The Bootstrapped Founder Arvid Kahl

Earlier this week, I finally found time to work on a large code change. When I deployed it, things got worse quickly. Here's what happened, why it happened, and how this changed my approach to working on a complicated software project.
One thing became apparent: while it may look like a waste of time to build something and revert back to "yesterday's version", I got massively interesting insights into my product and my process along the way.
So today, we'll talk about setbacks, getting back up again, and how we can judo a failure into making progress.
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/my-saas-server-exploded-how-i-salvaged-it/
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/319-my-saas-server-exploded-how-i-salvaged-it
Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: 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

Louie Bacaj (@LBacaj), once a Walmart engineer, made a bold career shift into the unpredictable world of venture capitalism and entrepreneurship. Now a co-leader of a thriving community for bootstrapped entrepreneurs, Louie reveals how the 'small bets' philosophy guides individuals toward financial freedom and fulfillment. Together with Daniel Vassallo, he has created a unique space that thrives on exclusivity and practicality, challenging the traditional go-big-or-go-home mentality.
Reflecting on our shared transition from engineer to entrepreneur, we explore how small yet strategic side projects, a safety net of real estate investments, and the monetization of expertise can provide a mosaic of possibilities for those on the verge of leaving their day jobs. 
Join us as we uncover how integrating AI tools like GPT and Claude Opus helps our community members elevate content creation and make a difference. With inspiration from Sam Walton's step-by-step success, we see how impactful small bets can be. This journey isn't just about building businesses—it's about creating lives that align with our values. Tune in to hear great stories, strategies, and successes!

00:00:00 From Engineer to Entrepreneur
00:11:43 Transition From Engineering to Entrepreneurship
00:20:27 Diverse Business Strategies and AI Implementation
00:25:31 Advancing AI in Business Operations
00:31:25 Building Success Through Small Bets
00:39:48 Supporting Founder's Podcast and Books

This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/louie-bacaj-betting-small-to-win-big/
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/318-louie-bacaj-betting-small-to-win-big
The video: https://youtu.be/-c_Nh5_RbTg
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

It's been two months of running Podscan at full speed.
Have I spent 6 figures of money yet? Well, you'll see in this week's update :)
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podscan-2-months-and-1k-mrr-in/
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/317-podscan-2-months-and-1k-mrr-in
Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: 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

Marybeth Alexander is the Chief Executive Owl at KnowledgeOwl, a SaaS that focuses on providing the most impactful knowledgebase you could possibly have. We talk about using knowledge management systems outside their "usual" domain of customer service: Marybeth teaches how you can employ a KB for marketing, sales, and even internal documentation purposes. 
We also tackle the topic of AI in knowledge management, how extremely simple pricing can be a growth lever, and we dive into the sustainability practices of a B-corp.
It's a ... knowledge-packed episode!
00:00:00 Tools and Scope in Customer Service
00:09:14 Utilizing AI and Knowledge Bases
00:14:12 Importance of Documentation in Software
00:21:31 The Future of Knowledge Management
00:27:11 AI Tools and Data Compliance Integration
00:35:42 Intentional Growth Strategy and Business Model
00:41:21 Building a Purpose-Driven Business
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/marybeth-alexander-knowledgebase-secrets/
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/316-marybeth-alexander-knowledgebase-secrets
The video: https://youtu.be/glMBIhxH-rY
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

I went to MicroConf 2024 in Atlanta — here is what I learned. Literally. My brain just absorbed this. I recorded this episode minutes after waking up the day after the conference.
And if you're wondering why my voice is so deep: I've been yelling SaaS stuff at nerds for 3 days straight.
Enjoy.
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/microconf-atlanta-my-biggest-learnings/
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/315-microconf-atlanta-my-biggest-learnings
Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: 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

Nicolai Klemke (@nicolaiklemke) is an Indie Hacker with a PhD in Physics. Talk about a career change! Nicolai shares his founder journey from learning how to code to making waves in the music industry.
We chat about carving out a niche in the bustling AI market, honing in on a customer segment that has a need (and a budget!), and building a team to turn a hobby into a profitable business.
Nicolai on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicolaiklemke
00:00:00 Indie Hacker Journey to AI Product00:11:15 Impact of Niche Market in AI00:16:03 Building Teams and Hiring Strategies00:24:20 Building Business Networks and Support00:32:20 Building Connections, Micro Features, and Growth00:40:24 The Future of Synthesizers00:48:01 Support the Bootstrap Founder Show
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/nicolai-klemke-switching-lanes-physics-phd-to-indie-hacker/
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/314-nicolai-klemke
The video: https://youtu.be/s6j3y9SIzXc
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