The Bootstrapped Founder

Arvid Kahl
The Bootstrapped Founder

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

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    352: Running Lean at Scale

    Yesterday, I shrunk the size of my production database from four terabytes to just under one terabyte. Something interesting happened last weekend that made me realize I needed to change how I think about scale. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/running-lean-at-scale/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/352-running-lean-at-scale 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

    15 min
  2. OCT 18

    351: From Overload to Opportunity

    When a Podscan user got a bit "too general" with their keywords, all of a sudden, my email provider stopped sending emails. Whoops. Let's talk user error and founder foresight. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/from-overload-to-opportunity/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/351-from-overload-to-opportunity 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

    26 min
  3. OCT 11

    350: Building Your Castle in Someone Else's Kingdom

    SaaS founders are simultaneously tenants and landlords, renting the tools we need while offering our own services for subscription. It's a world where true ownership seems increasingly elusive, yet understanding its nature is crucial for building lasting value. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/building-your-castle-in-someone-elses-kingdom/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/350-building-your-castle-in-someone-elses-kingdom 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

    14 min
  4. OCT 4

    349: Navigating Constraints as a Bootstrapper

    Bootstrapping is all about dealing with constraints: no money, the day job, lack of experience, and having no distribution. If you want to know how I tackle the restricted resources I am building Podscan on, this one's for you. Today, we'll dive into what drives my priorities and how they find their way into a complex platform that juggles a lot of expensive operations. This episode is sponsored by Paddle.com — if you're looking for a payment platform that works for you so you can focus on what matters, check them out. The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/navigating-constraints-as-a-bootstrapper/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/349-navigating-constraints-as-a-bootstrapper 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

    24 min
  5. SEP 27

    348: Observability in Software Businesses

    “I didn’t see it coming.” I had to admit that to myself a few times recently. Over the last couple of weeks, I've been experiencing several issues with Podscan that only came to pass because I didn't really have any observability on my system. At least that’s what I know now. Today, let me share my early-stage learnings about system observability in this distributed, data-centric SaaS of mine. Even if you don't have a software business or don't operate with millions of data feeds every single day, there's still something insightful in here that I will, not just likely, but guaranteed, take into my future business efforts. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/observability-in-software-businesses/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/348-observability-in-software-businesses 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

    27 min
  6. SEP 20

    347: The AI-Powered Solopreneur

    AI is revolutionizing the way I work as a solopreneur. So why not share exactly how I use it? You'll hear how I use AI tools for everything from coding to marketing, and how they've become my secret weapon for punching above my weight. I also get into the nitty-gritty of the challenges and limitations of AI, and how I navigate them. If you're curious about how AI can supercharge your solo business, this episode's got you covered. And stick around for my thoughts on the future of AI in software development - I think you'll find it pretty exciting! This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-ai-powered-solopreneur/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/347-the-ai-powered-solopreneur 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

    51 min
  7. SEP 13

    346: When Podcasts Attack: The Unexpected Challenges of External Data

    It started with a minor refactoring. It ended with an avalanche that almost caused an infrastructure explosion. From code to collapse — and a few weeks of frantic restoration. That's what Podscan was for the last 2 weeks. Here's why dealing with external data and its scale can be very dangerous for indie founders. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/when-podcasts-attack-the-unexpected-challenges-of-external-data/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/346-when-podcasts-attack-the-unexpected-challenges-of-external-data  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

    26 min
  8. SEP 6

    345: Scrape or Be Scraped

    Welcome to the weird world of web scraping in the AI age, where founders have to protect their data from hungry AI companies but also need to collect information from all kinds of (not so) public APIs. Today, I dive into a particularly confusing situation I am in with Podscan when it comes to scraping and keeping the web free and open. This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fm The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/crawl-or-be-crawled/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/345-scrape-or-be-scraped 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

    20 min
5
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

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

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