Episode 783 | Bootstrapping ScrapingBee to $5M ARR and an 8-Figure Exit
When is the right time to sell your profitable SaaS?
In this week's episode, Rob Walling talks with Pierre de Wulf, co-founder of ScrapingBee, about how they mostly bootstrapped their web scraping SaaS to $5 million ARR and an eight-figure all-cash exit. They explore the pivotal shift that took them from $7K MRR to nearly $1M ARR in just 15 months, what Pierre splurged on post-exit, and the emotional, legal, and strategic complexities of selling a company.
Topics we cover:
(3:31) – Why they chose to sell
(5:41) – Post-exit emotions and celebrations
(9:57) – Lessons from failed startups before ScrapingBee
(13:16) – From 8k to $1m ARR in 15 months
(17:14) – Building a scalable SEO content engine
(29:19) – Handling a major cease-and-desist
Links from the Show:
MicroConf Connect
MicroConf Talk by Pierre de Wulf
The Java Web Scraping Handbook
ScrapingBee Blog
TinySeed
Discretion Capital
Pierre de Wulf (@PierreDeWulf) | X
Pierre de Wulf | LinkedIn
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
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Episode 782 | Why I Succeeded: My 10 Best Entrepreneurial Decisions
Looking back on your entrepreneurship journey, which decisions made the biggest impact?
In this solo episode, Rob Walling breaks down the 10 decisions that shaped his success, like choosing action over perfection, learning fast from failure, and building a financial cushion to take smarter risks. It’s an honest look at what worked and the choices that made the biggest difference.
Topics we cover:
(2:53) – Stop reading, start shipping
(4:48) – Learn from mistakes and change course
(6:47) – Build a financial cushion
(8:38) – Write publicly about your journey
(13:04) – Make bigger, but manageable bets
(15:21) – Embrace the unsexy, grindy work
(18:05) – Identify blind spots to grow faster
(19:39) – Set clear goals and stick to them
(21:26) – Know when to persist, pivot, or quit
(24:40) – Don’t make decisions in emotional moments
Links from the Show:
MicroConf Connect
Start Small, Stay Small
Comic Lab Podcast
TinySeed Institute
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
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Episode 781 | A Founder's Regret List: 12 Mistakes I’ll Never Make Again
Are you repeating any of these mistakes in your business?
In this episode, Rob Walling walks through his ‘founder regret list’, detailing 12 key mistakes from his 20-year entrepreneurial journey. In this very personal episode, he tells some stories he’s never shared publicly before.
Topics we cover:
(4:17) – Thinking venture capital was the only path
(6:12) – Launching without validating the idea
(9:26) – Choosing ideas that couldn’t be bootstrapped
(12:48) – Relying too much on books
(16:36) – Trying to do everything solo
(21:10) – The arrival fallacy
(23:19) – Delaying email list growth
(25:51) – Taking random advice too seriously
(28:43) – Overestimating skills after early wins
(30:29) – Letting anxiety steal the joy from success
(32:34) – Not letting wins build confidence
(33:50) – Holding onto a scarcity mindset
Links from the Show:
TinySeed Institute
Sponsor the Podcast or MicroConf
Start Small, Stay Small
The SaaS Playbook
Zero to Sold by Arvid Kahl
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
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Episode 780 | "I'll Never Sell My Company" and Other Myths Founders Tell Themselves
What if your biggest growth blocker isn’t the market, but the story you’re telling yourself?
In this episode, Rob Walling welcomes back fan favorite Ruben Gamez, founder of SignWell, to debunk common bootstrapper myths. They discuss misconceptions like never needing to sell your company or market your product, and emphasize the realities of growth plateaus, business valuation, and exit strategies.
Topics we cover:
(4:50) – I’ll never sell my company
(11:40) – I can just coast on profit forever
(21:48) – I’m built differently, so I don’t need to market
(31:54) – Building many tiny projects is a strategy
(34:46) – It’s all about luck
Links from the Show:
Invest in TinySeed Fund 3
Ruben Gamez (@earthlingworks) | X
SignWell
Ruben Gamez | LinkedIn
MicroConf YouTube Channel
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
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Episode 779 | 10 Myths Most SaaS Founders Believe
Are common SaaS myths sabotaging your success?
In this episode, Rob Walling sits down with SaaS growth expert (and TinySeed Institute coach) Marc Thomas to break down ten persistent and damaging myths believed by many SaaS founders and why challenging them is key to scaling smart.
Topics we cover:
(4:52) – “I’m not good at marketing” is a lie
(8:48) – Top-of-funnel obsession
(13:12) – Lifetime affiliate payouts = profit killers
(18:21) – Hiring a marketing team too soon
(21:52) – Chasing new markets too early
(25:08) – Fear of sending more email
(27:36) – Chasing shiny growth hacks like programmatic SEO
(31:14) – Dismissing sales in favor of only self-serve
(35:10) – Avoiding competitor content out of fear
Links from the Show:
MicroConf Europe – September 28–30 · Istanbul, Türkiye
TinySeed SaaS Institute
Positive Human
Marc Thomas | LinkedIn
Marc Thomas’ LinkedIn post on 10 SaaS Myths
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
The original podcast for bootstrapped and mostly bootstrapped startups, this show follow the stories of founders as they start, acquire, and grow SaaS companies. Hear when they fail, struggle, succeed, and take you with them through the tumultuous life of a SaaS founder. If you like Mixergy, This Week in Startups, or SaaStr, you’ll enjoy Startup for the Rest of Us.
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