Startups For the Rest of Us

Latest Episodes:

Episode 776 | How Bootstrapping Led to a Life-Changing $90M SaaS Exit May 27, 2025

Show notes

What’s it take to bootstrap a niche SaaS to $90M without raising a dime?

In this episode, Kevin Wagstaff joins Rob Walling to share how he and his brother bootstrapped Spectora from a scrappy MVP to a $90M valuation. It’s a masterclass in finding traction in unsexy markets, building with empathy, and making smart bets like embedded payments.

Topics we cover:

(4:39) – The surreal moment Kevin and his brother became multimillionaires
(9:14) – Why a mobile-first approach won in an outdated, overlooked niche
(17:39) – How adding payments created a second revenue stream and bigger valuation
(20:36) – The early hustle: trade shows, 6 AM demos, and Facebook group tactics

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 775 | A.I. Coding Tools, User Experience, Racking Your Own Servers, and More Listener Questions (with Derrick Reimer) May 20, 2025

Show notes

What shortcuts are actually worth taking when you're building a SaaS?

In this episode, Rob Walling and fan favorite Derrick Reimer delve into listener questions about startup development. They discuss the impact of AI coding tools on building minimum viable products (MVPs) and the importance of user experience (UX) with advice on balancing UX investment based on the product's nature.

You’ll also hear a breakdown of the real costs of leaving the cloud, plus tips on email deliverability and validation. Throughout, they highlight how validating ideas through user feedback and research is still critical, no matter how fast you build.

Episode Sponsor:

This podcast is brought to you by Mercury. I've been banking with Mercury for years and whenever I set up a new account, I'm reminded why traditional banking feels stuck in the past.

When our previous bank faced solvency issues, we needed to spin up new accounts quickly that could handle millions in funds across multiple businesses. Mercury had us up and running almost immediately.

I manage half a dozen different Mercury accounts across a wide range of companies – from my personal, single-member LLC to MicroConf, our 7-figure global events and education platform, to TinySeed, our venture fund and accelerator. Mercury easily handles them all.

The interface is elegantly simple for daily banking, paying invoices, and sending and receiving international wires, yet powerful enough to handle the multi-step approval processes we needed to put in place when funding founders with large transfers.

Anytime founders ask me who they should set up their accounts with, I send them to mercury.com.

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

Topics we cover:

(4:55) – How AI coding tools are changing the MVP timeline
(16:11) – When UX design actually matters (and when it doesn’t)
(23:47) – Should you ditch cloud hosting for your own servers?
(32:38) – Pro tips on email deliverability and keeping out of spam folders

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 774 | How a Non-Technical Founder Bootstrapped to Millions in Revenue May 13, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Rob Walling sits down with Noah Tucker, the non-technical founder behind Social Snowball, an affiliate marketing SaaS built for Shopify. Noah bootstrapped the company to $5M+ in ARR, navigating technical roadblocks, team-building hurdles, and a crumbling codebase, while leveraging bold growth tactics like influencer partnerships to scale fast.

Topics we cover:

(3:26) – Spotting the gap in affiliate tools for creators
(7:09) – The agency MVP failure and early dev misfires
(11:15) – Losing a CTO to priesthood
(16:33) – How influencer partnerships fueled fast early growth
(30:12) – Hiring a world-class CTO and engineering team

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 773 | How to Find Your Early Customer Profile (ECP) May 06, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Rob Walling and Maja Voje, author of Go to Market Strategist, dive into early customer profiles (ECPs) and why they matter more than ideal customer profiles (ICPs) early on. They explore practical, scrappy marketing tactics for B2B SaaS founders and share real-world advice on customer acquisition, community building, and staying authentic while growing.

Episode Sponsor:

This podcast is brought to you by Mercury. I've been banking with Mercury for years and whenever I set up a new account, I'm reminded why traditional banking feels stuck in the past.

Anytime founders ask me who they should set up their accounts with, I send them to mercury.com.

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

Topics we cover:

(3:02) – What Go-to-Market actually means for bootstrapped founders
(7:14) – Early Customer Profile (ECP) vs. Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
(10:30) – Common mistakes founders make when choosing their ECP
(13:48) – Real-world B2B SaaS examples of successful ECP launches
(18:29) – Why GTM actions must come before GTM motions for scrappy startups
(21:52) – Warm outreach and fishing in the right forums: practical tactics for early traction

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 772 | A Highly Effective Framework for SaaS Positioning Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

How do you position your SaaS for success?

In episode 772, Rob Walling talks with Anthony Pierri of Fletch about a proven approach to product positioning. They discuss key lessons from 400+ startups, focusing on workflows, competitive alternatives, and why narrowing your audience matters.

Topics we cover:

(6:59) – What is positioning, really?
(11:16) – Why your homepage matters more than your pitch deck
(14:17) – Workflow-based segmentation vs. firmographics
(17:39) – Positioning against competitive alternatives
(31:13) – The #1 mistake founders make with positioning

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 771 | What Changes As You Grow, AI Agents, Patents, and More Listener Questions (with Craig Hewitt) Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Can SaaS companies survive the rise of AI Agents?

In episode 771, Rob Walling is joined by Craig Hewitt to answer listener questions. They discuss the changes that happen while transitioning from a small startup to a multi-million dollar SaaS, competing against larger competitors, and maintaining startup culture as teams grow. They also share thoughts on AI agents in the SaaS space and the relevance of patents for bootstrapped businesses.

Episode Sponsor:

This podcast is brought to you by Mercury. I've been banking with Mercury for years and whenever I set up a new account, I'm reminded why traditional banking feels stuck in the past.

Anytime founders ask me who they should set up their accounts with, I send them to mercury.com.

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

Topics we cover:

(2:41) – Marketing and sales strategies while scaling
(9:31) – Keeping the startup culture through growth
(14:50) – Can SaaS survive autonomous agents?
(21:03) – AI wrapper tools
(25:15) – Patent strategy for startups
(29:30) – Competing against VC-backed companies

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 770 | Revenue vs. Profit, Asking for Permission, and Mike Tyson (A Rob Solo Adventure) Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

Is it more important for entrepreneurs to focus on revenue or profit?

In episode 770, Rob Walling goes solo to explore the relationship between revenue and profit in SaaS, and the dangers of waiting for permission. He also draws inspiration from Mike Tyson’s work ethic and George Lucas’ visionary mindset to encourage entrepreneurs to push through obstacles and innovate.

Topics we cover:

(2:41) – MRR versus ARR
(8:04) – Don’t ask for permission, don’t give in to defeatism
(14:38) – Inventing to pursue novel visions
(18:48) – Mike Tyson’s training regimen
(20:48) – You don’t need to be the best in the world

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 769 | Key Insights from MicroConf 2025 in New Orleans Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

Did you miss out on MicroConf US in New Orleans?

In episode 769, Rob Walling welcomes Derrick Reimer back to share highlights from MicroConf New Orleans. They dive into the event's vibrant atmosphere, standout founder talks, and the energizing mix of new and familiar faces that made this gathering in the Big Easy truly special.

Topics we cover:

(1:40) – MicroConf New Orleans audience breakdown
(5:50) – Upcoming MicroConf events
(9:05) – 5 Lessons That Exits Teach Us About Running Our Business
(12:35) – Anthony Pierri’s talk about homepage positioning
(15:16) – 4 New Orleans excursions
(17:17) – Talks on copywriting, pricing, and LinkedIn outreach
(25:57) – Reviewing attendee feedback

Links from the Show:

MicroConf Connect Applications Open Until April 9th
MicroConf Growth Retreat
MicroConf Europe 2025
MicroConf Remote
Exit Strategy by Sherry Walling, PhD & Rob Walling
Derrick Reimer (@derrickreimer) | X
Derrick Reimer(@derrickreimer.com) | Bluesky
SavvyCal
Episode 737 | Key Takeaways from MicroConf Europe 2024 (With Derrick Reimer)
Anthony Pierri (@apierriPMM) | X
Lianna Patch (@punchlinecopy.com) | Bluesky
Street Pricing by Marcos Rivera
Episode 765 | TinySeed Tales s4e9: Making the hardest decision

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 768 | Reacting to Controversial Startup Advice Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

Do you disagree with any of these controversial takes about bootstrapping?

In episode 768, Rob Walling unpacks a series of semi-controversial beliefs about bootstrapping from ScrapingBee’s Pierre de Wulf. Rob evaluates each point from Pierre's tweet, discussing topics like rebranding your SaaS, the hidden problem of affiliate marketing, and the realities of scaling a SaaS business.

Topics we cover:

(1:21) – Pierre’s semi-controversial bootstrapping beliefs
(4:35) – Don’t waste time on a rebrand
(7:24) – No one cares about your domain extension
(9:06) – Affiliate marketing won’t fix your acquisition issues
(11:51) – There is no silver bullet for growth
(13:42) – Copy what works best
(14:59) – Double down on acquisition channels that work
(16:53) – Hire specialists
(19:34) – Never offer a plan with unlimited features
(20:22) – Don’t offer a cheap plan if you can’t support it
(20:47) – Don’t add social logins to your signup page
(21:27) – Read competitors’ reviews several times a year
(21:59) – $10k MRR doesn’t guarantee $100k MRR
(22:28) – You will get copied if you share success
(23:02) – “Build this feature…”
(24:10) – The Mom Test
(24:56) – Provide value for your target demographic for free
(25:47) – Don’t overthink Product Hunt
(26:00) – You’ll never sell your SaaS for 10x

Links from the Show:

MicroConf Growth Retreat in London
Rob Walling (@robwalling) | X
Pierre de Wulf (@PierreDeWulf) | X
ScrapingBee (@ScrapingBee) | X
ScrapingBee
Pierre’s semi-controversial bootstrapping beliefs
TinySeed
Rob Walling.com
Rob Walling | LinkedIn
SaaS Institute
Exit Strategy by Sherry Walling, PhD & Rob Walling
Episode 705 | From Bootstrapped to Mostly Bootstrapped to Venture Backed
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick
Deploy Empathy by Michele Hansen
The SaaS Playbook by Rob Walling

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 767 | Finding Your ICP, Prioritizing Feature Requests, Pricing, and More Product-Focused Listener Questions Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

Is product management more of an art, or a science?

In episode 767, Rob Walling is joined again by Brendan Fortune to answer listener questions focused on product management. They discuss identifying your ideal customer profile, prioritizing feature requests, and positioning against competitors. They also weigh in on how product managers should focus their time.

Topics we cover:

(2:50) – Is your ideal customer always your highest paying one?
(8:11) – Finding just one ICP can be difficult
(14:56) – How do you prioritize feature requests?
(19:24) – Product management is art and science
(26:02) – Competing with competitors on value, not price
(32:21) – How should product managers focus their time?
(37:20) – How do PMs manage roadmaps and user feedback?

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify