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The security industry has a math problem: 12 million job postings, only 7 million qualified professionals. The solution? AI. Edward Wu spent nearly a decade at ExtraHop, pioneering AI-driven security detection. But instead of just alerting security teams about potential threats, he saw a bigger opportunity — what if AI could act as an actual security analyst? That question led to Dropzone, a company that's not just throwing AI at security but strategically using it to solve one of the most overwhelming problems in the industry — alert fatigue. In this episode of Founded & Funded, Edward and Partner Vivek Ramaswami dive into: The "aha moment" that led Edward to leave a successful career to start Dropzone Why most AI security startups will fail, and what it takes to stand out How Dropzone landed UiPath as a customer—without a single cold email The future of security in an AI-first world Watch/Listen to the full conversation for insights from Edward on what it takes to build in one of the most competitive categories in security today. Transcript: https://www.madrona.com/dropzones-edward-wu-security/ Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:40) Edward Wu's Journey into Security (02:48) The ExtraHop Experience (05:10) The Leap to Entrepreneurship (07:59) The Aha Moment: Founding Dropzone (10:28) AI's Role in Security (16:30) Navigating the Competitive Landscape (19:15) Marketing and Customer Acquisition Strategies (21:30) Landing a big-name customer without cold outreach (25:40) Push v. pull when selling into security (28:25) ChatGPT was startups' greatest marketing gift (30:18) Lessons Learned as a Solo Founder
Databases are hard. Making the right choices early and keeping things running smoothly even when budget pressures and customer requests start piling on — that's the hard part that many solopreneurs and indie founders struggle with.I certainly do.So here's a journey through my learnings and experiences from running SaaS offerings with sizeable —talking about terabytes of data— databases.The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/indie-hacking-databases-at-scale/ The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/374-indie-hacking-databases-at-scaleCheck out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fmSend me a voicemail on Podline: https://podline.fm/arvidYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comHere are a few tools I use. Using my affiliate links will support my work at no additional cost to you.- Notion (which I use to organize, write, coordinate, and archive my podcast + newsletter): https://affiliate.notion.so/465mv1536drx- Riverside.fm (that's what I recorded this episode with): https://riverside.fm/?via=arvid- TweetHunter (for speedy scheduling and writing Tweets): http://tweethunter.io/?via=arvid- HypeFury (for massive Twitter analytics and scheduling): https://hypefury.com/?via=arvid60- AudioPen (for taking voice notes and getting amazing summaries): https://audiopen.ai/?aff=PXErZ- Descript (for word-based video editing, subtitles, and clips): https://www.descript.com/?lmref=3cf39Q- ConvertKit (for email lists, newsletters, even finding sponsors): https://convertkit.com?lmref=bN9CZw
Brad and Amy dive into their year-end tech reflections, discussing goal-setting strategies and Amy's ambitious Build 12 project for 2025. The hosts explore various database hosting solutions, share their favorite hardware purchases including cameras and peripherals, and examine how AI tools are reshaping development workflows. The episode concludes with insights into emerging tech trends and anticipated developments for 2025.Chapter Marks00:00 Episode introduction and host intros00:41 Year-end goals discussion and 12-week planning02:02 Amy's Build 12 project announcement03:01 Goal setting strategies and focus04:25 Brad's 2024 goals review05:35 Travel plans and New York City trips06:58 More 2024 goals: fitness, career, and finances08:21 Technical stack discussion13:22 AI tools and development workflows17:19 Database hosting options comparison25:45 Tech gear and hardware updates33:47 Notable tech purchases review43:29 AI tools and future tech discussionLinksBuild Twelve, by Brian P. Moran - Amy's upcoming projectThe 12 Week Year (book)Atomic Habits, by James Clear (book)The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg (book)SupabaseNeon databaseDigital OceanTursoCursor IDERemarkable Tablet (v2)Oura RingRazer Basilisk V3 Pro mouseSwish app for MacNuphy Air 75 keyboardDrop keyboardInsta360 One cameraInsta360 Go 3 cameraNikon ZFC cameraRay Deck - Episode 182: Low-Code as a Medium For High-Speed DevelopersMarc LouPieter LevelsWorkOSThe Best Way to Add Authentication to Your Astro Website (Amy's YouTube Video)Comparing Frameworks - Amy's projectGitHub CopilotClaudeconvertkit.comloops.soPrisma
The Top Entrepreneurs in Money, Marketing, Business and Life
Witamy w kolejnym odcinku "Startup My Way" z Boguszem Pękalskim! Dziś. Naszym gościem jest Grzegorz Słota, założyciel i CEO startupu Behired. Opowiemy o jego inspirującej drodze od programisty do przedsiębiorcy, przełomowych momentach w karierze oraz wyzwaniach, jakie napotkał na swojej ścieżce zawodowej. Grzegorz podzieli się z nami historią swojego pierwszego projektu, nauką wykorzystania no-code i integracji z OpenAI do tworzenia aplikacji, a także przemyśleniami na temat efektywnego zarządzania startupem bez zewnętrznych inwestorów. Dowiecie się również, jak stworzył narzędzie do pisania listów motywacyjnych, które pomaga ludziom na całym świecie w procesie rekrutacji. Zapraszamy do słuchania! 00:00 Wstęp do rozmowy z Grzegorzem Słotą 02:34 Decyzja o założeniu własnego biznesu 05:10 Poprzedni projekt i jego wyzwania 08:22 Samodzielne rozwijanie pierwszego projektu w czasie pełnoetatowej pracy 11:45 Przerwa w projektach, budowa domu i nowe pomysły 15:08 Powstanie Behired i wykorzystanie wcześniejszego doświadczenia 18:21 Proces zakupu subskrypcji na Behired 21:43 Odchodzenie z etatu i pełne zaangażowanie w startup 24:59 Skupienie na biznesie 28:35 Bootstrapowanie i samowystarczalność Behired 31:27 Integracja z Bubble.io i OpenAI 35:40 Walidacji pomysłów 38:22 Reklama w Google Ads i pierwsze rezultaty sprzedażowe 42:09 Skalowanie biznesu i rozważania o rynkach zagranicznych 45:50 Ustalanie cen subskrypcji w różnych krajach 48:35 Google Ads jako główne źródło płatnego ruchu 51:59 Strategie SEO i budowanie wartościowego contentu 55:14 Rady dla początkujących founderów 58:36 Polecane lektury i podcasty ✔ Dołącz do społeczności: ▸ Twórcy Aplikacji SaaS: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tworcy.aplikacji.saas/
From no recruitment experience to solo founder billing £1m a year– @Paul de Rozarieux's Journey in RecruitmentThis week on The RAG Podcast, I'm joined by an incredible guest, Paul de Rozarieux, founder of Fusion Search. Paul's story is truly one of a kind. With zero recruitment experience, Paul built his business from scratch, growing it into a seven-figure success without formal training or support.But there's more to Paul's story than just numbers. After 20 years of running a generalist recruitment firm focusing on change and transformation in FinTech, Paul has decided to take a bold new direction. He's launching Beyond the Founder, a new venture aimed at helping ambitious recruitment companies avoid the mistakes he made and scale successfully.In this episode, we dive deep into:How Paul built a seven-figure business from nothing.His decision to pivot after feeling unfulfilled despite his financial success.Why checking in with yourself and finding your passion is crucial as an entrepreneur.If you're looking for inspiration, advice on scaling, or insights into finding joy in your work again, this is an episode you don't want to miss!Chapters00:00 Introduction to Paul de Rozarieux03:04 Paul's Unique Entry into Recruitment05:56 The Early Days of Fusion Search09:01 Navigating Challenges and Finding Success11:49 The Evolution of Business Strategy14:55 Financial Growth and Personal Reflections18:06 Balancing Work and Family Life20:54 The Pressure of Success and Self-Worth24:13 Future Aspirations and Lessons Learned31:18 Navigating the Challenges of Solo Entrepreneurship32:42 The Importance of Strategic Hiring33:12 The Journey of Niche Recruitment35:30 Adapting to Market Changes During COVID39:31 Recognising Burnout and the Need for Change42:43 Exploring Personal Branding and Networking46:52 Finding Passion in Recruitment50:12 Building a Strong Business Infrastructure54:17 Identifying Key Challenges for Founders57:41 Establishing Effective Leadership Routines_______________________________________________Episode Sponsor: UntappedUntapped is THE market leader and go-to agency for finding and hiring tried-and-tested offshore talent into UK, US and Australian-based recruitment companies.They're providing top-class TEAMMATES, NOT OUTSOURCES! We use Untapped for Hoxo's own offshore hires, and it's been a total game-changer for our team. No one else can compete with the quality of their network, their in-depth candidate assessment process or their time to hire. If hiring elite-level overseas talent into your business to boost sales and increase productivity whilst saving yourself a huge amount in employment costs isn't on your radar for 2024, it should be!Untapped are hiring recruitment, sales, marketing and support staff into recruitment agencies of all shapes, sizes and specialisms globally and they are growing rapidly!Join the waiting list today so you don't miss out on the next cohort of business-launching hiring projects. https://bit.ly/47GGdvZ_______________________________________________Episode Sponsor: HoxoReady to find 25+ warm leads within 7 days on LinkedIn?As a recruiter, most of the working day is spent chasing people via cold outreach on LinkedIn.This method is super time-consuming, and most people don't reply because they simply don't know or trust you.But it can be different...If you follow the process in this document, you will hack the LinkedIn Algorithm in just 15 minutes daily and drive warm leads whenever you want them.A warm lead is a person who...
In this episode of the Business of Laravel podcast, Matt Stauffer interviews Jason McCreary, the founder of Shift. They discuss Jason's role and journey in the Laravel community, the functionality of Laravel Shift as an automation tool for upgrading Laravel versions, and the importance of keeping Laravel applications up to date. Jason shares his experience in building a successful SaaS product for developers, offers advice for aspiring founders and business owners, and discusses the unique challenges and rewards of being a solo founder.Matt Stauffer TwitterTighten WebsiteJason McCreary TwitterShiftJason's Twitter ThreadJason's Video on Adding an SMS Admin Action to Download LogsJason's Article on SMS admin in 8 lines of codeOrigin story of Shift-----Editing and transcription sponsored by Tighten.
“I didn't see it coming.” I had to admit that to myself a few times recently.Over the last couple of weeks, I've been experiencing several issues with Podscan that only came to pass because I didn't really have any observability on my system. At least that's what I know now.Today, let me share my early-stage learnings about system observability in this distributed, data-centric SaaS of mine. Even if you don't have a software business or don't operate with millions of data feeds every single day, there's still something insightful in here that I will, not just likely, but guaranteed, take into my future business efforts.This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fmThe blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/observability-in-software-businesses/The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/348-observability-in-software-businessesCheck out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fmSend me a voicemail on Podline: https://podline.fm/arvidYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comHere are a few tools I use. Using my affiliate links will support my work at no additional cost to you.- Notion (which I use to organize, write, coordinate, and archive my podcast + newsletter): https://affiliate.notion.so/465mv1536drx- Riverside.fm (that's what I recorded this episode with): https://riverside.fm/?via=arvid- TweetHunter (for speedy scheduling and writing Tweets): http://tweethunter.io/?via=arvid- HypeFury (for massive Twitter analytics and scheduling): https://hypefury.com/?via=arvid60- AudioPen (for taking voice notes and getting amazing summaries): https://audiopen.ai/?aff=PXErZ- Descript (for word-based video editing, subtitles, and clips): https://www.descript.com/?lmref=3cf39Q- ConvertKit (for email lists, newsletters, even finding sponsors): https://convertkit.com?lmref=bN9CZw
In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Esther Rupenovic of Jack & Chelo shares her journey of scaling the business to an impressive $1.2 million in revenue. From starting as a solo founder, Esther expanded her team to five and doubled sales, thanks to strategic use of Shopify. Discover her insights on driving business growth, building a successful team, and achieving remarkable financial milestones. Other Resources: Starting with $10k in 2004, losing it all, now $27M in sales and 55 staff selling fitness products. (Ben Crowley) Mastering team growth, hiring top talent, and building a thriving culture for success. (Lesley van Tuil) Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Esther Rupenovic says the hardest part of growing a small business is being a solo founder and having to handle everything. From marketing and customer service to managing staff and systems, the sheer number of tasks can be overwhelming. She started with a passion for cooking but now juggles many different responsibilities. What's your favourite business book that has helped you the most? Esther Rupenovic's favorite business book that has helped her the most is Winging It by Emma Isaacs. It was the first business book she read, and it resonated with her early in her journey. She also enjoys reading The E-Myth and has Shoe Dog by Phil Knight on her reading list. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Esther Rupenovic recommends three main podcasts that she listens to on repeat for growing a small business: Grow A Small Business by Troy Trewin, Hammersley Brothers E-commerce podcast, and Add to Cart by Nathan Bush. She highlights Add to Cart for its focus on e-commerce and its valuable insights for Shopify users. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Esther Rupenovic recommends using Shopify POS (Point of Sale) linked with a Shopify store for growing a small business. She finds it extremely handy for tracking inventory, customer data, and creating loyalty systems. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of using a detailed scorecard to track numbers daily, which provides valuable insights for business growth. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Esther Rupenovic would advise herself on day one to "just enjoy the ride" and dream bigger than initially imagined. She believes that setting higher goals allows you to achieve success more quickly than expected. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey. Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Embrace the journey and dream bigger than you think – Esther Rupenovic Professional development is a key to expanding your mind and knowledge – Esther Rupenovic Regularly carving out time for professional growth is incredibly powerful – Esther Rupenovic
AI is revolutionizing the way I work as a solopreneur. So why not share exactly how I use it?You'll hear how I use AI tools for everything from coding to marketing, and how they've become my secret weapon for punching above my weight. I also get into the nitty-gritty of the challenges and limitations of AI, and how I navigate them. If you're curious about how AI can supercharge your solo business, this episode's got you covered.And stick around for my thoughts on the future of AI in software development - I think you'll find it pretty exciting!This episode is sponsored by Podscan.fmThe blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-ai-powered-solopreneur/The podcast episode: https://tbf.fm/episodes/347-the-ai-powered-solopreneurCheck out Podscan to get alerts when you're mentioned on podcasts: https://podscan.fmSend me a voicemail on Podline: https://podline.fm/arvidYou'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.comPodcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcastNewsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletterMy book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.comHere are a few tools I use. Using my affiliate links will support my work at no additional cost to you.- Notion (which I use to organize, write, coordinate, and archive my podcast + newsletter): https://affiliate.notion.so/465mv1536drx- Riverside.fm (that's what I recorded this episode with): https://riverside.fm/?via=arvid- TweetHunter (for speedy scheduling and writing Tweets): http://tweethunter.io/?via=arvid- HypeFury (for massive Twitter analytics and scheduling): https://hypefury.com/?via=arvid60- AudioPen (for taking voice notes and getting amazing summaries): https://audiopen.ai/?aff=PXErZ- Descript (for word-based video editing, subtitles, and clips): https://www.descript.com/?lmref=3cf39Q- ConvertKit (for email lists, newsletters, even finding sponsors): https://convertkit.com?lmref=bN9CZw
Anna Wood, Editor at Startups Magazine speaks to Lena Hackelöer, Founder and CEO of Brite Payments all about the rapid growth of Brite Payments, the invaluable experience she gained working at Klarna and winning both the Founder of the Year and Most Successful Scaleup Awards at the Hustle Awards 2024.
In this episode, I share 4 SaaS ideas with massive potential. I'll dissect each concept, revealing its market opportunities and possible pitfalls. Plus, learn the exact strategies and frameworks I'd use to grow these innovative software businesses from the ground up.1) Legal Jargon Simplifier• Chrome extension that demystifies complex legal docs• AI-powered "for dummies" version of Terms of Service• Highlights red flags and unusual clauses• $5/month or $50-75/year for premium featuresGrowth Strategy:• Viral social media comparing simplified vs. original ToS• Chrome store optimization• Referral program: "Protect a friend, get a month free"• Partner with legal education platforms2) Micro-Influencer Campaign Manager• AI-powered tool for small to medium-sized brands• Vets micro-influencers• Automates outreach, negotiation, content approval• Tracks performance across platforms• $149 for 20 influencersGrowth Strategy:• Free influencer campaign ROI calculator• Partner with smaller e-commerce platforms• Certification program for marketing specialists• "Campaign of the month" showcase• Host online speed dating events for brands/influencers3) AI Writing Coach for Non-Native English Speakers• Analyzes writing style and common errors• Real-time suggestions for grammar, style, vocabulary• Content-specific language usage tips• Personalized writing exercisesGrowth Strategy:• Free professional English proficiency assessment tool• Host webinars on effective business writing• Build a community for non-native speakers• Showcase success stories of career advancement4) Micro-Localization Platform• AI analysis of local cultural nuances and trends• Adapts content for different localities• Integrates with CMS and social media platforms• Real-time performance tracking• $199-400 per localityGrowth Strategy:• Free cultural sensitivity reports for top global brands• Create a "local rank score" for brand adaptation efforts• Partner with marketing agencies• Host workshops on micro-localization impact on sales• Local referral program for marketing consultantsWant more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)Get access: [gregisenberg.com/30startupideas](http://gregisenberg.com/30startupideas)
Have you ever wondered how to build a media and eCommerce empire centered around your passions? In today's episode, I'm sitting down with Kevin Espiritu, the founder and CEO of EpicGardening.com, the world's most followed gardening brand with nearly 3 million subscribers on YouTube. We'll dive into his journey of turning a deep-rooted passion for gardening into a global media powerhouse. Listen in as we discuss the strategic choices that have fueled Epic Gardening's success, highlighting the role of platforms that drive sustained organic traffic and enhance community engagement. We also explore the complexities of scaling content creation and managing a detailed supply chain for seeds—a critical component of Kevin's business model. Lastly, we dive into the seed management process, underscoring the operational challenges involved in maintaining a thriving eCommerce platform. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3U1iQHZ Interested in our Private Community for 7-Figure Store Owners? Learn more here. Want to hear about new episodes and eCommerce news round-ups? Subscribe via email.
While Voice AI is all the rage now, it wasn't a hot sector in 2017. After Dylan graduated from YC, VCs rejected him. He couldn't raise a round. They all assumed Google would do it. So he raised what he could from angels and made it work for the next 3 years.He's now built the world's most accurate Speech AI model. He's grown to 5,000 customers and raised $115M in venture capital. Last quarter, he raised a $50M Series C from Accel. Just this week, Assembly launched Universal-1, their most powerful speech recognition model to date. Trained on over 12.5 million hours of multilingual audio data, Universal-1 is 22% more accurate than APIs from Azure/AWS/Google and has 30% fewer hallucinations than competing models.In this episode, we go through how Dylan came up with the idea, how he saw Gen AI coming long before others, and what he did in the early days to grow to $1M in ARR.
Do you know what brand your bedsheets are? Probably not. Today's guest Ariel Kaye has been working to change that with Parachute, a DTC bedding and home goods company. Kaye started Parachute in 2013—the hayday of DTC brands. She joins Dom to talk about what it was like building as a solo founder while she's established a well-known brand and expanded beyond bedding. They also talked about:Why parachute hasn't raised as much capital as you might thinkHow Kaye's branding expertise has driven the company's identityKay's best advice to avoid burnout and be the best leader possible as a solo founder Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcasts: Equity and Chain Reaction. Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each Connect with us:On TwitterOn InstagramVia email: found@techcrunch.com
The Top Entrepreneurs in Money, Marketing, Business and Life
Launched in 2016 selling software to Music Repair Shops, TudoDesk exited for $1m+. This is the low stress, high wealth way to build a software company. TC won't write about you, but it doesn't matter, you'll get wealthy fast!
The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship
Thejo Kote is the founder and CEO of Airbase, a spend management platform for mid-market and enterprise companies. Show Notes: https://saasclub.io/381 Join Email List: Get weekly SaaS learnings, new podcast episodes, and actionable insights right in your inbox: https://saasclub.io/email/ Join Community: SaaS Club is the community for early-stage SaaS founders and entrepreneurs: https://saasclub.co/join
Que nous réserve 2024 en tant que freelance ou solopreneur·e ? Quelles tendances vont impacter notre business ? Dans cet épisode de Noël j'ai compilé plus de 20 tendances pour t'aider à construire ton solo-business en 2024. Et je glisse aussi les prédictions et dédicaces de la communauté du Board pour 2024.