There's something strange about founders who built their entire business on open source software and open standards, then turn around and say you should lock customers in as hard as possible. I think that's a horrible practice—and counterintuitively, making it easy to leave actually makes people stay longer. Today I'm making the case for frictionless import and export, with real examples from PermanentLink and lessons from Fathom Analytics, and why informed choice beats artificial lock-in every time. This episode of The Bootstraped Founder is sponsored by Paddle.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-case-against-vendor-lock-in-why-easy-exit-means-better-retention/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/430-the-case-against-vendor-lock-in-why-easy-exit-means-better-retention Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fmSend 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 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

    14 min

  7. 26/12/2025

    429: The Dead Internet Theory: Are We Building Machines That Only Talk to Other Machines?

    I spotted a LinkedIn post the other day—obviously AI-generated—with dozens of enthusiastic comments underneath. Every single one also written by AI. Bots responding to bots, a whole conversation with zero humans involved. It was both hilarious and deeply sad. This got me thinking about the dead internet theory and our role as founders in either contributing to it or pushing back against it. Today I'm exploring how we can build AI tools that augment human connection rather than replace it entirely—using AI as the means, not the end. This episode of The Bootstraped Founder is sponsored by Paddle.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-dead-internet-theory-are-we-building-machines-that-only-talk-to-other-machines/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/the-dead-internet-theory-are-we-building-machines-that-only-talk-to-other-machines Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fmSend 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 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

    13 min

  8. 19/12/2025

    428: Marketing for Founders Who Hate Marketing

    Most technical founders I know understand marketing matters—they just hate doing it. They'd rather spend their time building features than fumbling through outreach and content strategies. I get it. I've been there for years. So today I'm sharing what's actually worked for me: letting machines do the heavy lifting. From programmatic SEO that turned Podscan's internal data into a signup engine, to AI-assisted customer scoring that tells me who's worth a personal conversation, to treating documentation as a discovery channel—these are systems that market your product while you focus on building it. And here's the counterintuitive part: most of the people who find you through these systems won't be your ideal customers. That's fine. They become your word-of-mouth channel instead. This episode of The Bootstraped Founder is sponsored by Paddle.com The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/marketing-for-founders-who-hate-marketing/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/428-marketing-for-founders-who-hate-marketing Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fmSend 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 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

    18 min
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About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Arvid Kahl
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    438
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © @ 2022 Arvid Kahl
  • Show Website
    The Bootstrapped Founder
  • Provider

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