#374 - Managing a Business While In Parental Leave

#374 - Managing a Business While In Parental Leave

Author: Tiago Ferreira March 9, 2026 Duration: 32:22

In this episode, I catch you up on the latest life and business updates. I reflect on the privilege and challenges of being an indie entrepreneur, especially as my co-founder João becomes a new father and takes parental leave. I discuss how we’re managing business operations at Podsqueeze with just one active founder, and share thoughts about the perks and compromises of the indie hacker lifestyle.


Links and mentions:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiago-ferreira-48562095/

Twitter: https://x.com/wbetiago

Podsqueeze – https://podsqueeze.com  

WeTransfer – https://wetransfer.com  

Meetup – https://www.meetup.com  

Evernote – https://evernote.com  

Bending Spoons – https://bendingspoons.com  

AppSumo – https://appsumo.com  

HubSpot – https://hubspot.com  

G2G (Reddit accounts) – https://www.g2g.com  

Startup Stories (Pat Walls) – [YouTube channel reference]  

Audio Announcer, Flarecut (other projects mentioned)  


Timestamps:

01:10 Catching up, recording in Lisbon, and life updates  

05:30 Joel’s parental leave and how we manage as a small team  

07:50 Indie perks: flexibility, travel, and lifestyle challenges when kids arrive  

10:55 Handling business solo and what changes when you’re down a founder  

14:10 Methods and “cookbooks” for indie founders; audience-first, SEO, content, etc.  

15:40 My “three phases” framework: launch, growth, plateau  

18:20 Bending Spoons and the idea of managing multiple products  

20:40 How AI changes indie hacking and lean bootstrapping  

21:30 The grind of phase one, community tools, and growth difficulties  

23:55 Automations, AI processes, and where human attention is still crucial  

26:35 Where marketing and distribution bottlenecks are for us now  

28:25 Content creation as a missing skillset and finding the right partners  

30:50 Final thoughts: building indie businesses, inviting feedback, and a call to action


Tiago Ferreira is a full-time builder, an Indie Founder who operates without venture capital, turning ideas into revenue-generating startups entirely on his own terms. This podcast is the audio journal of that specific journey, focused on the craft of entrepreneurship and the tangible goal of hitting $100,000 in annual recurring revenue. You’ll hear Tiago’s own candid reflections-the wins, the setbacks, and the daily lessons learned while bootstrapping. The conversations extend beyond his own desk, featuring interviews with other entrepreneurs who understand the grind of building something from nothing. It’s a deep dive into the practical realities of independent creation, from product development and marketing to mindset and sustainable growth. Tuning into this podcast feels like getting real talk from a fellow maker who’s in the trenches, making it a valuable companion for anyone navigating the often solitary path of building a business with autonomy at its core. The focus remains squarely on actionable insights and shared experiences within the indie maker community.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Indie Founder
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