Indie Founder

After a long absence, I'm back with a packed episode. I reflect on why I've been away and what's changed—both in my life and in how I think about entrepreneurship. I challenge the unicorn fairy tales we've been sold as founders, the idea that we need to change the world or go big or go home, and share why I now believe the real game is about distribution and conversion metrics. I t...

In this episode, I catch you up on the latest life and business updates. I reflect on the privilege and challenges of being an indie entrepreneur, especially as my co-founder João becomes a new father and takes parental leave. I discuss how we’re managing business operations at Podsqueeze with just one active founder, and share thoughts about the perks and compromises of the indie hacker lifestyle...

In this episode, I speak about the importance of saying no—not just to others, but also to myself and my own ideas. I reflect on feeling overwhelmed by work and the many projects that compete for my attention, and I realize the need to prioritize tasks that directly contribute to my business’s financial success. I question the role of this podcast in that equation and consider whether I should con...

I speak about our strategy for 2026 and why distribution is key for our bootstrapped products. I share how SEO is working better for us than social media, and how we’re building a universe of interconnected products using SEO, newsletters, and YouTube. I explain how my co-founder and I split roles, mix personal touch with AI, and how caring about users improves both product and SEO. I discuss scal...

I answer a listener question on product validation and the best way to launch new projects. I share why I prefer building a simple MVP over just creating landing pages, and why I believe organic traffic beats paid ads unless you’re an expert. I break down the role of distribution and audience in finding traction. I also discuss recent Twitter drama about the “shotgun to sniper” approach, and why I...

I predict what will happen in 2026 with AI, politics, and the economy, comparing my answers with ChatGPT. I answer Tony’s question on reconciling living off unemployment benefits while now facing high taxes as an entrepreneur. I explain why I’m not anti-taxes but believe the system needs to change, especially for small businesses. I share key predictions: AI growth slows but adoption surges, tech...

Welcome to the Indie Founder Podcast—a show where I (Tiago) share my journey from software engineer to full-time indie maker. In this podcast, I talk about building bootstrap businesses like Podsqueeze—ventures grown without outside funding—and my dream of creating an “indie empire.” I’ll be documenting my experiences, offering practical tips, and featuring interviews with other indie founders. If...

In a conversation with my co-founder we speak about why we’re not selling Podsqueeze in 2026, our MRR numbers, tackling churn, and the challenges of B2B vs. B2C. I explain our SEO strategy and why we invested $1,500 in a domain. I share new learnings about automating with N8N and the impact of AI on SaaS. Distribution—not just building products—is key. My prediction for 2026: focus on what works,...

I share why I bought my most expensive domain ever for $1,500 and break down the strategy behind it. I talk about the shift from product development to mastering distribution, especially through SEO. I discuss the difference between active and passive distribution and why owning the right keyword domains can give a huge advantage. I reveal our plan to turn keyword research into a SaaS factory, sca...

I share the story behind getting our first dedicated Podsqueeze office in Portugal. I talk about the challenges of moving from a co-working space, hunting for a budget-friendly place, and doing DIY renovations with my co-founder. I explain how we furnished the space cheaply, set up a gym and podcast studio, and optimized for productivity. I cover office design debates, internet installation strugg...

I share my journey stepping into local politics. I discuss my experience exploring a political party, why direct impact is difficult, and my thoughts on democracy, transparency, and capitalism. I reflect on how entrepreneurs can contribute outside traditional politics, the role of technology in future democracy, and ideas for making systems more transparent and accessible. twitter:  https://x.com/...

I share updates on negotiating for a new office, including the challenges with the landlord and contract terms. I reflect on changing my dress code at Web Summit, how it affected others’ perceptions and my self-confidence. I discuss Web Summit highlights—AI hype, standout startups, and networking moments. Finally, I break down my latest automations that save hours on outreach and client management...

I share my journey from working at home to trying co-working spaces, and then renting my own office. I talk about challenges like noise and limited hours that made me and my co-founder look for a better fit. Now, with our own office, we have more freedom, flexibility, and the chance to build a community of indie makers. If you’re bootstrapping your business, you’ll relate to my honest take on find...

I speak about how I’m automating my indie founder workflow using N8N. I share my favorite automations: press release creation and translations, social media scheduling, and newsletter writing, all powered by AI and connected through tools like Excel and GPT. I talk about handling integrations, using Flarecut for YouTube Shorts, and the challenges with Reddit. I discuss my plans to automate B2B out...

My experience attending a business conference in Madrid as a bootstrapped founder. I talk about the challenges I faced pitching in Spanish, the costs involved in attending the conference, and why face-to-face meetings are so important for B2B sales. I share my own tips on networking, negotiating ticket prices, and preparing demos, and I also describe what it was like staying in a capsule hotel. I...

I speak about the challenges of setting prices for B2C and B2B customers. I share why B2C is more price-sensitive and talk about Podsqueeze’s shift to bigger B2B clients. I give examples from other SaaS companies—how some only show enterprise pricing and others adjust based on value or usage. I talk about Podsqueeze’s new pricing strategy for enterprise clients and my lessons from past mistakes. I...

I reflect on my recent interview with Craig Hewitt, founder of Castos. I dive into the trade-offs between bootstrapping and raising venture capital. I share my thoughts on how AI is changing entrepreneurship and jobs. I talk about my own experiences with product pivots and tough market challenges. I explain how I use AI to boost efficiency in my startup journey. Building products is easier than ev...

I chat with Craig Hewitt , founder of Castos. We talk about his journey from running a podcast editing agency to building a SaaS hosting platform. We cover the challenges of bootstrapping, raising funds, and going international. Craig shares how he uses distribution channels, how AI affects small teams, and what it’s like to scale in a niche market. We end with advice for indie founders on picking...

I speak about how mindset is shaped by culture and how it impacts business and self-confidence, comparing Portugal, Germany, and the US. I share lessons learned from interacting with entrepreneurs, especially around valuing your work and selling yourself. I talk about my new advertising project, Oliver Media, the challenges of B2B sales, and differences in how people approach business across count...

I reflect on changes in the indie hacking community, especially how Twitter’s algorithm elevated a few “stars” and reduced sharing of useful lessons. I discuss how AI is transforming bootstrapping and SaaS, making coding accessible and raising anxiety about job security. I explore how software is becoming a commodity, what this means for developers and founders, and why owning distribution and mar...

Today I am re-publishing an episode from my early days as an entrepreneur. It kind of seems like it was a lifetime ago. I have learned a lot since then. But its cool to go back in time! Hope you enjoy it! Follow me on twitter: https://x.com/wbetiago

Here is the republish of my chat with Rob Walling, author of the SaaS Playbook. We delved into product pricing, focusing on value alignment rather than greed, and discussed strategic price increases to reduce churn and bolster marketing. Rob also shared when to start paid ads and how to create impactful content. He offered advice on assembling a team within budgetary limits and revealed that smart...

I interview ChatGPT (calling it Alex) and challenge it to create a roadmap from zero skills to $1M ARR in five years. We break down the best skills to learn (coding, sales), how to choose a profitable niche, and why B2B SaaS for remote creative collaboration is a strong bet. I dive into practical steps: market research, MVP building, pricing, and B2B outreach. I reflect on sales cycles, pricing st...

I talk about my personal dilemma: should I buy a boat now or wait? I share my love for sailing, the costs and challenges of boat ownership, and my ideas to make it affordable—like renting it on Airbnb. I discuss chasing dreams versus saving or investing money, and ask if achieving goals is better than the journey itself. Finally, I mention trying to negotiate the boat price by offering my web skil...

I break down key insights from a digital business acquisition report by Flippa. I share which business models are getting the highest multiples (SaaS, content sites, YouTube channels), highlight surprising trends in buyer interest, explain what affects deal speed and size, and give quick tips for founders considering selling (or buying) right now. I discuss why resilience matters, what’s in demand...