Product Hunt, Founder Mode and more

Bootstrapped Tech for the week of September 9, 2024

Welcome to this issue of Bootstrapped Tech, a weekly newsletter focused on startups making things happen without funding, as well as other news relevant to the startup world. Let’s get to it…

Bootstrapped Tech Headlines

• Rik Schennink built Pintura, a web-based image editor, in an overcrowded market by focusing solely on his "Why": proving that web can rival a native experience. Ignoring the competition and prioritizing a seamless user experience, Rik steadily grew his product to now generate $50K per month. Here's how Rik transitioned from a full-time front-end developer to an indie hacker, and his journey to building a successful product by sticking to his core vision. Read more…

• In his blog post "Founder Mode," Paul Graham reflects on a powerful talk by Brian Chesky at a recent YC event, where Chesky challenged the conventional wisdom on scaling companies. Chesky shared how following traditional management advice nearly derailed Airbnb, leading him to develop his own approach by studying Steve Jobs. Graham explores the distinction between "founder mode" and "manager mode," arguing that founders need a different playbook to successfully scale their companies. Read more…

• Jason Levin, Head of Growth at Product Hunt, has an impressive track record—scaling a SaaS company to 135,000 users, ghostwriting for tech giants, scouting for Creator Ventures, and growing his organic growth newsletter to over 20,000 subscribers. He’s also the author of a book on meme marketing. He recently shared his thoughts on marketing. Read more…

• Tim Draper's pitch competition, "Meet the Drapers," is partnering with TikTok for its seventh season, allowing entrepreneurs to pitch their startups through the app. The public will vote on their favorite submissions, with four finalists competing for a chance to win a $1 million investment. For TikTok, this collaboration highlights its support for small businesses while promoting its educational content amidst U.S. regulatory challenges. Read more…

• Someone Somewhere saw their business transformed after their viral LinkedIn post featuring a concept for an adidas-branded Mexican National Team jersey. The post received over 1 million views, with many tagging adidas employees for visibility. Founder Nuño estimated that each jersey could provide six months of fair work for 3,000 artisans and help 15,000 people break the cycle of poverty. And now they’re funded. Read more…

For even more startup news, connect with Bootstrapped Tech on LinkedIn.

See you next week!

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