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Artwork for Startups For the Rest of Us

Startups For the Rest of Us

Rob Walling
Saas
Microconf
Product-Market Fit
Boot.dev
Remote Team Engagement
Bootstrapping
Backend Development
UX Design
Sales and Marketing
Saas Playbook
Asynchronous Communication
Company Culture
Homeowners Associations
Email Marketing
Customer Feedback
Property Management
Idea Validation
Freemium Model
Competition
Software Development

The original podcast for bootstrapped and mostly bootstrapped startups, this show follow the stories of founders as they start, acquire, and grow SaaS companies. Hear when they fail, struggle, succeed, and take you with them through the tumultuous life of a SaaS founder. If you like Mixergy, This Week in Startups, or SaaStr, you’ll enjoy Startup for the Rest of Us.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes329Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessMarketingEntrepreneurship

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Artwork for Startups For the Rest of Us

Latest Episodes

What do you do when a collaborator takes your idea and builds a competing product?

In this episode, Rob Walling is joined by fan favorite Jordan Gal to answer listener questions on some of the trickiest challenges founders face. They cover financing... more

YouTube

Is AI really killing B2B SaaS, or is it just subscription software by another name?

In this Hot Take Tuesday, Rob Walling, Einar Vollset, and Tracy Osborn dig into the market panic around SaaS stocks, whether AI models are actually getting better, C... more

YouTube

Should you build your SaaS with no-code tools, or is AI coding the better path forward?

In this episode, Rob is joined by fan favorite Derrick Reimer to tackle listener questions on no-code vs. AI vibe coding, when to take small funding early vs. pu... more

Is founder-led marketing right for your SaaS, or just a distraction?

In this episode, Rob Walling sits down with Jay Clouse, founder of Creator Science, to explore founder-led marketing. They dig into how Jay overcame his own limiting beliefs about ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Tracy Osborn
Head of Product of TinySeed and of MicroConf
TinySeed, MicroConf
Episode: Episode 823 | Hot Take Tuesday: Is A.I. Killing B2B SaaS?, ChatGPT Ads, OpenClaw
Einar Vollset
Co-founder at TinySeed and Managing Partner at Discretion Capital
TinySeed, Discretion Capital
Episode: Episode 823 | Hot Take Tuesday: Is A.I. Killing B2B SaaS?, ChatGPT Ads, OpenClaw
Jay Clouse
Founder of Creator Science, an educational media company helping content creators improve
Creator Science
Episode: Episode 821 | How to Do Founder-Led Marketing (with Jay Clouse)
Jason Cohen
Founder of WP Engine and SmartBear
SmartBear
Episode: Episode 817 | Bootstrapping in the Age of AI with Jason Cohen
Craig Hewitt
Founder of Castos and experienced in AI-driven tools.
Castos
Episode: Episode 809 | What I Learned Diving into A.I. for 100 Days (with Craig Hewitt)
Philippe Lehoux
Co-founder of Missive and expert in email collaboration solutions
Missive
Episode: Episode 806 | Bootstrapping Missive to $8M ARR Over 10 Years
Laura Sprinkle
Founder of Rootabl, specializing in affiliate management
Rootabl
Episode: Episode 803 | 8 Key Takeaways from MicroConf Europe 2025
Colin Bartlett
Co-founder of StatusGator
StatusGator
Episode: Episode 798 | Lessons From 10 Years of SaaS Growth Without a Hockey Stick
Harris Kenny
Founder of OutboundSync
Episode: Episode 797 | TinySeed Tales s5e5: Should I Raise More Funding?

Host

Rob Walling
Host of Startups For the Rest of Us; prominent figure in bootstrapped SaaS and founder community.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.6k ratings
  • My favorite tech / startup podcast

    Been listening for a couple years. It’s really great. Rob is unassuming, low ego, and a good interviewer. I like the mix of solo episodes and interesting guests. Most other podcasts in this space just seem like one long ad for something.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Murphycj
    United States2 months ago
  • Great content

    I am a solopreneur with a small business and Rob’s podcast is so helpful and inspiring and empathic. 5 stars.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MicXXCCC
    Italy5 months ago
  • I don’t want to give it 5 stars

    I rather gate keep this and keep all this info goodness to myself, only reason i am giving it 5 stars and writing this review is because i feel i need to repay them for all the no bs down to earth realistic info on how to build a SaaS. Even in the age of AI this podcast is very valuable. Keep it up! I look forward to every episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sashogs
    Australia6 months ago
  • I've been a listener for several years now. Rob Walling produces an amazingly informative and brilliant podcast discussing startups, bootstrapping a startup, and the journey of others who have bootstrapped their companies. He and guests are transparent about mistakes they made and will discuss options in realtime to weigh pros and cons. Listener question episodes and "Rob solo adventure" episodes are an excellent. I can't believe this doesn't have hundreds of 5 star reviews tbh. Highly recommend... more

    Audible
    5
    Anonymous
    United States7 months ago
  • Lol. You got me.

    But! In fact, it is an excellent exercise to argue and go deep on the opposite of anything you're working on. I think lawyers do this when they're preparing for a trial. It really helps hone your original vision and strategies

    Podcast Addict
    5
    M4int
    a year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some feedback notes concern about perceived self-promotion from time to time, but the overall sentiment centers on usefulness and realism.
Listeners value consistent, actionable content and real founder stories.
Audiences appreciate the practical, down-to-earth guidance and the focus on bootstrapped SaaS.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 824 | Crowded Markets, Problem Aware, A Stolen Idea, and More Listener Questions (with Jordan Gal)
Q: What are your thoughts on using bank loans or lines of credit against signed contracts where cash won't arrive for 60+ days?
Consider debt options like Stripe Capital that are transparent and tied to a clear payback schedule; avoid over-reliance on contract revenue and ensure you can cover debt repayments even if contracts delay or default.
Episode 824 | Crowded Markets, Problem Aware, A Stolen Idea, and More Listener Questions (with Jordan Gal)
Q: How do you decide where to invest limited cash and engineering time when customer feedback is sparse?
Don't build ahead of paying customers in slow-moving regulated markets; wait for market pull and let the revenue justify feature development.
Episode 822 | No-code vs. A.I. Coding, SaaS Margins in the A.I. Age, and More Listener Questions (with Derrick Reimer)
Q: When is funding appropriate for a bootstrap or indie-founded SaaS, and what are the guiding factors in deciding to raise?
The hosts emphasize de-risking the business and achieving early traction before taking money. They discuss the 1-9-90 framework, and advise raising only when it clearly accelerates customer gain, not merely to extend runway. Valuation considerations, use of funds (sales/marketing vs. product build), and alignment with a mostly bootstrap narrative are highlighted as critical to avoid derailing future rounds.
Episode 822 | No-code vs. A.I. Coding, SaaS Margins in the A.I. Age, and More Listener Questions (with Derrick Reimer)
Q: What are your thoughts on no-code versus AI vibe coding, and how should a solo founder approach it in practice?
Derrick and Rob acknowledge that both paths have merits: no-code can enable non-developers to ship MVPs quickly, while AI-assisted coding helps technical founders move faster. The balance is determined by the founder's skills, the need for control, and the trajectory toward product-market fit; focus on solving real problems, validating with customers, and using the right mix of tools to accelerate progress without sacrificing maintainability.
Episode 820 | When to Quit Your Day Job, A.I. Feasibility Risk, and More Listener Questions (Rob Solo)
Q: Should I drop my lowest priced plan, keep it as a paying marketing channel, or convert it to a freemium plan?
Keep it if it feeds into higher plans. If not, consider dropping it due to high churn risks, as it can negatively impact metrics and company evaluation.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Startups For the Rest of Us

What is Startups For the Rest of Us about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A pragmatic, founder-focused show that concentrates on bootstrapped and indie SaaS businesses. Episodes frequently cover how to build, market, and scale software products without heavy VC funding, including founder-led marketing, product strategy, and practical growth tactics. Listeners tend to value realistic, down-to-earth guidance, actionable frameworks, and long-form conversations with practitioners who are actively running and growing SaaS companies. A notable strength is its consistency and emphasis on sustainable bootstrapping, community, and practical experimentation, making it useful for current and aspiring solo founders and small teams seeking proven approaches over hype.

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How many listeners does Startups For the Rest of Us get?

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What are the audience demographics for Startups For the Rest of Us?

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How many subscribers and views does Startups For the Rest of Us have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Startups For the Rest of Us has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Startups For the Rest of Us?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Startups For the Rest of Us:

1. The Startup Ideas Podcast
2. My First Million
3. The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors
4. REWORK
5. Y Combinator Startup Podcast

How many episodes of Startups For the Rest of Us are there?

Startups For the Rest of Us launched 16 years ago and published 329 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Startups For the Rest of Us?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Startups For the Rest of Us?

Recent guests on Startups For the Rest of Us include:

1. Tracy Osborn
2. Einar Vollset
3. Jay Clouse
4. Jason Cohen
5. Craig Hewitt
6. Philippe Lehoux
7. Laura Sprinkle
8. Colin Bartlett

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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