How VEED bootstrapped to $7m ARR - Sabba Keynejad, VEED.io (2020)

How VEED bootstrapped to $7m ARR - Sabba Keynejad, VEED.io (2020)

Author: James McKinven December 27, 2023 Duration: 14:23

Today I'm revisiting one of my favourite episodes, from 2020, with Sabba Keynejad, co-founder and CEO of VEED.io, an online video editing platform. When I interviewed Sabba, VEED were at around $2m ARR, fully bootstrapped. Since this interview, they’ve gone on to bootstrap to about $7m ARR before raising a whopping $35m series A from Sequoia. And when I first met Sabba, years before this interview, VEED was just a small product that wasn't generating any revenue. This episode is special to me because I’ve followed VEED’s journey from the start and it’s been inspiring to see.

Timestamps

  • 00:00 Intro
  • 02:46 VEED origins
  • 03:24 Differentiation
  • 03:58 Picking a market
  • 04:48 Hiring and learning new skills
  • 06:16 Inflection points in growth
  • 07:07 Quitting your job
  • 07:45 Why you should find a cofounder
  • 08:41 Getting the first users
  • 09:47 Free vs paid
  • 11:16 Growth tactics
  • 12:04 Advice to other founders
  • 13:01 Recommendations

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Every Tuesday, James McKinven sits down for a short chat with someone who’s quietly building a business on their own terms. Indie Bites focuses on the real, often messy, beginnings of profitable, bootstrapped ventures. Instead of abstract theory, you’ll hear founders explain the exact moment an idea clicked, the scrappy ways they tested it without spending a fortune, and how they landed those crucial first few customers. The conversations are deliberately kept concise, getting straight to the practical insights that make a difference when you’re starting with limited time and resources. This podcast digs into the specifics of creating a sustainable income independently, covering the intersection of entrepreneurship, marketing, and hands-on business tactics. It’s for anyone who prefers learning from direct experience rather than corporate playbooks, offering a regular dose of motivation and actionable advice from people who are actually doing the work.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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