Lessons learned bootstrapping and selling a $55k p/m SaaS - Arvid Kahl, TheBootstrappedFounder

Indie Bites

Arvid Kahl is a software engineer turned entrepreneur. He co-founded and FeedbackPanda, an online teacher productivity SaaS company, with his partner Danielle Simpson. They sold the business for a life-changing amount of money in 2019, two years after founding the business. Arvid writes on TheBootstrappedFounder.com because bootstrapping is a desirable, value- and wealth-generating way of running a company. In over a decade of working in startup businesses of all sizes, Arvid has learned a thing or two about what works, what doesn't, and how to increase the chances of building a successful business.

Get the full, 60 minute conversation with Arvid here with the Indie Feast membership.

What we covered in this episode:

• The Feedback Panda story
• Was the ambition to sell the company from the start?
  • Built to Sell, John Warrillow
• What Indie Hackers can learn from Zero to Sold
• What happens once you sell a business?
• Why settle on the format of a book?
• Why didn't Arvid make his book free?
• How to find a critical problem in a market that's willing to pay
• Tips for going into a crowded market
• How to to find your audience

Recommendations

• Book: The Mom Test
• Podcast: Indie Hackers
• Indie Hacker: Sergio Mattei

Follow Arvid

• Twitter
• The Embedded Entrepreneur
• Zero to Sold

Follow Me

• Twitter
• Indie Bites Twitter
• Personal Website
• Buy A Wallet

Today we have Embarque.io supporting the show! Embarque is run by a fellow indie hacker and has just crossed 6 figures in revenue. Embarque is an agency that offers productised SEO content that converts.

It blew my mind when Julian told me about the growth their client MentorCruise had from the SEO content, resulting in 107% increase in MRR, 100% increase in monthly trials and a 114% increase SEO traffic. My word, wouldn't you want those kind of results for your indie business.

Go and check out what Embarque are offering at Embarque.io and get $100 off your first package with the code 'INDIEBITES'.