The Bootstrapped Founder
The Bootstrapped Founder

The Bootstrapped Founder

Arvid Kahl

Overview
Episodes

Details

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

Recent Episodes

385: The Balancing Act: Free Trials, Value Demonstration, and Business Sustainability
APR 11, 2025
385: The Balancing Act: Free Trials, Value Demonstration, and Business Sustainability

Just how much of your service should a trial user be allowed to "try"? When it costs you real money to supply your product, when and how do you apply limits so that people have to upgrade?

That's my challenge this week, and I'll share a concrete example from my journey with Podscan.

The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-balancing-act-free-trials-value-demonstration-and-business-sustainability/ 
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/385-the-balancing-act-free-trials-value-demonstration-and-business-sustainability 


Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fm
Send 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



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15 MIN
384: Podscan's Profitability Milestone: What's Next?
APR 4, 2025
384: Podscan's Profitability Milestone: What's Next?

Podscan is profitable.

Wild.

A great success, a year after starting the business, and a fun opportunity to look at the options that lay before me. What will be my next milestone? What's the ultimate goal here?

Well, you'll hear all about it today.

The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podscans-profitability-milestone-whats-next/
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/podscans-profitability-milestone-whats-next


Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fm
Send 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



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21 MIN
383: Repositioning Podscan: From Monitoring to Data Platform
MAR 28, 2025
383: Repositioning Podscan: From Monitoring to Data Platform

Last week, in my hotel room just after MicroConf, I got excited about repositioning. I have had some time to think about the steps forward since then, and here's what I've come up with. This week, I dive into what I have already done, what needs to be done next, and where this is going.

The blog post: https://tbf.fm/episodes/383-repositioning-podscan-from-monitoring-to-data-platform
The podcast episode: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/repositioning-podscan-from-monitoring-to-data-platform/


Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fm
Send 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



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18 MIN
382: I went to MicroConf in New Orleans
MAR 21, 2025
382: I went to MicroConf in New Orleans

And I have a few things to say.

In one of my rare directly-from-the-hotel-room-to-you episodes, I'll dive right into the many wonderful experiences of this uniquely amazing conference, and I'll share my biggest learnings with you right here.

The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/i-went-to-microconf-in-new-orleans/
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/382-i-went-to-microconf-in-new-orleans


Check out Podscan, the Podcast database that transcribes every podcast episode out there minutes after it gets released: https://podscan.fm
Send 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



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16 MIN
381: How AI Changes Famous Laws in Software and Entrepreneurship
MAR 14, 2025
381: How AI Changes Famous Laws in Software and Entrepreneurship

The rise of AI is fundamentally changing and challenging the classic laws and principles of software development and entrepreneurship. Drawing from my experience building Podscan.fm with AI assistance, I dive into how laws like Conway's Law, Brooks' Law, and Postel's Law are being transformed in this new era of AI-assisted development, while sharing practical insights for founders and developers navigating this shifting landscape.

The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/how-ai-changes-famous-laws-in-software-and-entrepreneurship/
The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/381-how-ai-changes-famous-laws-in-software-and-entrepreneurship


Check out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fm
Send 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



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24 MIN