EP98 – The hard truth about bootstrapping startups (Part 2 with Jason Cohen)

I've been trying to learn how to program since 1985. This past year, at 38 years old, I finally figured out how.Questions we discuss in this episode:Is there only "one" way to learn how to code?Why is getting started SO HARD?How did Justin finally figure out a way to learn programming?Show notesGet the book: UltralearningScott's blogPDF: The science of cycologyThe latest from Justin:Want to start a podcast?My podcasting startup: Transistor.fmJoin Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinListen to my startup podcast: Build your SaaS★ Looking for a community of bootstrappers?Join MegaMaker Clu 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

James Clear describes how you can improve your life, using small incremental steps that add up to big wins.Questions we discuss in this episode:How does "what you repeatedly do" affect your identity?How does someone’s context affect their ability to set and maintain good habits? Are good habits only for people of privilege? How can you maintain habits for people with depression, anxiety or attention deficit?How to form habits when your schedule is not in your control? (if you have kids, etc...)If you do fall out of a habit, what should you do? Revive it, or let it go?What systems and tools can you use to help automate, facilitate or help ingrain healthy habits?Show notesGet the book: Atomic HabitsGet the habits journalSteven Pressfield: "Stevie Wonder’s territory is the piano. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s is the gym. When Bill Gates pulls into the parking lot at Microsoft, he’s on his territory"Seth Godin: "Who is it for, and what is it for?"Seth Godin: “People like us do things like this.”James Clear's AMA on RedditRead James' blog: JamesClear.comJames Clear: "Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become."Nir Eyal shuts off his internet every nightJames Clear: "When you're struggling with a new habit, your effort's not wasted, it's just being stored."The latest from Justin:My new startup: Transistor.fmPodcast in 2019!Join Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinListen to my startup podcast: Build your SaaSWant to start a podcast?★ Looking for a community of bootstrappers?Join MegaMaker ClubLooking for your app's first 100 customers? 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

Ben is the co-founder of Tuple.app and is running a new course called Habits for Hackers.★ Looking for a community of bootstrappers?Join MegaMaker ClubShow notesBen Orenstein on TwitterHabits for HackersMalcolm Gladwell and Rick Rubin talking about Johnny CashBen's working on a new product: Tuple.appBen's episode on Bootstrapped Web TinySeedEarnest CapitalBen's co-founder weekly retro questionslearntopair.com - Ben's guide to pair programmingArt of Product podcastBook: Atomic Habits by James ClearThe latest from Justin:My new startup: Transistor.fmPodcast in 2019!Join Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinSend Justin a message on Instagram: instagram.com/mijustin 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

Jason Cohen asks Justin Jackson hard questions about his startup, Transistor.fm, and what it's going to take to go full-time.This is the second half of our chat. Part 1 was really just setting the stage. Part 2 digs into the real-life challenges of bootstrapping a business.★ Looking for a community of bootstrappers?Join MegaMaker ClubShow notesPodcast in 2019!Justin's original tweetBlog post: Can you bootstrap on the side?Watch this interview on YouTubeJason Cohen on TwitterThe latest from Justin:My new startup: Transistor.fmJoin Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinSend Justin a message on Instagram: instagram.com/mijustin 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

When you're building a startup you have these questions:Should I work on my startup on the side, and grow it slowly?Should I take investment and go full-time sooner?These are the questions that have been circulating in my head over the past few months.Which is why when Jason Cohen, founder of WPengine and someone I respect, replied to my tweet, I took note:"It’s difficult to find successful companies where founders didn’t work 80+ hours and took longer than four years to get to $1M ARR. If you're two years in and you still need a day job then by definition it doesn’t have good fundamentals. I usually think of "$10k/month/founder" as a rough measure of whether you're ready for full-time. Saying that should take three years is wrong. It's hard to find that companies that live and took that long."Today we'll be digging into that! (Check back next week for Part 2)★ Looking for community of bootstrappers?Join MegaMaker ClubShow notesPodcast in 2019!Justin's original tweetBlog post: Can you bootstrap on the side?Watch this interview on YouTubeJason Cohen on TwitterWPEngine recently raised $250 millionThe latest from Justin:My new startup: Transistor.fmJoin Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinSend Justin a message on Instagram: instagram.com/mijustin 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

Hamish Macpherson is an engineer at Buffer, and was one of the first people to join MegaMaker.★ Looking for community of bootstrappers?Join MegaMaker ClubShow notesFollow Hamish Macherson on TwitterBufferHamish's Stand to Make side-projectThe latest from Justin:My new startup: Transistor.fmJoin Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinSend Justin a message on Instagram: instagram.com/mijustinSend Justin a message on Snapchat: @mijustin 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

This is a great chat with Samantha Geitz, a Senior Developer at Tighten, and the founder of BetaFish.Topics in this episode: Should "business/marketing" people learn programming?What's the difference between messing around and being a serious programmer?Do regular programmers Google for answers?Why English Majors can make great programmers.If you want to learn hard things, do you need to be in a classroom?Why should take a mental health day when you need it.Announcement:Want to speak at a tech conference? I'm doing class called "public speaking for geeks." More info here.Show notesSamantha Geitz on TwitterTighten.coBattle.Tighten.coSamantha's new startup: BetaFishCoinPress.ccSamantha's blog post: "How I overcame my fear of public speaking"Stuff from Justin...My new startup: Transistor.fmLooking for community? Join MegaMaker ClubJoin Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinSend Justin a message on Instagram: instagram.com/mijustinSend Justin a message on Snapchat: @mijustinThanks to...Podcast hosting: Transistor.fm 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

So many great topics in this episode: Should developers learn design?Derrick's "viral signup" trickHow important is a personal brand?How to promote your project (while you're still building it)Do software companies need to become more service oriented?Announcement:I'm having a birthday sale! Go to megamaker.co/birthday and get up to 38% off Marketing for Developers, my books, and Product Validation Checklist!Show notesThis is the recording from the Art of Product Podcast. Full episode will be there!Ben Orenstein on TwitterDerrick Reimer on TwitterDerrick's new app: level.appStuff from Justin...My new startup: Transistor.fmStartup announcementHow do you validate your idea? megamaker.co/validateJoin Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinSend Justin a message on Instagram: instagram.com/mijustinSend Justin a message on Snapchat: @mijustinThanks to...Podcast hosting: Transistor.fm 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

I'm building a new SaaS in 2018 with my buddy Jon Buda called Transistor.fm. Now, we're trying to figure out our pricing. We're trying not to pretend we know everything there is to know about running a SaaS.So, we wanted to reach out to some experts and get outside opinions about how to create our pricing tiers. So I asked Patrick Campbell, from Price Intelligently, to help give us some direction. He blew my mind. This conversation is incredible, you're going to get so much out of it.Two announcements:Want to validate your product idea? Productvalidationchecklist.com is launching soon.Now is your last chance to get Marketing for Developers. Use the the code "summer2018" and get $50 off. In July, I'm taking it off my store so I can relaunch it in October. (If you buy now, you get future updates).Show notesJon and I discussed pricing on Build Your SaaSPatrick Campbell on Twitter: @patticusPatrick's free pricing software for SaaS: profitwell.comPrice Intelligently's bookStuff from Justin...My new startup: Transistor.fmStartup announcementHow do you validate your idea? megamaker.co/validateJoin Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinSend Justin a message on Instagram: instagram.com/mijustinSend Justin a message on Snapchat: @mijustinThanks to...Podcast hosting: Transistor.fm 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!

Mike Taber (Bluetick) and Rob Walling (Drip) started MicroConf in 2011 as a conference for self-funded startups. It's gone from just over 100 attendees to nearly 500. It's become the place for bootstrappers to hang out.Get $100 off MicroConf Starter EditionGo to megamaker.co/microconf or text "microconf" to (424) 247-5762.Show notesRead the 2018 MicroConf GuideRegister for MicroConfGet $100 off Starter EditionTED - how to make a great presentationDeckSet - make amazing slidesDraftsend - Hiten Shah's new slidesharing appMike Taber on TwitterBluetick - Mike's software companyThe Startups for the Rest of Us podcastStuff from Justin...My new startup: Transistor.fmStartup announcementHow do you validate your idea? megamaker.co/validateJoin Justin's newsletter justinjackson.ca/newsletterSend Justin a message on Twitter: @mijustinSend Justin a message on Instagram: instagram.com/mijustinSend Justin a message on Snapchat: @mijustinThanks to...Podcast hosting: Transistor.fmTheme music: Striker-metal.com★ Thinking about how to validate your product? megamaker.co/validate ★ 🎙️ Podcast hosting is provided by Transistor.fm.📺 Learn how to start your own podcast!