Episode 803 | 8 Key Takeaways from MicroConf Europe 2025

Episode 803 | 8 Key Takeaways from MicroConf Europe 2025

Author: Rob Walling October 21, 2025 Duration: 34:19
What's it really like to attend MicroConf? In this episode, Rob Walling and Laura Sprinkle, founder of Rootabl, recap MicroConf Europe 2025 in Istanbul. They discuss the MicroConf vibe, standout talks on AI, affiliate marketing, and SaaS growth, as well as the value of networking and connecting while getting outside the conference room.   Topics we cover:  (5:01) – The friendly, diverse MicroConf crowd (8:06) – Impressions on Istanbul (9:24) – Marc Thomas on lifecycle marketing (11:34) – Michelle Hansen & John Knox on networking  (13:04) – MicroConf Excursions (16:45) – Einar Volset on SaaS Buyers (20:27) – Rob’s AI talk (23:27) – Laura’s talk about affiliate programs (24:47) – Jesse Schoberg on ranking in ChatGPT and Google's AI (26:31) – Attendee-Led Workshops (27:58) – Kevin Sahin’s unfiltered lessons scaling to $2M (31:12) – James Mooring’s journey to $2M ARR Links from the Show:  Get your Ticket for MicroConf - Portland, Oregon, on April 12 -14, 2026 | Use promo code ROB50 for $50 off your ticket. TinySeed Join MicroConf Connect Deploy Empathy by Michelle Hansen The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz There’s ONLY 5 Ways to Use AI in SaaS (prove me wrong) Rob Walling (@robwalling) | X Rootabl Laura Sprinkle | LinkedIn Laura Sprinkle (@imlaurasprinkle) | X If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Rob Walling hosts Startups For the Rest of Us, a long-running conversation focused squarely on the realities of building a company without massive venture funding. This isn't about Silicon Valley fairy tales; it's a practical, ground-level view of entrepreneurship. Each episode delves into the specific journeys of founders who are starting, acquiring, or growing their SaaS businesses, emphasizing the path of bootstrapping. You'll hear the unvarnished details-the strategic decisions, the unexpected obstacles, and the hard-won victories that define the daily life of a founder. The discussions are built on real stories, offering tangible lessons from both struggle and success. For anyone who has ever felt that the typical startup narrative doesn't reflect their own resource-constrained reality, this podcast provides a necessary and relatable perspective. It’s a deep resource for actionable advice and genuine camaraderie, connecting you with the experiences of those navigating the same challenging terrain. Tune in for honest conversations that cut through the hype and focus on building sustainable businesses.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Startups For the Rest of Us
Podcast Episodes
Episode 734 | The 20 Year Bootstrapper (With Ian Landsman) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:03
In episode 734, Rob Walling interviews Ian Landsman, founder of HelpSpot, about his 20-year bootstrapper journey. They discuss Ian's transition from on-prem software to SaaS, the challenges and benefits of each, and the…
Episode 732 | Lessons Learned Bootstrapping to a $615M Exit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:25
In episode 732, Rob Walling interviews Jeff, a mostly anonymous and retired founder, about his mostly bootstrapped business and subsequent exits. Jeff shares how he started the company in 2003 and how he persevered in th…

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