The original podcast for bootstrapped and mostly bootstrapped startups, this show follow the stories of founders as they start, acquire, and grow SaaS companies...
Episode 759 | TinySeed Tales s4e6: Does AI + Pivot = Success?
In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling speaks with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she shares her latest startup journey pivot.
After reigniting her “shipping muscle” while briefly dabbling in an AI-based project, Colleen refocuses on her newest pivot of Hello Query. She shares the challenges of determining the market viability of an AI-assisted SQL report builder. She stands at a crossroads, torn between catering to internal BI teams or exploring marketing analytics.
Topics we cover:
(1:25) – Reflecting on the co-founder breakup
(2:42) – Trying a scratch-your-own-itch project
(6:27) – Unfair advantages inform another pivot
(15:07) – Respecting the “emotional runway”
(19:23) – Marketing insights vs. an internal BI tool
(23:01) – The curse of the audience
Links from the Show:
Applications for TinySeed are Open Through Feb 23rd
Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger) | X
Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger.bsky.social) | Bluesky
Hello Query
If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!
Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify
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Episode 758 | Do Free Trials Suck?, What Moves the Needle, and More Listener Questions (with Derrick Reimer)
In episode 758, Rob Walling is joined by Derrick Reimer to tackle a variety of listener questions. They discuss strategies for entering a market with established competitors, including how to position your product without directly attacking rivals. They also reflect on the challenges of free trials, weighing the pros and cons of extending trial periods versus incentivizing onboarding.
Episode Sponsor:
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Topics we cover:
(1:18) – How to launch a SaaS product in a market with an established competitor
(6:21) – Do I call out competitors by name?
(14:24) – How do you really identify what moves the needle in your Saas?
(19:59) – Breaking down the “one thing”
(23:32) – Selling and marketing SaaS before building
(30:36) – What is the goal of your free trial?
(39:10) – On the fence between B2B, B2C
Links from the Show:
TInySeed Applications are open until Feb 23rd
Derrick Reimer (@derrickreimer) | X
Derrick Reimer (@derrickreimer.com) | Bluesky
SavvyCal
757 | TinySeed Tales s4e5: Founder Breakups, Crushing Failures, and the Future
TinySeed
MicroConf Connect
SaaS Institute
Start Marketing The Day You Start Coding by Rob Walling
Start Small Stay Small by Rob Walling
If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!
Subscribe & Review: iTunes |
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Episode 757 | TinySeed Tales s4e5: Founder Breakups, Crushing Failures, and the Future
In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling chats with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she navigates the complexities of her startup journey.
After a challenging period with her co-founder Aaron, Colleen reflects on their decision to part ways and the emotional toll it has taken on her. She shares her feelings of crushing failure, the uncertainty of moving forward alone, and the realization that their initial product vision may not align with market needs.
Topics we cover:
(0:49) – Colleen and Aaron make a tough decision
(4:09) – Voice memo, “Crushing Failure”
(7:59) – What if you hadn’t raised money?
(11:44) – Colleen weighs her remaining options
Links from the Show:
Applications for TinySeed are Open Through Feb 23rd
Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger) | X
Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger.bsky.social) | Bluesky
Hello Query
If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!
Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify
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Episode 756 | Why Great Product Management Is Critical for Your Startup
In episode 756, Rob Walling interviews Brendan Fortune, Director of Product Management at Customer.io, to explore the skills and frameworks for effective product management. Brendan shares his journey and discusses the importance of understanding customer behavior to drive product decisions. They delve into the concept of the flywheel and how it can be leveraged to enhance user success and optimize pricing strategies.
Topics we cover:
(2:46) – What does a product manager do?
(10:36) – When should a SaaS company designate a full time product manager?
(15:33) – Pricing and and creating a flywheel
(22:41) – Deciding on your “fair” value metric
(30:01) – Pricing experimentation in the early days
Links from the Show:
Applications for TinySeed Spring 2025 are Open!
Invest in TinySeed
Ask a product question on Startups For the Rest of Us
Brendan Fortune | LinkedIn
Customer.io
Product Flywheel + Pricing + Org Strategy (Miro)
Your Pricing is WRONG (even Sam Altman Made This Mistake)
If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!
Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify
In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling checks in with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she shares the latest developments in her startup journey.
Colleen shares the insights gained from recent customer interviews that led to a significant pivot in their product strategy. Hello Query is now focused on embedding custom reporting features within other SaaS applications and Colleen reflects on balancing product quality with minimal v1 features. Her excitement is building to get their solution into users' hands.
Topics we cover:
(1:32) – Digging into customer interviews
(3:54) – Filtering out the noise to achieve confidence
(5:31) – Other competitors in the space
(8:53) – How Colleen prepares for and sources customer conversations
(12:11) – Is the technical implementation coming along?
Links from the Show:
Invest in TinySeed
Episode 748 | The Ins and Outs of Startup Investing
Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger) | X
Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger.bsky.social) | Bluesky
Hello Query
If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!
Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify
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.
Brasil