How Kevin Surace Built 95 Patents with Decades of AI Experience

In this interview, Denis Yurchak shares how he turned Skype's shutdown into Yadaphone, grew it to more than 20,000 users, and reached $17,500 in monthly revenue in a little over a year. He also explains how he launched eSIMPal, a second travel-focused venture that is already making about $2,000 per month. Denis explains the marketing tactics, pricing choices, customer outreach, and automation systems behind both products. He shows how he validated demand, won users through listicle outreach, kept pricing low-friction, and used automation to manage support as a solo founder. It's a detailed look at how to build quickly, find demand, and turn simple ideas into revenue.   Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & ResourcesLearn more about Yadaphone: https://www.yadaphone.com/ Check how you can use eSIMPal: https://www.getesimpal.com/ Follow Denis: https://x.com/denisyurchak    Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative 

In this episode of the Niche Pursuits podcast, Kevin Surace shares lessons from building companies across 30 industries, earning 95 patents, and working in AI since the 1990s. He explains how founders can spot problems people are willing to pay to solve, why timing matters, and what gives businesses lasting power today. Kevin also explains why more than 5,000 AI companies have been funded while only a small fraction may succeed, and how creators and business owners can work in an AI-first way. The interview gives concrete examples of product-market fit, positioning, market timing, and the mistakes that stall promising startups today.   Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & ResourcesLearn more about Kevin: https://www.kevinsurace.com/ Connect via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksurace/ Follow @kevinsurace on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinsurace/ Follow him on X: https://x.com/kevinsurace Visit @kevin_surace's posts on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kevin_surace Check out Kevin's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.surace/ Watch @kskoolstuff on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kskoolstuff Get 'The Joy-Success Cycle' book: https://www.joysuccesscycle.com/   Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative 

Carrie Forrest shares how Google updates and AI Overviews cut her food blog traffic by 80%, dropping monthly page views from nearly 1 million to about 200,000. In this interview, she explains how ad income fell from roughly $20,000 to $30,000 a month to about $4,000 to $5,000, while Amazon earnings dropped from about $35,000 a year to around $150 to $200 a month. She also walks through what she tried that did not work, including workshops, tips, and an AI video. Then she explains what is showing promise now, including email, short-form video, and private affiliates. Learn which strategies fell flat, which ones are still producing results, and how Carrie is reshaping her business after a massive traffic and revenue drop.   Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & Resources - Visit the Clean Eating Kitchen: https://www.cleaneatingkitchen.com/ - Subscribe to Clean Eating Kitchen's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/cleaneatingkitchen - Follow Carrie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatingcarrie - Learn more about her community: https://www.facebook.com/Cleaneatingcarrie/ - Explore Carrie's healthy recipes here: https://www.pinterest.com/cleaneatingkitchen/   Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter   Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative  

In this episode, Jared Bauman sits down with Chris Panteli of Linkifi to break down why earned links, high-PR mentions, and trust signals matter more than ever for SEO, LLM visibility, and AI Overviews. Chris explains how journalists evaluate pitches in the AI era, what business owners should avoid, and where AI can help without harming credibility. He also shares practical ways to earn media coverage today, from HARO-style platforms to local media opportunities that many brands overlook. If you want a smarter approach to digital PR, brand authority, and staying visible in search as AI changes the rules, this conversation lays out what is changing and what to do about it. Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & Resources Get the free press coverage cheat sheet: https://go.linkifi.io/press-coverage-cheat-sheet-page Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-panteli/ Follow Chris and Linkifi: https://x.com/Linkifi_ Learn more about digital PR link building: https://www.linkifi.io/   Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative 

In this episode, Data Coach Claire breaks down why Amazon Influencer is not dead, but why the old easy-money strategies are no longer enough. She shares how she is on track for around $100K while working about 15 hours a week, plus what her data reveals about watch time, carousel placement, and product depreciation. You'll hear why average view duration may matter far more than conversion rate, and why 30- to 60-second videos may now be too short. Data Coach Claire also explains why Creator Connections, smarter product research, and strategic product purchases are becoming essential for serious creators.   Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & ResourcesVisit Data Coach Claire's website: https://stan.store/datacoachclaire Get this free AIP data report: https://stan.store/datacoachclaire/p/survey-report-data-from-200-amazon-influencers    Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative 

In this episode, Jared Bauman sits down with François Mommens to discover how he built three SEO SaaS companies, including Linkody, IndexChecker, and LinkStorm. François shares the full founder journey, from an early failed business to growing Linkody over 13 years, reaching a few hundred paid customers, and relying entirely on organic traffic rather than paid ads. They also get into pricing experiments, competition from major SEO brands, product expansion, AI, work-life balance, and the "fake truths" many founders believe about success. If you want an honest look at building SaaS in the SEO world, this conversation is packed with lessons, surprises, and hard-earned perspective.   Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & Resources Learn more about Linkody: https://www.linkody.com/ Visit Index Checkr here: https://indexcheckr.com/ See how Link Storm works: https://linkstorm.io/ Connect with François: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flmommens/ Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative 

In this interview, Christopher Gimmer shares how he grew Snappa from an early SaaS idea into a business that reached $1.5 million in ARR, including the painful rebuild that happened right after launch. He breaks down the SEO and content flywheel that drove growth, the pricing lessons he learned, and why timing matters so much when building or selling a software company. Christopher also talks about launching GoodMetrics, why he sees a big opportunity in simple analytics, and how he is approaching product design differently this time around. The conversation wraps with a fascinating look at how AI is changing SaaS, marketing, and even how founders should build products for future AI agents.   Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & Resources Learn more about Snappa: https://snappa.com Explore Goodmetrics: https://goodmetrics.io Connect with Christopher: https://chrisgimmer.com See Christopher's new side project: https://srqweekly.com   Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative 

Vi Wickam joins the Niche Pursuits podcast to compare Google Ads and SEO, showing where each channel fits and how business owners can decide when to invest in one or both. He shares lessons for e-commerce and local service businesses, including why Google Ads may take 2 to 3 months to refine, why a 2x ROAS can still fall short, and how poor campaign setup can waste a serious budget.  The interview also covers Local Service Ads, high-intent keywords, and how paid search data can shape a stronger long-term SEO strategy. It's a clear conversation for anyone looking to drive more traffic, leads, and growth without wasting time or money.   Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & ResourcesVisit Wizard of Ads Online: https://www.wizardofadsonline.com/ Connect with Vi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viwickam/ Follow and join Vi here: https://www.facebook.com/vi.wickam Watch The Fiddler's performances: https://www.youtube.com/vithefiddler Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative 

Denise Cruz shares how she pivoted after Google's Helpful Content Update wiped out her travel blog traffic and income, forcing her to rethink her entire business. In this interview, she breaks down how she went from earning about $6,000 a month from blogging to building a travel advisor business that grew to nearly $2 million in commissionable sales in just a few years. She also explains the systems, sales funnel, client referrals, and EEAT-driven strategy that helped her gain traction fast with a service-based website. It's an inspiring and practical conversation for anyone wondering how to turn niche expertise into a more resilient business.   Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & Resources Learn more about Denise: https://denise.travel/   Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative 

In this episode of the Niche Pursuits podcast, Jared sits down with Corey Ganim to break down AI automation that drives results, starting with a simple ROI filter: effectiveness, efficiency, and customer experience. Corey shares his AOA sequence (Audit, Optimize, Automate) so you stop automating messy 12-step processes and start building repeatable systems with AI. You'll hear the difference between AI agents and reusable skills and "speed to lead" replies. Walk away with three clear takeaways: how to choose the right workflows to automate, how to simplify them before automating, and how to build repeatable AI skills you can reuse across your business.   Sponsor: Quiet LightGet a free, confidential valuation at https://quietlight.com/! Links & ResourcesTake the quiz to get your free AI action plan: https://returnmytime.com/quiz Learn more about Return My Time: https://returnmytime.com/ Connect with Corey: https://x.com/coreyganim   Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative