Accidental Technologist

I listen to a lot of bootstrapping podcasts throughout the year, trying new ones and retiring those that stop producing new episodes or I lose interest. I wrote up a list a while ago about bootstrapping, 7 Great Bootstrapping Podcasts to Jumpstart Your Business Today, and thought it was time for an update.

8 Great Bootstrapping Podcasts

I’m not including any bootstrapping podcasts from my previous list, only ones I’ve discovered and listen to on a regular basis today. The old list still includes some favorites so you should check that list out too.

This list is not me pulling together a quick list but is curated since the last list. I have probably reduced 50 podcasts down to this final 8.  I hope you find some new gems here.

ConversionAid

ConversionAid podcast has turned out to be one of my favorites. Hosted by Omer Khan, who is an ex-Microsoftie and runs ConversionAid to help companies “create software that sells”.

Omer interviews entrepreneurs who have taken an idea and oftentimes a unique approach to finding paying customers. The format gives listeners answers to the questions we all have trying to start and run a software or service business. Each episode seems to introduce a business and founder I never knew existed. Discovering new businesses, business models and their leaders gives new perspective to how I think about my business.

Every episode has been great and makes me look forward to the next.

Website: conversionaid.com/podcast

TropicalMBA

TropicalMBA is:

a popular podcast and blog dedicated to the growing movement of location independent entrepreneurs worldwide.

I’ve been listening to this podcast for a while and always learn something new and valuable. Each episode is focused, addressing a particular question or topic. Some episodes resonate more than others. Recent gems include:

• Start a Business This Weekend Using the Software With a Service (SWaS) Business Model
• Ask Us Anything (Business) : Starting Productized Services, Offshore, Our Future Plans
• Starting With Productized Services: Learn a Skill, Package It For Sale, Then Scale
• An Episode For Those Who Need a Business Idea

I advise you visit the website for each episode you listen to. If you just listen in iTunes or other podcast application you’re missing out. The show notes are as valuable, if not more, than the audio itself. You’ll find tons of shows notes, links that reference other episodes with similar content and not to mention the great comments from listeners.

Website: tropicalmba.com

Bootstrapped Web

Hosted by fellow CT resident Brian Casel and left-coaster Jordan Gal, Bootstrapped Web is a podcast that chronicles the journey Brian and Jordan take bootstrapping their own businesses.

Episodes discuss aspects of their businesses, updates and business lessons learned along the way as well as interviews with fellow entrepreneurs that compliment their own journey. I appreciate the candidness in each episode. It is so easy and natural to discuss all the wins we make each day but I think more important to reflect on the failures too so that we learn from them. Their guidance is solid and battle tested..great podcast.

Website: bootstrappedweb.com

Chasing Product

Hosted by Chris Hawkins, Chasing Product is an interview style podcast with people who have taken the leap to create software products. Chris reflects on his own pursuit of a product and the challenges he faces with a seemingly simple, yet elusive task. So many software developers are in jobs they don’t like and have that idea in their head they would like to create and live off of for years to come.

These interviews profile many that have done just that; left their job and are living the dream. OK, maybe the dream isn’t exactly as they had envisioned but it is independence just the same. Great stories and Chris has a great radio voice. Enjoy!

Website: chasingproduct.com

Rocketship.fm

These are generally short interviews, 30 min or less, with entrepreneurs from the companies you have probably heard of before. The questions are laser-focused and give listeners actionable items to try in their own businesses.

Each episode is has a single theme or takeaway but inevitably, you learn much more. These folks are entrepreneurs themselves and produce a lot of episodes, more than I can listen to..not sure how they do it. The win for me is the variety.

Website: rocketship.fm

Art of Value

A tough concept to grasp for so many is providing products and services to our clients in terms of value. Value is the language of business owners. As a software developer, I am learning this lesson. It’s easy to create things we think are worth building but no matter what we build, it has to have value to our customers or they won’t buy.

Art of Value is all about creating those happy customers and earning more money. Episodes are interview format and talk with people from all types of businesses but focus on one theme..value.

Transitioning from hourly to value pricing is my #1 focus in my own business today. Showing customers the value I can deliver vs. the commodity hourly resource my company has been over the years. This podcast has been key in my thinking about the why and how to make that move.

Website: artofvalue.com

Marketing Optimization

Marketing is hard. Marketing is especially hard for developers and Marketing Optimization really helps distill down the concepts. Topics are broad but include everything from SEO to UX design to conversion optimization and beyond.  Each episode is pretty deep, so at least for me it takes some focused listening.

Another nice touch is that each episode has a video so you can watch the interviews.

Website: marketingoptimization.tv

Rogue Startups

This is a new podcast with episodes starting the first of the year. Newer episodes have two hosts and they interview entrepreneurs who have specific skills (productized consulting for example) or they discuss topics important to running your business. Episodes are roughly and hour and packed with good content and happy dialog:

Never before in history has it been easier for talented individuals to escape the confines of the rat race society and go down their own path.  Our hope is to inspire and educate you on how successful startup entrepreneurs have done that.  This is no pie in the sky podcast with esoteric BS about business, Make Money Online schemes, and any other “flash in the pan” type business.  This is for people just like you and me who know there must be a better way, and want to find it.

Website: roguestartups.com

Hack the Entrepreneur

I’ve only been listening to Hack the Entrepreneur for the past couple months but look forward to all new episodes. The format for this one is interview style but takes unique approach:

Hack The Entrepreneur  is a show which reveals the fears, habits, and inner-battles behind big name entrepreneurs and those on the path to success. Hack The Entrepreneur is released three times per week on Monday,Tuesday, and Thursday mornings.

On Hack the Entrepreneur we know that everyone is unique and has to find their own path to success, but after speaking to entrepreneurs every day as part of my own successful business I became obsessed with the idea of finding the ‘replicable’ things behind leading names and people on their way up to try to find patterns.

The insight you gleam from each of these interviews is really priceless. It’s nice to learn about the angle we don’t normally hear about.

Website: hacktheentrepreneur.com

These are the bootstrapping podcasts I’ve found and stuck with since the last list. I try new ones all the time and forget about the ones that don’t resonate and add value to my own pursuits.

Suggestions are always welcome, please add those to the comments so I can give a listen. Thank you.