Wannabe Entrepreneur Tiago Ferreira

Have you ever wondered about the process of selling startups? In this podcast episode I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrew Gazdecki, the founder of Acquired.com.
We dive into his experience of scaling his company and the significance of having a distribution mindset and a strong team. Join us as we explore the importance of delegation, hiring the right people, and understanding the buyer's perspective when selling a business.
Plus, Andrew shares some fantastic marketing strategies and emphasizes the importance of creativity and uniqueness.
Links
Andrew Twitter
DM me on Twitter
Join The WBE Community
Try PodSqueeze

Timestamps
The world of selling startups (00:01:20)
Discussion about the nuances and misconceptions of selling startups, including the common belief of multiplying revenue by ten as the selling price.

Branding and marketing techniques (00:02:29)
Exploration of the importance of brand awareness and marketing techniques that may not bring immediate customers, and how to measure their effectiveness.

Entrepreneurial background and early businesses (00:04:46)
Andrew's upbringing in a beach town, his curiosity about wealth, and his early experiences starting businesses as a means to acquire money and the things he desired.

Financial Literacy and Parental Money Management (00:10:40)
Discussion on the lack of financial literacy and the challenges faced by parents in managing money.

Possibility of Wealth for Individuals from Poor Backgrounds (00:11:54)
Exploration of whether it is possible for anyone from a poor family to become wealthy, highlighting the importance of taking action and not making excuses.

Mental Resilience and Problem-solving in Entrepreneurship (00:13:33)
The impact of overcoming hardships on building mental resilience and problem-solving skills in entrepreneurship, emphasizing the ability to love and work through challenging situations.

The shift to white labeling and distribution strategy (00:20:16)
The speaker discusses how they partnered with an agency in Switzerland to white label their software, leading to a boom in sales and a shift in target customers.

Transition from selling to small businesses to selling to agencies (00:21:25)
After the partnership with the agency, the speaker's company started selling packages of mobile apps to agencies, resulting in a significant increase in sales and a shift in the sales process.

Importance of distribution mindset and building a team (00:26:26)
The speaker emphasizes the shift from product development to distribution mindset and the importance of building a team to handle various aspects of the business, such as marketing, sales, customer support, and product development.

The importance of realistic entrepreneurship portrayal (00:31:06)
Discussion on the shift in entrepreneurship coverage and the need for a more realistic view.

Selling a goal, lifestyle, and viewpoint (00:33:05)
Exploration of the power of selling beyond the product, using Nike as an example.

Defining success and the role of teams (00:36:34)
Reflection on the different paths to success and the choice to work alone or with a team.

The topic of delegating tasks (00:41:22)
Discusses the importance of delegating tasks that hold you back and that you dislike, in order to focus on high-impact activities within the business.

The topic of hiring engineers (00:42:15)
Shares a personal experience of hiring engineers through a job board and Upwork, emphasizing the importance of trust and recommendations when evaluating talent.

The topic of valuing and selling a business (00:44:14)
Explores the possibility of selling a business, evaluating its worth based on what someone is willing to pay and considering the buyer's perspective. Discusses the complexities of valuations, financial buyers, and the importance of running a competitive process to maximize valuation.

The terms of selling a business (00:51:18)
Discussion on the terms of selling a business, including the desire for a clean b

Let me take you on a rollercoaster journey through my experiences. This week, I've experienced both the highs and lows of this exciting world of indie hacking. Join me as I share the challenges of running PodSqueeze and managing co-founder relationships. I will also speak about our most recent sponsored event and gaining recognition in the Portuguese market.

Links
DM me on Twitter
Join The WBE Community
Try PodSqueeze

Timetsamps
Tiago's sister starts her podcast (00:01:23)
Tiago's sister starts her own podcast during the pandemic and receives positive feedback for her comedic content.

Tiago hacks the podcast festival website (00:04:37)
Tiago hacks the website of a podcast festival to increase his sister's chances of winning an award.

Pod Squeeze sponsors the podcast festival (00:06:44)
Pod Squeeze, Tiago's company, sponsors and organizes events at the podcast festival, leading to networking opportunities and potential clients.

Tiago's Oscars Speech (00:10:34)
Tiago talks about his sister being nominated for a podcasting prize and giving a speech at the awards ceremony.

Ungrateful Prize Winner (00:12:18)
Tiago discusses the incident where the prize winner publicly stated that they didn't need the prize, causing frustration.

Conflict with Co-Founder (00:16:06)
Tiago explains the conflict between him and his co-founder regarding the importance of networking and measuring success.

The overwhelmed feeling of being bootstrapped (00:19:57)
Tiago discusses feeling overwhelmed with the various aspects of his business and the frustration of not being able to move forward due to the lack of resources.

The growth of the indie hacker movement (00:20:50)
Tiago talks about the positive development of the indie hacker movement, its increasing popularity among entrepreneurs, and the interview of an indie hacker on a Portuguese TV show.

Tiago's interview on a Portuguese podcast (00:22:03)
Tiago shares his happiness about being interviewed for a Portuguese podcast and being able to discuss his work and experiences with his family.

What it's like to attend a major tech conference like the Web Summit? Well, in this episode, I'll be sharing my personal experiences from the event. Despite all the controversy and big tech companies dropping out, the turnout was massive! I'll be discussing my networking strategies, like using the event app to connect with people and finding a quiet area for meetings. I'll also open up about my struggles with social anxiety at networking events. Plus, I'll emphasize the importance of business cards and share some interesting interactions with industry professionals.

Links
Join The WBE Community
Try PodSqueeze
DM me on Twitter

Timetsamps
Finding Success at Web Summit (00:01:23)
Tiago discusses his experience at the Web Summit tech conference, including controversies, ticket acquisition, and preparation tips.

The Overwhelming Nature of Web Summit (00:02:33)
Tiago describes the overwhelming size and structure of the Web Summit, with multiple pavilions, talks, booths, and an app for networking.

Networking and Scheduling at Web Summit (00:06:38)
Tiago shares his strategy for networking at the conference, including using the app to connect with people, scheduling back-to-back talks, and finding a quiet meeting area.

Blushing and Social Anxiety (00:10:31)
Tiago discusses his experience with blushing and social anxiety, how it affects his interactions, and the potential connection to anxiety or phobia.

Awkward Networking Events (00:11:29)
Tiago talks about feeling awkward during networking events, particularly when approaching people and breaking the ice.

Interactions and Insights from Podcasters (00:12:20)
Tiago shares his interactions with podcasters and people in the industry, discussing the struggles of podcasting, learning about Spotify's role, and offering help and advice.

The card is an effective networking tool (00:19:31)
Tiago discusses how he used his business card to approach someone and make a connection.

Offering a discount on the card (00:20:18)
Tiago explains how his business card also includes a discount and information about his product.

The podcast has a strong and supportive community (00:21:03)
Tiago expresses gratitude for the listeners and mentions the active community of indie makers who support the podcast.

Have you ever made a critical mistake that had a significant impact on your business? In this episode, I'll be sharing my own experience as the co-founder of Podsqueeze. Blocking the upload feature to combat fake accounts seemed like a good idea at the time, but it ended up causing a decrease in user engagement and revenue. I'll be discussing the importance of data-driven decisions and monitoring metrics. Plus, I'll be sharing my frustrations with high taxes and corruption in Portugal, and why I believe in advocating for change rather than relocation.

Links
Join The WBE Community
Try PodSqueeze
Buy The Bootstrapper's Guide
DM me on Twitter

Timetsamps
Blocking the Upload Feature (00:02:42)
Tiago discusses his decision to block the upload feature on Pod Squeeze to prevent fake accounts and the impact it had on reducing the number of fake accounts.

Revenue Decline Concerns (00:07:02)
Tiago and Joanne express their worries about the declining revenue of Pod Squeeze and discuss the possible reasons behind it.

Increase in Empty Accounts (00:09:19)
Tiago analyzes the increase in empty accounts on Pod Squeeze after blocking the upload feature and realizes that it may have negatively impacted conversion rates.

The Mistake (00:10:23)
The speaker discusses a mistake they made by not testing a feature, resulting in a decrease in conversion rates.

The Confusion (00:12:13)
The speaker discusses their confusion about the unexpected increase in conversion rates despite fewer people trying out their product.

The Changes and Decisions (00:16:27)
The speaker talks about rolling back changes, allowing one upload per free account, and the importance of plotting and monitoring metrics.

The taxes in Portugal (00:20:28)
Discussion about the complexity and high rates of taxes in Portugal for entrepreneurs.

Corruption scandal in Portugal (00:21:39)
Frustration and powerlessness regarding the corruption scandal involving the prime minister and ministers in Portugal.

Interviews and podcast updates (00:23:50)
Mention of an interview with Dagobert about mental health and an upcoming interview with Andrew Decky. Also, mention of Mark selling his business and his AMA episode.

Have you ever experienced burnout and its impact on your health? Well, Dagobert shares his personal experience with burnout and how it led to a significant shift in his work-life balance. We also dive into the importance of therapy for mental health and how it played a crucial role in Dagobert's recovery.

Links
Follow Dagobert's Twitter
Join The WBE Community
Try PodSqueeze
Buy The Bootstrapper's Guide
DM me on Twitter

Timetsamps
The challenges of becoming official (00:04:43)
Tiago and Dagobert discuss the process of becoming an official company and the frustrations and complexities they faced with the tax system.

The benefits of using Lemon Squeezy (00:06:57)
Dagobert explains how using Lemon Squeezy as a merchant of record can simplify the tax burden and accounting process for online businesses.

The complexities of the tax system (00:10:16)
Tiago and Dagobert discuss the complicated nature of the tax system, including the different tax rates in different countries and the deductions that can be made to reduce taxes.

The burnout and realization of goals (00:11:21)
Tiago discusses his burnout and how he became obsessed with reaching a monthly income of $10,000, only to realize it didn't solve all his problems.

The risks and peace of mind (00:12:09)
Tiago talks about the peace of mind he feels with his recurring income, although there is a small chance it could go to zero.

The collapse and symptoms of burnout (00:18:10)
Dagobert describes the moment his body broke down due to burnout, experiencing symptoms such as racing heart, tingling sensations, and anxiety.

The burnout realization (00:22:24)
Speaker 2 discusses how he initially dismissed the idea of burnout but eventually realizes that it is the cause of his symptoms.

Impact on the business and relationship (00:25:16)
Speaker 2 explains how his burnout affected the business and caused stress for his partner, leading to the collapse of the business.

Living in constant stress (00:27:43)
Speaker 2 reflects on how he got used to living in constant stress and denial as an entrepreneur, leading to his burnout.

The challenges of relying on Twitter for income (00:31:59)
Speaker 2 discusses the stress and pressure of depending on Twitter for income and the need to go viral.

Dealing with burnout and self-care (00:33:02)
Speaker 2 shares their experience of burnout and the steps they took to address it, including meditation, journaling, and therapy.

Transitioning to a job and financial stability (00:34:04)
Speaker 2 talks about the decision to find a job for financial stability and the relief it brought to both themselves and their partner.

The trust and autonomy in the new job (00:42:46)
Speaker 2 talks about being given complete autonomy in their new job as a product manager and the trust placed in them by the company.

The value of experience and skills (00:44:16)
Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 discuss how the skills and experience gained over the years have made Speaker 2 valuable in their current role.

Success and recognition in the startup (00:49:41)
Speaker 2 reflects on how their past failures and experiences in building startups have been recognized and valued by the founders of the current startup they work for.

The beginning of the entrepreneurial journey (01:00:17)
Tiago discusses the criteria that would make him sell his business and the challenges he may face in the future.

Lucy's current situation (01:02:06)
Dagobert talks about how Lucy is still trying to make the business work and the financial struggles she is facing.

Differences in moving on (01:05:46)
Dagobert explains how he has moved on from the business while Lucy is still trying to find a way to make it work, despite the challenges she faces.

Recognizing and Preventing Burnout (01:10:35)
Discussion about the importance of recognizing burnout and tips for preventing it, including the recommendation of therapy.

The Importance of Finding the Right Therapist (01:11:36)
Speaker 2 shares his skepticis

Have you ever sponsored a conference to grow your business? In this episode, I, an indie maker, and my co-founder Joao, dive into our experience sponsoring a conference in Berlin for our company, Podsqueeze. We were initially worried about being scammed, but we ended up sealing a sponsorship deal for $700. I chat about the perks of attending such events, like networking and potential client acquisition. However, we also faced challenges, like feeling uncomfortable with aggressive self-promotion. Despite the setbacks, we made valuable connections. Tune in as I reflect on the importance of having an official presence and the value of networking at conferences.

Links
Join The WBE Community
Try PodSqueeze
Buy The Bootstrapper's Guide
DM me on Twitter

Timetsamps
Introduction to sponsoring a conference (00:01:30)
The host explains why he and Joao decided to sponsor a conference in Berlin and the importance of marketing.

Finding a conference to sponsor (00:02:48)
The host discusses the difficulty of finding affordable conferences to sponsor and how they discovered Pod Fest Berlin.

Preparing for the conference (00:09:15)
The host talks about their preparations for the conference, including designing t-shirts and getting flyers and banners ready.

The organization of the event (00:12:09)
The speaker discusses the lack of effort in organizing the event and the disappointment of not having many podcasting-related activities.

Meeting other sponsors (00:13:07)
The speaker talks about meeting the other sponsors of the conference, including representatives from Prodigy and McKee.

Feeling ignored and demotivated (00:17:48)
The speaker shares their frustration with being ignored by some podcasters and feeling demotivated after a long day of networking.

Distributing the Flyers (00:21:33)
The host talks about his experience distributing flyers at the conference and the mixed reactions he received from people.

Creating an Official Pod Squeeze Booth (00:22:18)
The host describes how they set up a table with their laptop and flyers to create an official booth for Pod Squeeze, which changed the way people perceived them.

Exploring Partnerships (00:23:12)
The host discusses their efforts to close partnerships with other companies, including discussing a potential API integration with Podigee and exploring a collaboration with Mackie for a giveaway.