In this episode, I chat with Pauline Clavelou, founder of AICrea, an AI-powered SaaS for real estate agents. Pauline shares her journey from data scientist at IBM to indie maker, discussing the challenges and successes of building AI products. We dive into her experience growing AICrea to $8K MRR, her approach to sales, and the valuable lessons she's learned along the way. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 03:29 From IBM to entrepreneurship 08:08 Early projects and failures 12:42 The birth of AICrea 18:37 Challenges in AI development 25:29 Growing AICrea to $8K MRR 31:00 Sales strategies for introverts 38:41 The importance of personal branding 47:11 Dealing with administrative tasks 54:55 The value of entrepreneurial experience 1:02:14 Advice for aspiring indie makers Links: IACrea: https://iacrea.com Pauline's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pauline_Cx Pauline's Newsletter: https://paulinecx.beehiiv.com/ CapGo: https://capgo.app

🚀 Discover how Philipp Keller, a 46-year-old side project builder, turned his SEO knowledge into a thriving indie hacker success story! In this episode, we dive deep into Philipp's journey with SEO Kickstarter, a Notion-based guide that helps indie makers boost their SEO. Learn how he: • Started with a shared flat platform and discovered the power of backlinks • Launched SEO Kickstarter and made $3,500 in just 24 hours • Balances a full-time job, family life, and side projects • Leveraged his 9-to-5 experience for indie hacker success • Overcame burnout and found renewed energy through exercise

🔑 Key takeaways: The importance of starting with B2C projects to learn How to communicate your product effectively's value The power of honest and open communication in sales Balancing work, life, and side projects as an older indie hacker Links: 👉 Follow Philipp on Twitter: https://x.com/philkellr 👉 Check out SEO Kickstarter: https://backl.io/directory Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Background 02:14 Starting as an Indie Maker 05:16 Challenges of Balancing Work and Side Projects 07:17 Discovering the Importance of Backlinks and SEO 09:06 Building Backlinks through Cold Email Outreach 19:21 Lessons Learned and Success Achieved 32:55 Automated Outreach and Messaging Strategy 40:13 The Importance of Marketing and Communication 46:45 Internal Marketing for Customer Retention 53:58 The Challenges and Importance of Marketing 01:05:06 The Benefits of Working in a 9-to-5 Job 01:07:59 Confidence and Transparency in Sales 01:12:04 Overcoming Struggles and Maintaining a Positive Mindset 01:18:06 Exploring the Benefits of Microdosing 01:23:47 The Philosophy of Free Will

🚀 Discover how Thomas Sanlis turned a simple directory for front-end developers into a thriving indie business! In this episode, we dive deep into Thomas' journey with Uneed, a platform that helps developers launch and showcases their products. Learn about: ✅ The origins of Uneed as a side project to test Nuxt.js ✅ How Thomas grew Uneed to generate $1,500-$2,000 per month ✅ The power of programmatic SEO in driving traffic and growth ✅ Balancing teaching and entrepreneurship ✅ The challenges of social media and dealing with criticism ✅ Key lessons learned on the indie hacker journey Thomas shares valuable insights on persistence, learning to delegate, and the importance of "thinking less, doing more" in the world of indie hacking. Whether you're a developer, aspiring entrepreneur, or just curious about the indie maker journey, this episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiration. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments! #IndieHacking #SideProjects #Entrepreneurship #WebDevelopment Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Background 08:30 Evolution of UNIID 13:24 Teaching and Side Projects 17:43 The Power of Programmatic SEO 22:14 Automating UNIID and Building Passive Income 28:33 Launching New Projects and Embracing Challenges 32:00 Coding on Paper and the Importance of Creativity 36:15 Patience and the Indie Hacking Journey 44:52 Believing in Yourself and Overcoming Doubt 57:55 The Importance of Taking Action and Doing 01:05:41 Delegating and Focusing on the Big Picture 01:07:40 Connect with Thomas Sarlis on Twitter Links: - https://uneed.best - His twitter: https://x.com/T_Zahil

Join us for an inspiring chat with Andrei, an indie hacker extraordinaire! 🎉 🔍 Discover Andrei's entrepreneurial path: Building websites as a high school teen 👨‍💻 Learning from failures (hello, web dev agency!) 📚 Exploring side hustles in affiliate marketing and e-commerce 💼 Creating a million-dollar homepage for crypto 💰 🤖 Dive into Andrei's latest venture: Taft, an AI aggregator! Challenges of scaling a business The power of AI newsletters How AI is revolutionizing software development Plus, we explore: 📧 AI's impact on email marketing 🔧 Building Chrome extensions with AI 🔮 The future of AI tools and job markets 🗣️ Don't miss our chat about: AI managers: The future of objective decision-making? Voice chat with ChatGPT for emotional processing Apple Vision Pro: Revolutionary or just hype? 💡 Indie hacker wisdom: The importance of monitoring and notifications Why bootstrapping beats VC funding Allocating marketing budgets for success 🎙️ Memorable quote: "Only the brave" - Andrei's mantra for indie hackers Links: - His Website: http://taaft.com - His Twitter: https://x.com/imakecoolsites - Mine: https://x.com/martindonadieu - Capgo: https://capgo.app Ready to level up your indie hacker game? This episode is packed with insights you can't miss! 🔥 👍 Like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell for more indie hacker inspiration! 🔔 #IndieHacker #AITechnology #Entrepreneurship #StartupJourney

In this episode, we dive deep into Alexander Isora's fascinating journey as a maker! 💡 🔍 Discover how Alexander went from selling newspapers as a kid to creating successful SaaS products 🎯 Learn why niche-down tools are the secret sauce to building a thriving business 🌟 Explore the power of building in public and leveraging communities like IndieHackers We also chat about: 📊 The magic of side projects and free tools for attracting users 📱 Brainstorming ideas for Martin's mobile app builder platform, CapGo 📜 The potential of displaying changelogs in apps and creating a changelog directory 🖼️ Alexander's side project, SaaS Pages - a stunning showcase of website screenshots Plus, don't miss our discussions on: 💰 Finding purpose beyond money in your projects 💼 Pricing strategies and making products accessible 🏡 Our dreams of building sustainable villages 🌍 The importance of seeing the good in others Packed with valuable insights, this episode is a must-watch for aspiring makers and seasoned entrepreneurs alike! 🎉 Links: 📺 Check out Alexander's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@alexanderisorax 🐦 Follow him on Twitter for more wisdom: https://x.com/alexanderisorax 👽 Check Alexander's SaaS: https://paracast.io/ Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell to stay updated on more inspiring maker stories! 🔔 Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Alexander's Journey as a Maker 15:37 Creating Unicorn Platform and the Power of Niche Down Tools 23:46 Using Side Projects as Free Tools for Growth 28:08 Brainstorming Ideas for Free Tools in the Mobile App Builder Space 33:54 Changelogs and Interesting Examples 38:32 SaaS Pages: Showcasing Beautiful Screenshots 41:50 Finding Purpose Beyond Money 49:27 Pricing and Revenue Optimization 53:38 Making CapGo Affordable and Accessible 01:03:36 Building Relationships with Other Companies 01:04:26 Navigating the Challenges of Companies and Investors 01:07:27 Building a Village and Embracing a Natural Lifestyle 01:09:24 Seeing the Good in People and Avoiding Labels 01:12:08 The Effort Behind Creating Content on YouTube 01:31:14 Supporting the Podcast: Rate and Review

John Rush shares his journey from bootstrapping startups to entering the VC world and eventually discovering the joy of bootstrapping again. He discusses the challenges and drawbacks of the VC world, such as the pressure to have a large team and the need to constantly raise money. He also reflects on his experiences as an angel investor and the lessons he learned from his investments. John emphasizes the importance of being passionate about the work you do and the value of having a strong family and community. The conversation explores the satisfaction and fulfillment that comes from creating products that bring value and happiness to users. The speakers discuss the joy they feel when users express gratitude for their products and how it motivates them to continue improving. They also touch on the importance of solving real problems and making a positive impact. The conversation delves into the advantages of bootstrapping and the potential of the bootstrap world to compete with VC-backed startups. They envision a future where open source and micro-SaaS tools thrive, allowing for specialization and innovation. They also discuss the idea of implementing a royalty system for open-source projects. The conversation explores the potential for increased innovation and faster evolution in software development. The guests discuss the benefits of open-source collaboration and the ability to quickly adjust and improve existing software. They highlight the importance of finding meaning and purpose in one's work, and the value of owning and creating something. They also touch on the negative effects of sedentary computer work and the need for a balanced lifestyle. The conversation concludes with a discussion on building products for future trends rather than past trends. The conversation concludes with a discussion about the importance of creating a community focused on making and producing rather than consuming. The concept of the Indie Maker Village is introduced as a place where the mainstream agenda is centered around creation. The conversation also touches on the negative effects of excessive consumption and the need to limit access to cheap dopamine. The benefits of open-source projects and the trustworthiness of bootstrapped companies are highlighted. The importance of enjoying the journey and finding happiness in the process rather than solely focusing on the outcome is emphasized. The episode ends with a recommendation for the next guest and the invitation for listeners to reach out with feedback or questions. Links: → Marsx.dev → Unicornplatform.com website builder. → Devhunt.org Open Source PH alternative for dev tools → SeoBotAI.com SEO on 100% autopilot. zero actions needed. → Listingbott.com lists a tool on up to 1000 directories with 1 click for traffic/backlinks → AllGPTs.co most popular custom GPT directory in the world → filmgrail.com cinema SaaS platform. Powers cinemas on all continents, processing over $50M in ticket sales a year → lorem.space image placeholder api → marketsy.ai e-commerce and marketplaces powered by AI → uigenerator.org generate UI mockups for your website → cofondr.com cofounder as a service for busy solo makers → indexrusher.com index your new pages really fast, in just hours → saasemailer.com dead simple emailers/CRM for solo makers → nextjsstarter.com directory of all NextJS starters and boilerplates → startupstools.com startup tools used by famous makers → osssoftware.org vetted OSS alternatives for the tool you pay for - https://capgo.app - https://solos.ventures Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:16 From Bootstrapping to the VC World 08:48 Discovering the Value of Bootstrapping 12:16 The Importance of Honesty in Business 15:19 The Challenges of Investing 28:22 The Value of Passion and Building 28:49 Creating Value and Happiness for Users 34:19 The Motivation of User Gratitude 43:34 The Advantages of Bootstrapping 52:28 The Potential of the Bootstrap World 57:11 The Rise of Open Source and Micro-SaaS 01:00:13 Incentivizing Collaboration with Royalties 01:03:04 Accelerating Innovation 01:05:38 The Power of Collaboration 01:09:18 Helping Each Other Out 01:13:34 Finding Meaning in Work 01:16:55 Balancing Work and Life 01:21:09 Building for the Future 01:35:45 Creating a Community of Makers 01:37:12 The Negative Effects of Excessive Consumption 01:42:23 The Importance of Enjoying the Journey 02:02:46 Invitation for Feedback and Questions

Summary Dan Kulkov shares his journey as an entrepreneur, from building indie products with his wife to focusing on AI wrappers around marketing. He discusses the challenges and lessons learned, emphasizing the importance of customer support and the value of niche-focused products. The conversation also delves into the dynamics of working as a couple and the mindset of growth in startups. The conversation covers various topics related to product development, marketing, AI tools, and the use of no-code/low-code platforms. It delves into the importance of understanding user needs, the value of research, and the significance of asking the right questions. The discussion also explores the business model of Founderpal and the challenges and benefits of using AI and no-code tools in product development. The conversation covers topics such as product focus, marketing strategies, pricing, and traffic generation. Dan Kulkov shares insights on building a second paid product, the importance of email collection, and the significance of marketing funnels. He also discusses the limitations of relying on Twitter and Product Hunt for marketing, and the value of SEO in the early stages of a product. Links: - https://founderpal.ai - https://makerbox.club - https://smooz.co - https://x.com/DanKulkov - https://capgo.app - https://solos.ventures

Summary Elston shares his journey from being a software engineer to becoming a successful solo entrepreneur. He discusses his early projects, the challenges he faced, and the strategies he employed to achieve success. The conversation also delves into the importance of marketing, the role of SEO, and the value of releasing features in beta. Elston emphasizes the need for iterative development and the significance of user feedback in product improvement. The conversation covers a range of topics including user experience, product development, project management, startup experiences, and the importance of bootstrapping. It delves into the challenges and insights of building and managing software products, as well as the significance of user feedback and market validation. The conversation also explores the dynamics of exiting a project, the impact of VC funding, and the value of building niche, bootstrapped businesses. Additionally, it highlights the role of expertise and interest in driving successful product development. The conversation covers topics related to revenue optimization, the introduction of free plans, the importance of mentorship, and the significance of community in entrepreneurship. It also delves into the concept of IndieMaker journey and the value of finding a mentor who is slightly ahead of you. The conversation concludes with a discussion on favorite quotes and recommendations for future podcast guests. Links: - https://x.com/_baretto - https://tiiny.host/ - https://x.com/RamenClubHQ - https://capgo.app - https://solos.ventures Chapters 00:00 Navigating User Experience and Product Development 52:10 The Dynamics of Startup Experiences and Project Exit 59:52 The Impact of VC Funding and Bootstrapping in Niche Businesses 01:03:46 Optimizing Revenue and Free Plans 01:13:04 The Power of Mentorship and Community in Entrepreneurship 01:13:49 IndieMaker Journey and Founder Vision 01:24:50 Favorite Quotes and Future Podcast Guests