Bright & Early
61 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 17 ratingsA podcast for people building early-stage startups. Join me each week as I talk to entrepreneurs, product people, designers, and marketing pros about their experiences during the early days of their startup.
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Episodes
Amir Salihefendić: Remote Work at Doist
March 27, 2020 19:05 - 46 minutes - 36.9 MB= Remote Work Series #9 = This episode is part of a series on Remote Work. I'm talking to leaders of remote companies about the pros and cons of working remotely, the most common challenges that remote-first teams face and how to overcome them. Issues like communication, hiring, loneliness and isolation, figuring out timezones, et cetera. My guest this week is Amir Salihefendić. Amir is the founder and CEO of Doist, a company that builds productivity apps like Todoist and Twist. A...
Darren Murph: Remote Work at GitLab
March 04, 2020 12:00 - 51 minutes - 41.5 MB= Remote Work Series #8 = This episode is part of a series on Remote Work. I'm talking to leaders of remote companies about the pros and cons of working remotely, the most common challenges that remote-first teams face and how to overcome them. Issues like communication, hiring, loneliness and isolation, figuring out timezones, et cetera. My guest today is Darren Murph. Darren is Head of Remote at GitLab where he is working to empower more people and companies to go remote, implem...
Josh Pigford: Remote Work at Baremetrics
February 28, 2020 16:05 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MB= Remote Work Series #7 = This episode is part of a series on Remote Work. I'm talking to leaders of remote companies about the pros and cons of working remotely, the most common challenges that remote-first teams face and how to overcome them. Issues like communication, hiring, loneliness and isolation, figuring out timezones, et cetera. My guest this week is Baremetrics Founder & CEO Josh Pigford. Laser Tweets Baremetrics @shpigford GitLab on Considerations for a Productive ...
Joel Gascoigne: Remote Work at Buffer
February 19, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 44.2 MB= Remote Work Series #6 = This episode is part of a series on Remote Work. I'm talking to leaders of remote companies about the pros and cons of working remotely, the most common challenges that remote-first teams face and how to overcome them. Issues like communication, hiring, loneliness and isolation, figuring out timezones, et cetera. My guest this week is Joel Gascoigne, the founder and CEO of Buffer, a platform to help build your brand on social media. Buffer Joel on Twitt...
Tammy Bjelland: Remote Work at Workplaceless
February 05, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 50.1 MB= Remote Work Series #5 = This episode is part of a series on Remote Work. I'm talking to leaders of remote companies about the pros and cons of working remotely, the most common challenges that remote-first teams face and how to overcome them. Issues like communication, hiring, loneliness and isolation, figuring out timezones, et cetera. This week I'm speaking to Tammy Bjelland. Tammy is the Founder and CEO of Workplaceless, a training company helping remote professionals, and th...
Morgan Legge: Remote Work at Convert
January 29, 2020 16:00 - 54 minutes - 43.7 MB= Remote Work Series #4 = This episode is part of a series on Remote Work. I'm talking to leaders of remote companies about the pros and cons of working remotely, the most common challenges that remote-first teams face and how to overcome them. Issues like communication, hiring, loneliness and isolation, figuring out timezones, et cetera. This week I'm speaking to Morgan Legge. Morgan is a remote work evangelist at Convert.com, a personalization and A/B testing tool for enterprise...
Marie Prokopets: Remote Work at FYI
January 22, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 52.9 MBToday I'm talking to Marie Prokopets, co-founder of FYI. = Remote Work Series #3 = This episode is part of a series on Remote Work. I'm talking to leaders of remote companies about the pros and cons of working remotely, the most common challenges that remote-first teams face and how to overcome them. Issues like communication, hiring, loneliness and isolation, figuring out timezones, et cetera. == 11 Best Practices for Working Remotely Marie on Twitter Hiten Shah on Twitter P...
Josh Ho: Remote Work at Referral Rock
January 15, 2020 18:00 - 59 minutes - 47.3 MB= Remote Work Series #2 = This episode is part of a series on Remote Work. I'm talking to leaders of remote companies about the pros and cons of working remotely, the most common challenges that remote-first teams face and how to overcome them. Issues like communication, hiring, loneliness and isolation, figuring out timezones, et cetera. == Today I'm talking to Josh Ho, the founder and CEO of Referral Rock, a referral marketing SaaS company for every type of business, not just e...
Schöneck Shoaf: Remote Work at 1 Second Everyday
January 08, 2020 13:00 - 49 minutes - 39.6 MB= Remote Work Series #1 = This episode is part of a series on Remote Work. I'm talking to leaders of remote companies about the pros and cons of working remotely, the most common challenges that remote-first teams face and how to overcome them. Issues like communication, hiring, loneliness and isolation, figuring out timezones, et cetera. == Schöneck is the COO and co-founder of 1 Second Everyday, a mobile app that lets you record one second every day and then edits those seconds...
Building for a Picky Niche with Ben Orenstein of Tuple
November 27, 2019 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBI talk with Ben Orenstein of Tuple and co-host of the Art of Product Podcast about building a SaaS for a niche market with high standards.
Ben Orenstein: Building for a Picky Niche
November 27, 2019 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBBen is the co-founder of Tuple, a remote pair programming tool for developers. He is also the cohost of the Art of Product Podcast. Ben on Twitter Tuple Art of Product Podcast Price Intelligently on Price Sensitivity Van Westendorp's Price Sensitivity Meter Build Your Saas: SaaS pricing advice from Rob Walling and Patrick Campbell Should You Charge More? Ben Orenstein, Justin Jackson, and Jordan Gal on Pricing
John "Pliny" Eremic: Endcrawl's Unconventional Approach
November 06, 2019 15:00 - 40 minutes - 36.8 MBPliny is the co-founder of Endcrawl. Endcrawl is a SaaS that manages and renders end credits for movies and TV shows like Moonlight, Halloween, and The Big Sick. After bootstrapping the business for 7 years, they’ve recently raised a $450,000 seed round with investments from Earnest Capital, their own user base, and other aligned angel investors. @iampliny Endcrawl How we bootstrapped a side business for 7 years, then raised $450,000 with Earnest Capital How to negotiate the Lon...
Endcrawl's Unconventional Approach with Pliny
November 06, 2019 15:00 - 40 minutes - 36.8 MBI'm joined by the cofounder of Endcrawl, John "Pliny" Eremic. We talk about the unconventional approaches they've taken to bootstrapping their niche business, which automates end credits for TV and film producers.
Obviously Awesome: How to Position Your Product with April Dunford
October 30, 2019 15:00 - 55 minutes - 44.7 MBMy guest this week is April Dunford. April is the author of "Obviously Awesome". She’s a positioning consultant, entrepreneur, board member, angel investor, and advisor. April was an executive at 7 successful tech startups and 3 global tech giants where she launched 16 products along the way.
April Dunford: How to Position Your Product
October 30, 2019 15:00 - 55 minutes - 44.7 MBApril is the author of “Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get it, Buy it, Love it.” Obviously Awesome April on Twitter @patio11: "Write at the intersection of two hard and valuable things." Tyler King of Less Annoying CRM on Indie Hackers
Michele Hansen: Growing Geocodio
October 23, 2019 11:00 - 53 minutes - 42.8 MBMichele is the co-founder of Geocodio, a bootstrapped SaaS that offers hassle-free geocoding for thousands of customers including the Associated Press, Amazon, Expedia, and more. Michele on Twitter Geocodio Forces of Progress and Reducing Anxiety Rewired podcast on Forces of Progress Jobs to Be Done Interview Guide
Growing Geocodio with Michele Hansen
October 23, 2019 11:00 - 53 minutes - 42.8 MBMichele is the co-founder of Geocodio, a bootstrapped SaaS that offers hassle-free geocoding for thousands of customers including the Associated Press, Amazon, Expedia, and more. We talk about their approach to delivering a great customer experience even when your product is an API.
Anne-Laure Le Cunff: Mindframing for Entrepreneurs
October 16, 2019 11:00 - 50 minutes - 40.8 MBAnne-Laure is a founder, writer, and speaker. She studies Neurosciece at King’s College London and also spends her time building products and writing about wellness, creativity, and culture at Ness Labs. Ness Labs Anne-Laure on Twitter The Joy of Missing Out (Ness Labs) Learning How to Learn on Coursera Fear of Failure (Ness Labs) Don't Just Go For It
Mindframing for Entrepreneurs with Anne-Laure Le Cunff
October 16, 2019 11:00 - 50 minutes - 40.8 MBAnne-Laure is a founder, writer, and speaker. She studies neuroscience at King’s College London and also spends her time building products and writing about wellness, creativity, and culture at Ness Labs.
Sofia Quintero: Building EnjoyHQ
October 09, 2019 11:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBSofia is the founder of EnjoyHQ, a tool that helps teams keep all their research data in one place. She was previously Head of Growth at Geckoboard and a Techstars Mentor. Sofia on Twitter EnjoyHQ Van Westendorp's Price Sensitivity Meter Price Intelligently on Price Sensitivity Bundling & Unbundling
Building EnjoyHQ with Sofia Quintero
October 09, 2019 11:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBSofia and I chat about the origins of EnjoyHQ and the challenges she's overcome along the way.
Ryan Singer: Shipping Work that Matters with "Shape Up"
October 02, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 59.9 MBRyan is Head of Product Strategy at Basecamp where he has designed features used by millions and invented processes used by their team to design, develop and ship the right things. He shares many of those processes in his new book, “Shape Up”. Shape Up Ryan Singer on Twitter @rjs Brian on Twitter @brhea Jobs to Be Done Examples
Shape Up with Ryan Singer of Basecamp
October 02, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 59.9 MBListen in as Ryan Singer and I chat about his new book, “Shape Up”.
The Mom Test with Rob Fitzpatrick
September 11, 2019 15:00 - 55 minutes - 51.2 MBRob and I talk about common mistakes people make when conducting customers interviews and how to avoid them.
Rob Fitzpatrick: Conducting Better Customer Interviews with "The Mom Test"
September 11, 2019 15:00 - 55 minutes - 51.2 MBRob is the author of The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you. He and I talk about common mistakes people make when conducting customers interviews and how to avoid them. The Mom Test Rob on Twitter 4 Steps to the Epiphany by Steve Blank Startup Owner's Manual by Steve Blank Lean Customer Development by Cindy Alvarez Customer Interview Tips and Tricks
Creating a Memorable Product with Jack McDade of Statamic
September 04, 2019 11:00 - 55 minutes - 50.5 MBJack McDade is the designer, developer, and creator of Statamic.
Jack McDade: Creating a Memorable Product
September 04, 2019 11:00 - 55 minutes - 50.5 MBJack is the designer, developer, and creator of Statamic. A Laravel-based CMS that makes creating and maintaining a website fun again. He also writes a fantastic newsletter for rebels and dreamers at jackmcdade.com Statamic Jack on Twitter Jack's personal site Dungeon Master Academy
Alternative Fundraising Options for Bootstrappers with Tyler Tringas
August 28, 2019 11:00 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBTyler is the founder and General Partner at Earnest Capital, where he makes seed-stage investments in bootstrappers, indie hackers, makers, and real businesses.
Tyler Tringas: Alternative Fundraising Options for Bootstrappers
August 28, 2019 11:00 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBTyler is the founder and General Partner at Earnest Capital, where he makes seed-stage investments in bootstrappers, indie hackers, makers, and real businesses. He was previously the founder and developer of Storemapper, a Micro-SaaS he grew and eventually sold. Tyler at B2B Rocks Earnest Capital Tyler on Twitter The Momentum in Your Market Matters
Natalie Nagele: Wildbit's Rebellious Pragmatism
August 21, 2019 10:00 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBNatalie and I discuss the balance between creativity and pragmatism in running a business, facilitating deep work, and the benefits of taking a walk over checking Slack. Natalie on Twitter Wildbit Natalie's thoughts on checking Twitter Deep Work by Cal Newport
Wildbit's Rebellious Pragmatism with CEO & Co-founder Natalie Nagele
August 21, 2019 10:00 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBNatalie is the co-founder and CEO of Wildbit, the 18-year old bootstrapped software company behind Beanstalk, Postmark, and Conveyor. With 30 employees, 100,000+ customers, and millions in revenue, Natalie’s focus at the company is on culture and team happiness.
Lianna Patch: Using Punchier Copywriting to Increase Conversion Rates
August 07, 2019 11:00 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBLianna helps SaaS businesses write funny, personality-filled copy at punchlinecopy.com and SnapCopy.co. She’s written for Freshbooks, Manly Bands, GhostBed, and The Contract Shop, among others, and she’s here to share her approach with us today. Laura's site at Punchline SNAP copy Voice of Customer Research Kit
Using Punchier Copywriting to Increase Conversion Rates with Lianna Patch
August 07, 2019 11:00 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBCan the lessons learned through improv and stand-up help you convert more of your visitors to customers?
Laura Roeder: Transitioning from Services to SaaS
July 31, 2019 11:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBLaura Roeder is the founder and CEO of MeetEdgar, a social media automation tool she launched in 2014 to help marketers share their best evergreen content. Today we’re going to chat about her journey from consulting to leading a team of 15 and lessons learned along the way. MeetEdgar Laura's new software for coaches, Paperbell Laura's talk at BoS Social Brilliant eBook Laura on Startups for the Rest of Us The Stoic Art of Negative Visualization
Transitioning from Services to SaaS with Laura Roeder of MeetEdgar
July 31, 2019 11:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBLaura's journey from social media training coach to CEO of a multi-million dollar SaaS.
Marie Poulin & Ben Borowski: Finding a Business Model that Works for You
July 24, 2019 10:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MBMarie Poulin and Ben Borowski are the creative force behind the digital services agency, Oki Doki. They are also the creators of Doki, a product that allows creators to offer courses, training, and mentoring programs online. Marie on Twitter Ben on Twitter Oki Doki Digital Doki "Our business looks static." – @jasonfried @patio11 on Spreadsheets as indicating a startup opportunity
Finding a Business Model that Works for You with Marie Poulin & Ben Borowski
July 24, 2019 10:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MBI'm joined by Marie and Ben of Oki Doki. We chat about the pros and cons of Services and SaaS, the lessons they've learned building each kind of business model, and how to know which one might be right for you.
Applying JTBD to Make Products Customers Love – with Brian Rhea
July 18, 2019 10:00 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MBI'll be back with more interviews next week, so this week's episode is an interview I did with Chad McAllister on his show The Everyday Innovator.
How to Provide What Your Customer Really Wants – with Brian Rhea
July 10, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 58.8 MBThis episode originally appeared on Dominic's show, "The Startup Life."
Laura Elizabeth: Launching a Product by Scratching Your Own Itch
July 03, 2019 10:00 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBLaura is an entrepreneur and designer. She’s the founder of Client Portal, a product that helps creative agencies manage the client onboarding process. She also runs designacademy.io which helps developers conquer their fear of design. Client Portal Laura on Twitter Laura's Free Email Course on Client Management Client Portal's Public Trello Board Brennan Dunn's Double Your Freelancing Design Academy Gail Goodman on the "Long, Slow SaaS Ramp of Death" Naval on Luck I can't ...
Launching a Product by Scratching Your Own Itch with Laura Elizabeth
July 03, 2019 10:00 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBLaura is an entrepreneur and designer. She’s the founder of Client Portal, a product that helps creative agencies manage the client onboarding process. She also runs designacademy.io which helps developers conquer their fear of design.
Converting More Customers with Better Onboarding with Alli Blum
June 26, 2019 11:00 - 46 minutes - 42.2 MBAlli is an expert in copywriting and onboarding optimization for SaaS products. She helps her clients understand why some users bail on their trial and others upgrade. If you’re struggling with high churn or low activation rates, Alli has some wisdom you’ll want to hear.
Alli Blum: Converting More Customers with Better Onboarding
June 26, 2019 11:00 - 46 minutes - 42.2 MBAlli is an expert in copywriting and onboarding optimization for SaaS products. She helps her clients understand why some users bail on their trial and others upgrade. If you’re struggling with high churn or low activation rates, Alli has some wisdom you’ll want to hear. Alli's Website MicroConf Joanna Wiebe Dani Hart EnjoyHQ
Asia Matos: Getting Your First 100 Customers
June 19, 2019 10:00 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBAsia helps SaaS companies and founders with marketing and growth. She’s the founder of DemandMaven and you can find out more about her there at demandmaven.io. DemandMaven.io Tyler's tweet about platforms
Getting Your First 100 Customers with Asia Matos
June 19, 2019 10:00 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBJoin me as I chat with fellow art-major-turned-technologist Asia Matos about how the Empathy Gap and how to dig into your SaaS product to find ways to close the gap and get your first 100 customers.
Innovation and Ethical Design with Andrea Hill
June 12, 2019 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MBAndrea Hill is a UX Researcher and Product Strategist. She has lead Innovation efforts at companies like LexisNexis, ReadyTalk, and through her own consultancy, Frameplay. Next up for her is a fellowship with Code for Canada, where she’ll be embedded within a division of the government of Canada for 10 months. If you’ve got a complex problem in need of an elegant solution, Andrea is someone you ought to listen to.
Andrea Hill: Innovation and Ethical Design
June 12, 2019 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MBIf you’ve got a complex problem in need of an elegant solution, Andrea is someone you'll want to listen to. Andrea is a UX Researcher and Product Strategist. She has lead Innovation efforts at companies like LexisNexis, ReadyTalk, and through her own consultancy, Frameplay. Next up for her is a fellowship with Code for Canada, where she’ll be embedded within a division of the government of Canada for 10 months. Masters of Scale Should this Exist Ruined by Design Code for Canad...
Writing Better Onboarding Emails with Val Geisler
June 05, 2019 09:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBVal is the good kind of email marketer :) She helps companies write emails that people actually want to read and respond to. If email onboarding is an important part of your business, you don't want to miss this episode.
Val Geisler: Writing Better Onboarding Emails
June 05, 2019 09:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBVal is the good kind of email marketer :) She helps companies write emails that people actually want to read and respond to. If email onboarding is an important part of your business, you don't want to miss this episode. Val's website The Dinner Party Strategy CoSchedule Email Onboarding Teardown Jobs to Be Done Resources
Kelly Miller: Building Your Brand
May 29, 2019 10:00 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBKelly is the author of “Get Attention: Brand Building for Startups.” She’s also the communications lead for Women Who Code DC, and Co-organizer of Tech Rebalanced. Get Attention StartupBus Build Your SaaS WomenMake Make & Shine Veni Kunche