Build Your SaaS

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Podcasting
**Build Your SaaS**

Follow the journey of Transistor.fm as they bootstrap a podcast hosting startup.

Latest Episodes:

Reflecting on 2021 Dec 24, 2021

Show notes

Jon and Justin reflect on 2021 and get excited about 2022:

Rework podcast episode: the word "startup"
Should we rename the show "Maintain your SaaS"? ;)
Biggest highlights: hiring Helen and Jason
Giving employees generous bonuses
Justin's list of non-alcoholic drinks
Captivate (one of our competitors) was just acquired
Different types of founder stress
Should we sell our company? Our friends at Rewardful were just acquired
Plans and features for 2022

What happened in 2021?

January: Clubhouse got popular
March 2021: send private podcast episodes by email
April 2021: we hired Helen
April-May: new API updates (analytics)
July: new podcast analytics charts + compare episodes
July: add transcripts to episodes
August 2021: we hired Jason
Sept: first release of DAI
Oct: Descript integration
Nov: DAI mid-rolls
Black Friday. Worth it?
Riverside integration

What should we talk about next?

Twitter:@buildyoursaas, @mijustin, @jonbuda
Leave a review/comment on Podchaser; it's like Reddit, but for podcasts.
Email us: mail@transistor.fm

Thanks to our monthly supporters:

Marcel Fahle, wearebold.af
Anton Zorin from ProdCamp.com
Mitch
Harris Kenny, Intro CRM podcast
Oleg Kulyk
Violette Du Geneville
Take It EV podcast
Ethan Gunderson
Diogo
Chris Willow
Borja Soler
Ward Sandler, Memberspace
Eric Lima
James Sowers (like Flowers)
Travis Fischer
Matt Buckley
Russell Brown
Evandro Sasse
Pradyumna Shembekar (PD)
Noah Prail
Colin Gray
Josh Smith
Ivan Curkovic
Shane Smith
Austin Loveless
Simon Bennett
Michael Sitver
Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis,
Dan Buda
Darby Frey
Samori Augusto
Dave Young
Brad from Canada
Sammy Schuckert
Mike Walker
Adam DuVander
Dave Giunta (JOOnta)
Kyle Fox GetRewardful.com

Thanks to our monthly supporters

Rewardful.com
Mitchell Davis from sixsides.co
Bill Condo (@mavrck)
Ward from MemberSpace.com
Evandro Sasse
Austin Loveless
Michael Sitver
Dave Giunta

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Brian Casel, of Bootstrapped Web, chats about his new app Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

In this guest episode, Justin chats with Brian Casel.

What should we talk about next?

Twitter:@buildyoursaas, @mijustin, @jonbuda
Leave a review/comment on Podchaser; it's like Reddit, but for podcasts.
Email us: mail@transistor.fm

Thanks to our monthly supporters:

Anton Zorin from ProdCamp.com
Mitch
Harris Kenny, Intro CRM podcast
Oleg Kulyk
Violette Du Geneville
Take It EV podcast
Ethan Gunderson
Diogo
Chris Willow
Borja Soler
Ward Sandler, Memberspace
Eric Lima
James Sowers (like Flowers)
Travis Fischer
Matt Buckley
Russell Brown
Evandro Sasse
Pradyumna Shembekar (PD)
Noah Prail
Colin Gray
Josh Smith
Ivan Curkovic
Shane Smith
Austin Loveless
Simon Bennett
Michael Sitver
Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis,
Dan Buda
Darby Frey
Samori Augusto
Dave Young
Brad from Canada
Sammy Schuckert
Mike Walker
Adam DuVander
Dave Giunta (JOOnta)
Kyle Fox GetRewardful.com

Thanks to our monthly supporters

Rewardful.com
Mitchell Davis from sixsides.co
Bill Condo (@mavrck)
Ward from MemberSpace.com
Evandro Sasse
Austin Loveless
Michael Sitver
Dave Giunta

🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.
📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What does my daughter think of the podcast industry? Nov 25, 2021

Show notes

In this bonus episode, Justin interviews his 18-year-old daughter, Sadie, about:

A Gen Z perspective on podcasting
Why women are the future of podcasting: Edison Research
- "Now, look at the rookies – 47% are men, but the majority, 53% are women."
- "Most women get their podcast recommendations from Spotify, social media, or their friends."
We talk a lot about podcast advertising, podcast ads, and how the adtech industry should think differently about how they target women.
- "Most podcast ads are just men talking to men."

What should we talk about next?

Twitter:@buildyoursaas, @mijustin, @jonbuda
Leave a review/comment on Podchaser; it's like Reddit, but for podcasts.
Email us: mail@transistor.fm

Thanks to our monthly supporters:

Anton Zorin from ProdCamp.com
Mitch
Harris Kenny, Intro CRM podcast
Oleg Kulyk
Violette Du Geneville
Take It EV podcast
Ethan Gunderson
Diogo
Chris Willow
Borja Soler
Ward Sandler, Memberspace
Eric Lima
James Sowers (like Flowers)
Travis Fischer
Matt Buckley
Russell Brown
Evandro Sasse
Pradyumna Shembekar (PD)
Noah Prail
Colin Gray
Josh Smith
Ivan Curkovic
Shane Smith
Austin Loveless
Simon Bennett
Michael Sitver
Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis,
Dan Buda
Darby Frey
Samori Augusto
Dave Young
Brad from Canada
Sammy Schuckert
Mike Walker
Adam DuVander
Dave Giunta (JOOnta)
Kyle Fox GetRewardful.com

Thanks to our monthly supporters

Rewardful.com
Mitchell Davis from sixsides.co
Bill Condo (@mavrck)
Ward from MemberSpace.com
Evandro Sasse
Austin Loveless
Michael Sitver
Dave Giunta

🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.
📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

A few questions Oct 12, 2021

Show notes

This week Jon and Justin discussed:

Tweet: what should we talk about?
Justin's daughter wrote an article for the Transistor blog: https://transistor.fm/gen-z/
Customer case studies
Dynamic audio insertion
Integration with Descript
Book: Range by David Epstein

What should we talk about next?

Twitter:@buildyoursaas, @mijustin, @jonbuda
Leave a review/comment on Podchaser; it's like Reddit, but for podcasts.
Email us: mail@transistor.fm

Thanks to our monthly supporters:

Anton Zorin from ProdCamp.com
Mitch
Harris Kenny, Intro CRM podcast
Oleg Kulyk
Violette Du Geneville
Take It EV podcast
Ethan Gunderson
Diogo
Chris Willow
Borja Soler
Ward Sandler, Memberspace
Eric Lima
James Sowers (like Flowers)
Travis Fischer
Matt Buckley
Russell Brown
Evandro Sasse
Pradyumna Shembekar (PD)
Noah Prail
Colin Gray
Josh Smith
Ivan Curkovic
Shane Smith
Austin Loveless
Simon Bennett
Michael Sitver
Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis,
Dan Buda
Darby Frey
Samori Augusto
Dave Young
Brad from Canada
Sammy Schuckert
Mike Walker
Adam DuVander
Dave Giunta (JOOnta)
Kyle Fox GetRewardful.com

Thanks to our monthly supporters

Rewardful.com
Mitchell Davis from sixsides.co
Bill Condo (@mavrck)
Ward from MemberSpace.com
Evandro Sasse
Austin Loveless
Michael Sitver
Dave Giunta

🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.
📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Why should we care about our customers' feelings? Sep 07, 2021

Show notes

This week Justin chats with Michele Hansen, founder of Geocodio. I got fired up about interviewing customers!

Get Michele's new book! Deploy Empathy
Listen to Michele's podcast: Software Social
"Empathy is a skill you can learn."
Get Michele's newsletter
"There's so much shame in the tech community."
What are the boundaries for deploying empathy? When, and how, do we deliver critiques?
Podcast: a respectful interview with a flat-earther
"This book isn't just about deploying empathy to customers, it's also about learning to be more empathetic to your family, friends, coworkers."
31:30 – we start discussing customer interviews
"It was easier for me to learn how to have empathy for customers than it was to have empathy for myself."
42:27 – "how does empathy help businesses attract new customers, build better products?"
46:53 - "Why don't you bring Jon in on those interviews?"

What should we talk about next?

Twitter:@buildyoursaas, @mijustin, @mjwhansen
Email us: mail@transistor.fm

Thanks to our monthly supporters:

Anton Zorin from ProdCamp.com
Mitch
Harris Kenny, Intro CRM podcast
Oleg Kulyk
Violette Du Geneville
Take It EV podcast
Ethan Gunderson
Diogo
Chris Willow
Borja Soler
Ward Sandler, Memberspace
Eric Lima
James Sowers (like Flowers)
Travis Fischer
Matt Buckley
Russell Brown
Evandro Sasse
Pradyumna Shembekar (PD)
Noah Prail
Colin Gray
Josh Smith
Ivan Curkovic
Shane Smith
Austin Loveless
Simon Bennett
Michael Sitver
Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis,
Dan Buda
Darby Frey
Samori Augusto
Dave Young
Brad from Canada
Sammy Schuckert
Mike Walker
Adam DuVander
Dave Giunta (JOOnta)
Kyle Fox GetRewardful.com

Thanks to our monthly supporters

Rewardful.com
Mitchell Davis from sixsides.co
Bill Condo (@mavrck)
Ward from MemberSpace.com
Evandro Sasse
Austin Loveless
Michael Sitver
Dave Giunta

🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.
📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This is a big step for us Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

This week Jon and Justin discussed:

Our values determine how we make decisions
Hiring FT: we hired Jason Pearl!
Summer SaaS slowdown
- Tweet: worst month ever
- ConvertKit’s public numbers

What should we talk about next?

Twitter:@buildyoursaas, @mijustin, @jonbuda
Leave a comment on PodHunt; it's like Reddit, but for podcasts.
Email us: mail@transistor.fm

Thanks to our monthly supporters:

Mitch
Harris Kenny, Intro CRM podcast
Oleg Kulyk
Violette Du Geneville
Take It EV podcast
Ethan Gunderson
Diogo
Chris Willow
Borja Soler
Ward Sandler
Eric Lima
James Sowers (like Flowers)
Travis Fischer
Matt Buckley
Russell Brown
Evandro Sasse
Pradyumna Shembekar (PD)
Noah Prail
Colin Gray
Josh Smith
Ivan Curkovic
Shane Smith
Austin Loveless
Simon Bennett
Michael Sitver
Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis,
Dan Buda
Darby Frey
Samori Augusto
Dave Young
Brad from Canada
Sammy Schuckert
Mike Walker
Adam DuVander
Dave Giunta (JOOnta)
Kyle Fox GetRewardful.com

Thanks to our monthly supporters

Rewardful.com
Mitchell Davis from sixsides.co
Bill Condo (@mavrck)
Ward from MemberSpace.com
Evandro Sasse
Austin Loveless
Michael Sitver
Dave Giunta

🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.
📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Is venture capital bad? Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

This week Spencer Fry, founder of Podia.com, joins Justin Jackson to talk about venture capital and bootstrapping.

Spencer's tweet: "The hostility that the bootstrapper community has towards the VC community continues to perplex me."
Justin's interview with Jason Calacanis (2013)
VC brags
Roy Bahat on Big Technology Podcast: Why VCs are mad
06:30 "Capital changes lots of dynamics in society. It's not neutral." – Justin Jackson
Silicon Valley: No Revenue (video)
Blog post: Podcasts and capital
How venture capitalists make money
The rise and fall of Quibi: from raising $1.75 billion before launch to shutting down just 6 months later
Tweet: the negative effects of overcapitalization
Tweet: Big-name VCs, and their hypocrisy, give VCs a bad name.
Techcrunch: "The meeting that showed me the truth about VCs"
Adii Pienaar on venture capital: Raising Anxiety
Blog post: The hidden cost of bootstrapping

What should we talk about next?

Twitter:@buildyoursaas, @mijustin, @jonbuda, @spencerfry
Email us: mail@transistor.fm

Thanks to our monthly supporters:

Mitch
Harris Kenny, Intro CRM podcast
Oleg Kulyk
Violette Du Geneville
Ethan Gunderson
Diogo
Chris Willow
Borja Soler
Ward Sandler
Eric Lima
James Sowers (like Flowers)
Travis Fischer
Matt Buckley
Russell Brown
Evandro Sasse
Pradyumna Shembekar (PD)
Noah Prail
Colin Gray
Josh Smith
Ivan Curkovic
Shane Smith
Austin Loveless
Simon Bennett
Michael Sitver
Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis,
Dan Buda
Darby Frey
Samori Augusto
Dave Young
Brad from Canada
Sammy Schuckert
Mike Walker
Adam DuVander
Dave Giunta (JOOnta)
Kyle Fox GetRewardful.com

Thanks to our monthly supporters

Rewardful.com
Mitchell Davis from sixsides.co
Bill Condo (@mavrck)
Ward from MemberSpace.com
Evandro Sasse
Austin Loveless
Michael Sitver
Dave Giunta

🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.
📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Basecamp | Hiring | How to have a calm company May 04, 2021

Show notes

This week Jon and Justin discussed:

Basecamp
- Note: we recorded this before Casey Newton's second article on Basecamp came out.
- Also: this article is a really thoughtful take on the whole situation.
- Ruby/Rails open source world.
  - https://discuss.rubyonrails.org/t/effect-of-the-last-week-on-ruby-on-rails/77702
SO EXCITED: HELEN IS ON THE TEAM! 🎉
- https://transistor.fm/helen/
Cost/benefit analysis
- It’s really difficult to make that calculation: should we commit to this? How do we know that the cost will be worth the benefit?
- For example, we could invest $100k + 6 months of time into building a mobile app for private podcasts, under the assumption that it will increase the number of private podcast customers we get. But what you don’t see is:
  - How much time + energy does it really take to build it?
  - Does it attract the wrong customers?
  - How much time + energy does it take to support it?
  - How does it affect the fun + calm of running the app?
  - Is all that effort really worth it?
Apple’s latest release is bad
- So many bugs from Apple: https://transistor.fm/apple-podcasts-problem/
- One bug in Spotify: https://transistor.fm/spotify-bug/

What should we talk about next?

Twitter:@buildyoursaas, @mijustin, @jonbuda
Leave a comment on PodHunt; it's like Reddit, but for podcasts.
Email us: mail@transistor.fm

Thanks to our monthly supporters:

Mitch
Harris Kenny, Intro CRM podcast
Oleg Kulyk
Violette Du Geneville
Take It EV podcast
Ethan Gunderson
Diogo
Chris Willow
Borja Soler
Ward Sandler
Eric Lima
James Sowers (like Flowers)
Travis Fischer
Matt Buckley
Russell Brown
Evandro Sasse
Pradyumna Shembekar (PD)
Noah Prail
Colin Gray
Josh Smith
Ivan Curkovic
Shane Smith
Austin Loveless
Simon Bennett
Michael Sitver
Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis,
Dan Buda
Darby Frey
Samori Augusto
Dave Young
Brad from Canada
Sammy Schuckert
Mike Walker
Adam DuVander
Dave Giunta (JOOnta)
Kyle Fox GetRewardful.com

Thanks to our monthly supporters

Rewardful.com
Mitchell Davis from sixsides.co
Bill Condo (@mavrck)
Ward from MemberSpace.com
Evandro Sasse
Austin Loveless
Michael Sitver
Dave Giunta

🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.
📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

A good business will change your life (for real) Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

This we, we chatted about:

Evil Crypto Teletubbies
Voltswagon
Fathom has acquired Google
Jon is trying out a new private office, in a coworking space (Deskpass)
Justin had a quick chat with Derrick Reimer, SavvyCal
Tweet: Two years ago (March 2019), Justin posted a screenshot of our revenue numbers and we were just about to hit $10k in MRR.
- Jason Fried: Your company history is a myth
- Justin went full-time the next month (April 2019).
Tweet: A mere six months after hitting $10k (April 2019), we hit $30k MRR (Oct 2019).
This little business has given us more than we ever imagined. It’s changed our lives.
Jon Youngfook is building Bannerbear
Peter Suhm is building Reform
Simon Bennett is building SnapShooter
Tweet: There are so many productivity gurus, tips, hacks; lots of advice on how to "get more done in less time."
- "Not Tamagotchi. The tomato technique. Ack, what's that called?"
- We're fine with getting a few good things done every day.
"Gen Z is coming online now as potential customers. A whole new generation of kids is becoming adults."
New releases on Transistor.fm:
- Private podcasts can receive email + play on the web
- Automatic tweet
- Two-factor authentication
- Import improvements

What should we talk about next?

Twitter:@buildyoursaas, @mijustin, @jonbuda
Leave a comment on PodHunt; it's like Reddit, but for podcasts.
Email us: mail@transistor.fm

Thanks to our monthly supporters:

Harris Kenny, Intro CRM podcast
Oleg Kulyk
Violette Du Geneville
Take It EV podcast
Ethan Gunderson
Diogo
Chris Willow
Borja Soler
Ward Sandler
Eric Lima
James Sowers (like Flowers)
Travis Fischer
Matt Buckley
Russell Brown
Evandro Sasse
Pradyumna Shembekar (PD)
Noah Prail
Colin Gray
Josh Smith
Ivan Curkovic
Shane Smith
Austin Loveless
Simon Bennett
Michael Sitver
Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis,
Dan Buda
Darby Frey
Samori Augusto
Dave Young
Brad from Canada
Sammy Schuckert
Mike Walker
Adam DuVander
Dave Giunta (JOOnta)
Kyle Fox GetRewardful.com

Thanks to our monthly supporters

Rewardful.com
Mitchell Davis from sixsides.co
Bill Condo (@mavrck)
Ward from MemberSpace.com
Evandro Sasse
Austin Loveless
Michael Sitver
Dave Giunta

🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.
📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're doing this and it's weird Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

Real humans making a business together:

Taking the leap
Why is Justin jealous of Ben?
Pros and cons of building a remote company in 2021
Limited exposure to your co-founder
What would take to get Jon to move to Canada?
Story: confronting a burglar with a crowbar
The algorithm rewards you for being early
Spending a lot of time on Clubhouse
- Apple Podcasts going into subscription podcasts roundtable
- “Podcasting needs better distribution”
- “Podcasting needs better discoverability”
- “There needs to be the Adwords for Podcasting.”
- ☝️ BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
How are we going to scale our SaaS?
How does investing $500,000 in the podcast ecosystem change the ecosystem?
Justin's talk with Jason Calacanis