#024 Launch, Market, Automate with Thomas Sanlis

#024 Launch, Market, Automate with Thomas Sanlis

Author: Tobias Arweiler July 19, 2024 Duration: 55:13

In this episode of the Code & Conquer podcast, I sit down with Thomas Sanlis, a seasoned Indie Hacker with over six years of experience. Thomas shares his journey into indie hacking, discussing his successful projects Uneed.best and Vue Developers.

He delves into the challenges of maintaining a directory and launching platform, handling competition from giants like Product Hunt, and the importance of automation in his workflow.

We talk about the mindset required for indie hacking, balancing passion projects with sustainable income, and the realities of freelancing and teaching. Thomas offers valuable insights into the indie hacking world, touching on themes of patience, resilience, and the quest for a balanced life.

Thomas also shares his experience handling DDoS attacks, migrating platforms, and his strategies for marketing and growth. Whether you're an aspiring indie hacker or a seasoned entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with lessons and inspiration. Don't miss it!


Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:49 Pivoting UnitBest: From Tools Directory to Product Hunt Alternative

07:07 Automating Processes on UnitBest for Efficiency

10:47 Vue Developers: A Reverse Job Board for Vue.js Developers

19:32 The Mindset of an Indie Hacker

28:47 The Power of Newsletters: Driving Traffic to UnitBest

31:08 The Idea Behind Vue Developers

33:12 The Value of Automation in Product Development

36:16 Different Approaches to Indie Hacking

53:19 The Benefits and Challenges of Self-Hosting

58:51 Finding a Balance Between Work and Personal Life


Thomas's Twitter: https://x.com/T_Zahil

Thomas's Website: https://www.thomas-sanlis.com/

Uneed.best: https://www.uneed.best/

Vue Developers: https://www.vue-developers.com/


My own website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icebearlabs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find this podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://codeandconquer.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find our product here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.repodcasted.com/


Hosted by Tobias Arweiler, an indie hacker who founded Ice Bear Labs, Code and Conquer-The Indie Hacker Podcast pulls up a chair for candid conversations with founders who build businesses on their own terms. This isn't about Silicon Valley glamour; it's about the real, often messy work of creating something from nothing. Each episode is a deep, one-on-one dialogue that moves beyond theory to focus on the tangible experiences, hard-won wisdom, and actionable insights of a different entrepreneur. You'll hear the specifics-the early days of grinding at $0 monthly recurring revenue, the unexpected hurdles, and the strategic decisions that led to breakthroughs. Tobias guides these discussions with a genuine curiosity, making space for stories that are as much about resilience and personal growth as they are about revenue graphs. For anyone curious about the solitary yet vibrant indie hacker path, this podcast offers a rare blend of practical advice and human perspective, documenting the quiet victories and lessons learned while building a company line by line. Tune in for honest talk about what it actually takes to conquer your own corner of the market.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 35

Code and Conquer - The Indie Hacker Podcast
Podcast Episodes
#022 SEO nightmares and lifetime deals with Michael Koper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:51
In this episode, host Tobias Arweiler talks to Michael Koper, the solo founder of Nusii, an online proposal software for creative professionals. Michael shares the origins of Nusii, starting as a side project with a co-f…
#021 Digital Nomading with Dominik Sobe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:18
In this episode of Code & Conquer, Dominik Sobe, a full-time digital nomad and indie hacker, discusses his journey as a solopreneur and the development of his product, HelpKit. He shares his experience of overcoming burn…
#020 From music to no-code with Justin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:54
In this episode, we go behind-the-scenes with Justin, the creator of Quda- a platform for bite-sized educational content and expert Q&A. Justin shares his incredible journey transitioning from the music industry into the…
#019 Charge More, Earn More with Steve McLeod [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:46
In this episode, Steve McLeod shares the lessons he's learned from building and growing his SaaS product Feature Upvote. Steve discusses his unconventional journey from an IT consultant to a successful indie hacker, incl…
#018 Building in public with Kevon Cheung [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:20
In this episode, I sit down with Kevon Cheung, a leading voice in the #buildinpublic movement. Kevon shares his unique journey from studying business in university to becoming a self-taught developer and then transitioni…
#017 Combining Purpose and Profits with Juho Makkonen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:28
I sat down with Juho Makkonen, founder of the marketplace platform ShareTribe, to discuss his unique approach to building a mission-driven, “steward-owned” company. We covered Juho’s journey creating ShareTribe, combinin…
#016 Building with No-Code with Louis Pereira [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:29
In this episode, I chat with Louis Pereira, the founder of AudioPen.ai. Louis talks about his journey from running his family's traditional offline businesses during the day to building online products at night. We discu…
#015 Successfully launching products with Dan Mindru [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:35
We're excited to have Dan Mindru on the show this week! Dan is an active maker and launcher, known for his funny takes on Twitter and products like Clobbr, Crontap, Hunted Space and his latest creation Shipixen. In this…
#014 Mastering video content and TikTok with Lera Kuntsevich [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:19
In this episode of the Code & Conquer Podcast, we have a special guest, Lera Kuntsevich. Lera is an indie hacker and the founder of Clipwing.pro, a video editing tool designed to conquer TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube sh…
#013 How to win at marketing with Arvindh Sundar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:47
In this episode, we have the pleasure of interviewing Arvindh Sundar, a gamer, indie hacker, and marketing expert. Arvindh shares his journey from being a CMO to becoming an indie hacker and discusses his core product, "…