Rogue Startups

RS358: Your Design Sucks

RogueStartups — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Craig sits down with Francois Brill, Head of Product at Castos and longtime design collaborator, for an honest and entertaining conversation about what it really takes to build great-looking products in the age of AI. Using Outlier as a live case study, Francois walks through the marketing site and product UX in real time, calling out the small but costly design mistakes that make AI-built tools look generic. From embarrassing mismatched button styles to cognitive overload on ideation pages, this episode is a must-listen for anyone vibe-coding their next SaaS app and wondering why it just does not feel polished.

Highlights from Craig and Francois’ conversation:

AI-generated design is the new "tell" that your product was built without a designer
Picking one mode, light or dark, is almost always better than trying to do both
Rounded inputs paired with square buttons is one of the most common and fixable design mistakes
Color should guide user action, not decorate the interface
UX is how something works; UI is what it looks like, and they require different thinking
Cognitive overload kills conversion, especially on feature-rich pages like ideation tools
A Design MD file can teach AI your brand system so every output stays consistent
Code is cheap now, so the value has shifted to vision, taste, and design thinking
Building fast and iterating beats trying to get it perfect the first time
If everyone can prompt the same thing, standing out requires taste and a real system

Resources and Links from This Episode:

Clearly Design: https://www.clearly.design/
Francois on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fbrill/
Outlier: https://outlier.so/
Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Francois Brill on Design & UX
(00:01:26) - How To Design SaaS Companies' User Experience (
(00:04:04) - Light and Dark
(00:07:08) - Mixed Bag: Round vs. Square On Mobile
(00:09:24) - Kanban 2.8: Color
(00:13:19) - Taste Design: The Future of AI
(00:16:08) - Onboarding to YouTube
(00:20:52) - Ideas in the Pipeline
(00:27:25) - Ideation: A Chatbot Interface
(00:33:56) - How to Build a Ui with a Human Interface
(00:38:48) - Design Systems: The Need for Verification
(00:40:45) - How To Build a Design System?
(00:49:08) - Top AI Tooling Tips
(00:53:08) - A Taste of Hard Work

RS357: I Got Hacked

RogueStartups — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

This week on the Rogue Startups, Craig gets roasted. He brought in experienced software engineer Brandon Hancock after building the AI-powered SaaS app Outlier largely through “vibe coding,” so Brandon could audit the entire codebase live during the episode. The result? An honest but useful breakdown of what happens when non-technical founders ship fast with AI tools.

Brandon digs into real security risks, common architecture mistakes, and the best practices every founder should follow when building AI-driven products. If you’re launching SaaS with tools like Next.js, Supabase, and Claude, or simply adding AI features to your existing product, this episode offers practical lessons on building faster without accidentally breaking everything.

Check the episode out on YouTube to see Brandon dig through Craig’s code onscreen.

Highlights from Craig and Brandon’s conversation:

What “vibe coding” looks like when building a real production startup
How a single exposed Supabase key can create major security risks
Why row-level security is critical for protecting user data
Using AI to audit code and uncover vulnerabilities in minutes
Simple fixes that dramatically improve SaaS security
Why many AI code review tools miss critical issues
The danger of exposing backend clients in frontend code
How server actions can replace many API endpoints
Best practices for managing database migrations with Drizzle ORM
Why staging environments save founders from catastrophic production mistakes
The difference between moving fast and building responsibly
How to structure AI documentation for better development workflows
Using task templates to teach AI your coding standards
Practical lessons for founders building SaaS products with AI tools

Resources and Links from This Episode

Shipkit.ai: https://www.shipkit.ai/
Brandon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-hancock-ai
Brandon’s website: https://brandonhancock.io/
Brandon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aiwithbrandon
Rogue Startups on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@roguestartups
Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

T...

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Getting Roasted: AI Security Best Practices
(00:01:42) - What I Learned From Working On EMS Soap
(00:04:40) - loading pandas in C#
(00:05:04) - How to hack a Supabase client with a single code
(00:06:51) - How to compromise a C# project with a phishing
(00:10:17) - Code Reviewing in the Cloud
(00:15:10) - Migration workflow in C#
(00:20:45) - Creating a second branch in the Supabase project
(00:23:31) - Choosing the right API for your app
(00:25:59) - Brandon: How do we structure AI Development?
(00:32:35) - Seeking Compound Engineering in the Code
(00:33:41) - How to max out Claude Code in 2019
(00:38:38) - Building a Software Startup With Claude Code
(00:44:04) - Shipkit AI Announcement

RS356: When to Pivot, When to Push w/ Jesse Hanley

RogueStartups — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Rogue Startups, Craig sits down with Jesse Hanley, founder of Bento, for a wide-ranging conversation about building and growing SaaS businesses in the age of AI. From vibe coding and AI-assisted development workflows to product strategy, business ceilings, and the existential shifts happening across the tech landscape, Jesse and Sandy share candid insights from their own experiences as founders navigating a rapidly changing environment. If you're a bootstrapped founder, indie hacker, or SaaS entrepreneur trying to figure out how to stay relevant and move fast, this one's for you.

Highlights from Craig and Jesse’s conversation:

Testing and QA are still the unglamorous bottleneck nobody talks about enough
The founders who stay close to the code sleep better at night
Opus 4.5 in Cursor is the closest thing to having a full dev team on speed dial
Build your foundation like a brick house, and everything else can be Play-Doh™
AI is making founders fall back in love with parts of their business they used to dread
Shopify can now build custom apps on demand, and that should make plugin developers nervous
If your whole product is basically one feature, it might be time to rethink things
Sometimes the ceiling you're hitting is the category, not your effort
The best side projects either pay for themselves immediately or swing for the fences
Building through AI disruption takes the same stubborn optimism it took to survive COVID

Resources and Links from This Episode

- Jesse Hanley: https://jessehanley.com/

Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessehanley/

Bento: https://bentonow.com/
Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Testing New Ideas
(00:00:54) - Bento on Testing in AI Software
(00:09:18) - How to Start a Startup: Plan Your Startup's Future
(00:11:06) - Flows: Things are moving fast
(00:16:18) - Reveal: Learning To Optimize Your Website With Nano Banana
(00:21:45) - "It'll be hard to get a job in 2021."
(00:22:12) - How's your team adapting to the AI revolution?
(00:24:16) - Podcaster on the Future of Podcasting
(00:27:23) - Shopify's AI Announcement
(00:34:43) - Bento CEO on His Strategic Plan
(00:38:12) - Gemini 3.8: Using AI to Make Better Design
(00:43:08) - Cursor: We're Not Using a CMS
(00:48:51) - What is the bottleneck in the WordPress vs. Blog?
(00:50:57) - Have You Got Time for Side Projects?
(00:54:34) - Custos vs. Riverside: How Big Is the Podcast Market
(00:59:38) - How Castos is changing the way we edit videos
(01:01:15) - Bob Dylan on His New Direction

RS355: Code Velocity and the Future of SaaS

RogueStartups — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to be a SaaS founder in a world where AI can build features faster than we ever could? In this conversation, Craig sits down with Arvid Kahl to unpack the shifting reality of software, competition, and the craft of SaaS in 2026. They talk about code velocity, discernment, marketing in an AI-saturated world, and why SaaS is not dead, even as the software part becomes commoditized. Listen in to find out what actually matters these days, if you want to build something that lasts.

Highlights from Craig and Arvid’s conversation:

AI is shifting the founder’s role from building to judging quality and making decisions
Code velocity now matters more than perfect architecture for most SaaS products
Replacing junior developers entirely with AI risks creating a future talent gap
Your real competition increasingly includes general AI tools, not just other SaaS companies
AI has leveled the marketing baseline, making differentiation and brand more important than ever
Standing out requires taste, point of view, and clear positioning, not just tactics
Acquiring legacy SaaS and refactoring with AI could be a major opportunity
The service part of SaaS still matters most, because AI generates products but not businesses

Resources and Links from This Episode

Podscan: https://podscan.fm/
Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Chapters

(00:00:00) - What Does It Mean to Be a SaaS Founder in 20
(00:01:04) - What's the Next 3 or 4 Steps in Your Career?
(00:10:01) - Building an AI-ready database in minutes
(00:17:18) - Code Review: The Need for Continuous Development
(00:21:09) - SaaS vs AI: Buy, Integrate, Arbitrage
(00:23:45) - Are We Ready for AI in Medical Applications?
(00:25:32) - Bill Gates on AI and Growth
(00:30:31) - Marketing: The Challenge of Standing Out
(00:34:42) - SaaS as a Service
(00:38:52) - Agents and the agentic loop
(00:42:00) - Will Agents Be Autonomous in the Future?
(00:47:19) - Will Salesforce Give Marketing a Full API Access?
(00:48:39) - Agile Coding: How to Keep Up with Everything
(00:55:24) - An Optimistic View of the Market

RS354: The State Of Podcasting Heading Into 2026

RogueStartups — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Craig is back! Today, he welcomes fellow podcaster Colin Gray back to the podcast. They dive into the ever-evolving world of podcasting, reflecting on how much the landscape has shifted over the last decade and what people are craving now more than ever: genuine human connection. From the tug-of-war between YouTube and podcast growth, to what it really means to build an AI-first product, they explore the trends shaping creators, customers, and the platforms that connect them.

Highlights from Craig and Colin’s conversation:

How podcasting has changed over the last 10 years
The more we’re pulled toward AI, the more we crave genuine connection
Is it easier to grow a YouTube channel or a podcast?
Content integration and becoming a centralized hub
Spotify’s role in the evolution of podcasting
Monetization: ads, donations, subscriptions, and more
Balancing and prioritizing feature requests
How AI is shaping customer expectations
How to make your product AI-first

Resources and Links from This Episode:

The Podcast Host: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/
Colin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colinmcgray?originalSubdomain=uk
beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/
Kit: https://kit.com/
Creator Hooks: https://creatorhooks.com/
Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Rogue Startups: 100 Days of AI
(00:00:48) - How Podcasting Is Affecting AI
(00:05:14) - How To Integrate Podcasts into Your Business
(00:09:18) - Is Podcasting The Most Popular Media Format?
(00:14:18) - Steve Bartlett on Spotify and Video
(00:18:11) - Podcaster on Separation of Podcasting and Editing
(00:22:19) - Podcasts: How Do They Monetize?
(00:23:20) - Has Alitud added advertising to our Episode Builder?
(00:25:24) - How to Make a Living on Podcast
(00:27:45) - How is AI Affecting Your Company's Business?
(00:32:24) - How To Make a Chatbot Like a Human Being
(00:34:08) - 100 Days of YouTube
(00:37:43) - How to Grow a Podcast on YouTube
(00:40:53) - PODCAST: A Chat With Craig

RS353: Is This the Last Organic Marketing Channel

RogueStartups — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode, Craig sits down with SaaS founder and entrepreneur Brian Casel to talk about the future of software and AI. With years of experience building and growing SaaS companies, Brian shares his perspective on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the industry, from launching in niche markets and creating content that resonates to the challenges SaaS businesses will face in the next few years. They also dive into YouTube growth strategies, monetizing AI tools, and whether today’s AI boom is a lasting shift or just another bubble.

Highlights from Craig and Brian’s conversation:

Craig’s 100 Days of AI Challenge
Growing with content: from weekly AI newsletters to scaling YouTube channels
Brian’s current projects – Agent OS, Builder Methods, and the difference between live workshops and online courses
How to monetize AI tools and content in today’s market
The power of the B2B super niche and what it takes to launch a new SaaS business in 2025
AI challenges for SaaS companies over the next few years
Behind the scenes of Craig and Brian’s YouTube workflows
How to choose the right content for your audience (and avoid wasting time creating the wrong stuff)
Where is AI headed? Is this just a bubble, or real long-term change?
Will artificial intelligence replace artists, musicians, painters, and writers?

Resources and Links from This Episode:

- Brian Casel: https://briancasel.com/
- Builder Methods: https://buildermethods.com/

Brian on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@briancasel

Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt
LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Interview With Builder Methods's Brian Castle
(00:00:40) - 100 Days of AI: How to Write a Weekly Newsletter for the
(00:04:24) - Building With AI: How To Monetize It
(00:08:00) - How Do You monetize AI?
(00:08:49) - Bootstrapped SaaS: The Challenge
(00:16:33) - How to Bootstrap a Startup at 40
(00:23:48) - How to Write a 100-Day Video on YouTube
(00:29:54) - How to Write a Scriptment for a Video
(00:34:41) - How to Write a Short Video
(00:36:23) - How to Edit Video in 2 Minutes
(00:38:42) - Do You Think AI Will Cause a Recession?
(00:41:49) - What are you most excited about AI in the future?
(00:45:58) - Bill Simmons on Art and AI
(00:49:55) - Craig Has All The Answers For AI

RS352: AI Killed Traditional Marketing – Here's What's Next

RogueStartups — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Ross Simmonds, founder of Foundation Marketing, has built a reputation for helping ambitious SaaS and B2B brands stand out online with data-driven growth strategies. In this episode, Craig sits down with Ross to dive into the future of marketing, SaaS growth, and social media in the age of AI.

Marketing has transformed dramatically over the past decade, and with the rise of AI-powered marketing methods, it feels like the Wild Wild West. But within all that chaos are opportunities that we shouldn’t miss out on.. Ross and Craig explore how founders and marketers can leverage AI to create content, reach the right audience, and scale profitably in today’s fast-changing landscape.

Highlights from Craig and Ross’s conversation:

Why traditional B2B marketing tactics are failing and what actually drives SaaS growth in 2025
Create exclusive, high-value content that your target market can't find anywhere else
AI marketing parallels the mobile revolution
We're only at the beginning of the AI marketing cycle, and why the long game matters
Which social media platforms actually work for B2B in today's landscape
Every platform has your audience, but no one's cracked the code
Monetize your existing high-performing pages and don't abandon what's already working
Search behavior has evolved beyond Google
Stop ignoring Reddit for B2B marketing
Elevenlabs and Manus case studies. Plus, why Google will dominate long-term AI marketing

Resources and Links from This Episode:

Ross Simmonds on X (Twitter): https://x.com/TheCoolestCool
Ross Simmonds on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds/
Foundation Marketing: https://foundationinc.co/
Ross Simmonds online: https://rosssimmonds.com/
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Ross Simmons on Marketing in the Era of AI
(00:01:31) - What's Working For B2B & SaaS?
(00:04:53) - In the Elevator With Tim Ferriss
(00:05:24) - Marketing Cycle: Is It Really Different This Time?
(00:10:52) - Will AI Change Your Life?
(00:16:27) - SooooO
(00:16:33) - Is LinkedIn the Place to Start Your Business?
(00:24:13) - B2B Content: The Best Channels
(00:28:49) - Instagram's Paid-For Content
(00:29:42) - Traditional SEO vs AI SEO
(00:33:21) - Content Marketing in SaaS: The Rise of AI
(00:36:55) - The Internet's Most Overhyped
(00:38:50) - What's The Business of Quora?
(00:40:24) - How to start a blog on Reddit
(00:40:55) - Biggest Disappointment in AI Tooling
(00:43:50) - What I'd Be Most Disappointed In About Gmail
(00:45:26) - I Think Google Will Win In The End

RS351: Why Brands Fail on Reddit

RogueStartups — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Today on the podcast, Craig sits down with Reddit marketing expert Paul Xue to explore how brands can tap into one of the internet’s most engaged and skeptical communities. Reddit can be a tough nut to crack, but when approached with authenticity and a strategic approach, it can become a powerful driver of trust, visibility, and growth. Paul, founder of his own marketing company specializing in Reddit campaigns, breaks down the principles, tactics, and future trends you need to know. Whether you’re curious about launching your first campaign or wondering if Reddit should be part of your overall growth strategy, this episode is packed with practical insights, not to mention a few insightful predictions on the future.

Highlights from Craig and Paul’s conversation

The fundamentals of Reddit marketing: why content and value must come before sales.
How authentic reviews and real conversations build credibility with both competitors and customers.
Proven strategies to run successful Reddit campaigns without getting downvoted.
Ways to make your brand stand out in Reddit’s crowded, skeptical landscape.
The future of AI models and how they’ll shape online marketing.
Big-picture insights on AI, robotics, and what a fully autonomous future could look like.

Resources and Links from This Episode

Paul’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pxue/
Paul on X (Twitter): https://x.com/pxue?lang=en
Castos Free Tools: com/tools
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

#AI #marketing #reddit

Chapters

(00:00:00) - How to Market Your Brand on Reddit
(00:00:59) - Paul on Reddit Being Soulless
(00:01:30) - Are You a Reddit Marketer?
(00:05:45) - Multiple Reddit Accounts: How to start a community
(00:12:53) - How to Get your Website and Brand Images indexed on Reddit
(00:19:56) - Reddit Marketing: The B2B Content
(00:22:46) - Is AI Eating Its Own Content?
(00:29:07) - Top Tech Executives: Where Do You Think the World Will
(00:30:39) - GPT5: When Will It Drop?
(00:32:16) - Underrated AI Companies
(00:37:00) - Will AI Agents Replace Jobs?
(00:43:46) - How to get a job in the tech world

RS350: Authenticity, Content Strategy, and the Future of Marketing with AI

RogueStartups — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Startup marketing can feel like a maze, right? In this episode of Rogue Startups, Craig chats with Brendan Hufford of Growth Sprints about how to cut through the noise and actually connect with your audience. They dig into everything from creating raw, authentic content to dialing in your SEO strategies and uncovering your brand’s real voice. If you’ve ever felt a little lost with your marketing (or just want some fresh ideas to make your plan actually work), this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Highlights from Craig and Brendan Hufford’s conversation:

AI in SEO: how artificial intelligence is reshaping the digital marketing landscape
Why old methods don’t work anymore—and the mindset shift needed to move forward
Building new skill sets: why continuous learning is essential for marketers and founders
Staying ahead of the curve with new tech, trends, and tools
How entrepreneurs can use AI to market their businesses more effectively
Content atomization and distribution: breaking big ideas into bite-sized content across multiple channels
Maximizing social platforms like Instagram, Twitter (X), and more
“Zero-click content”: how to thrive on platforms that discourage external links
Optimizing for virtual retargeting and platform-native algorithms
Overcoming the “trust recession” and rebuilding credibility with your audience
Turning one-star reviews into marketing gold
Creating a gravitational pull that draws customers toward your brand and story
The power of self-perpetuating content that continues to work for you over time
Why founders shouldn’t try to do everything alone—and how to delegate effectively
Finding your authentic founder’s voice and building trust through genuine content

Resources and Links from This Episode

Brendan Hufford on LinkedIn: com/in/brendanhufford
Growth Sprints: https://growthsprints.co/
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt
LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt
Email: podcast@roguestartups.com

Chapters

(00:00:00) - The Best Guest for Marketing: Brendan from Growth Sprints
(00:00:54) - How to Get Out of Stuck in the Past With SEO
(00:05:33) - What Do You Do To Stay Fresh?
(00:07:33) - Where Are You on the AI Spectrum?
(00:12:32) - How to Leverage AI in Content
(00:14:56) - Instagram vs. Twitter: Brand Safety
(00:19:14) - PODCAST: Short Form and Long Form
(00:19:51) - Facebook, LinkedIn: No More 'Zero Click'
(00:20:59) - Content and Zero-Click Marketing
(00:24:57) - Content Investment: The Trust Recession
(00:30:19) - How to Build a Growth Strategy With SaaS Founders
(00:33:10) - There's a better way to sell an SEO
(00:36:51) - In the Elevator: Founder Gravity
(00:37:55) - How to manage your LinkedIn and YouTube accounts
(00:42:39) - How to Start a Business on a Single Channel
(00:45:41) - Growthsprints: End of 2021
(00:48:16) - Ideas for Digital Marketing...
(00:52:46) - How to Build a Content Board with a Single Person
(00:56:16) - How to Tell a Funny Story on a Podcast
(00:57:00) - Brendan on Talking To Himself

RS349: Ranking In ChatGPT with Devesh Khanal

RogueStartups — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Today on Rogue Startups, Craig sits with Devesh Khanal from Grow and Convert to talk about how to get your brand showing up at the top of search results in LLMs. They dive deep into the world of AI SEO—covering everything from debunking myths about large language models to sharing actionable strategies for ranking your content in both Google and AI-driven search tools.

Devesh is the “convert” side of Grow and Convert. In addition to co-founding the company, he runs Growth Rock, a conversion optimization agency that helps e-commerce brands increase online sales through user research, usability testing, analytics evaluations, and A/B testing. Before launching into the marketing world, Devesh worked on financial strategy and cost modeling for a biofuels startup—and he also holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from U.C. Berkeley.

Highlights from Craig and Devesh’s conversation:

Bottom-of-funnel SEO vs. top-of-funnel queries
How to use LLMs as a marketing tool
Debunking common myths about LLMs in SEO
Does community content promotion (like Reddit) actually work?
The correlation between Google rankings and LLM results
Identifying customer pain points and achieving product–market fit
Why to avoid “fluff” writers and generic AI writing tools

Resources and Links from This Episode:

Devesh Khanal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deveshkhanal/
Grow and Convert: https://www.growandconvert.com/
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt
LinkedIn:

Chapters

(00:00:00) - How to get your brand to show up in ChatGPT or
(00:01:21) - Why Our Traffic's Down 50% vs. 2 years ago
(00:08:29) - ChatGPT's Google Rankings
(00:09:47) - Pushing the Bottom of the Marketing Flourish
(00:13:33) - Tim Ferriss: The Bottom of the Sales Cycle
(00:16:21) - Category keywords and alternatives: What is SEM
(00:18:49) - The 3 Types of Jobs in the SEO Market
(00:21:23) - How to Get Your Bottom-of- Content to Rank in
(00:30:05) - Don't Get On Reddit
(00:35:36) - How to Get Your Lead Generation Solutions Recommended by LLMs
(00:40:03) - Can You Rank in LLMs With ChatGPT?
(00:45:30) - Do We Need AI in Our Jobs?
(00:50:48) - Is AI Taking Over Your Business?
(00:53:07) - Waverider vs. AI in Marketing Writing
(00:59:06) - Grow and Convert: The AI Writing Tool

RS348: Not Exactly White Hat AI-SEO with Lars Lofgren

RogueStartups — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 10:01:00 +0000

In today’s episode, Craig sits down with AI-SEO expert Lars Lofgren to unpack the future of AI-SEO in a world dominated by artificial intelligence. They explore how to attract and retain traffic through both on-site and off-site strategies like Reddit, YouTube, LinkedIn, and beyond.

With AI rapidly reshaping the digital landscape, the traditional rules of content and inbound marketing are being rewritten. Should SEO still be your top focus? How do you build brand authority when search algorithms are changing every day?

Tune in for practical tips and bold insights on what’s working now—and what’s next.

Highlights from Craig and Lar’s conversation:

What does SEO even mean in the age of AI?
How the search landscape has shifted with AI’s rise
The #1 thing to do now to thrive in AI-powered search results
Top of Funnel (TOFU) vs Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) marketing
Why Google prioritizes specific landing pages for specific products
The companies gaming AI—and how it’s disrupting traditional SEO
How to get your brand seen in AI answers and social media feeds
The surprising impact of Reddit on SEO strategy
Why SEO best practices feel more unclear than ever
Authentic content vs high-volume output, what wins with AI?
Building trust: How to make your site feel real to your visitors
Ads, paid influencers, evangelists: what actually pays off?

Resources and Links from This Episode

Lars on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larslofgren/
Lars’ website and newsletter: https://larslofgren.com/
Lars on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/larslofgren.bsky.social
Lars on Twitter/X: https://x.com/larslofgren?lang=en
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

RS347: How to Rank Any Brand In AI Results

RogueStartups — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 10:01:00 +0000

This week on Rogue Startups, Craig chats with Mike Buckbee from Knowatoa about how AI is changing the game for brands. With tools like ChatGPT taking over the way we search and discover businesses, Mike breaks down what you need to do to get your brand noticed in the AI world. From content strategies to getting your site in front of the right eyes, this episode’s got the lowdown on how to stay ahead in an AI-driven world.

Michael is a serial entrepreneur and software developer who has founded multiple successful startups in the cybersecurity space. With over a decade of experience in marketing and technology, he previously worked as a Director of Demand Generation for a public cybersecurity company, as well as consulting for multiple YC startups.

Knowatoa’s mission is to help businesses win the AI search game by ensuring they remain discoverable, relevant, and competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Highlights from Craig and Mike’s conversation:

How to get your business in front of customers in the AI-driven world
New strategies for success: creating brand-specific content that attracts customers
What "Face vs Space" content really means
Where AI is training and how it impacts businesses
The role of txt: Is it still important, and what’s the best alternative?
Why you should ask ChatGPT questions about your business
Personalized AI search results: Are they working for or against you?
Why your content should be on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Reddit
The growing role of LLMs in social etiquette and advice
How search, companionship, and advice are blending in the AI space
What does all this mean for businesses in the future?
The future of business is pay-to-play
Will AI take 30% of our jobs? The "floor" may rise, but the "ceiling" will stay human

Resources and Links from This Episode

Knowatoa: https://knowatoa.com/
Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbuckbee
Email: Mike@knowatoa.com

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt
LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt
Email: podcast@roguestartups.com

Chapters

(00:00:00) - AI SEO in Inbound Marketing
(00:01:10) - Noah Toa: The Only AI-based Tool for S
(00:05:02) - How HubSpot is Preparing for AI-based Resignation
(00:13:28) - How to Optimize Your Website With Google Search
(00:17:18) - Is LLMs Txt important for your site?
(00:23:09) - Ask ChatGPT: How Much of its Intelligence Is Based on
(00:25:02) - What's AI Doing To Your Company?
(00:32:43) - How Social Networks Are Affecting Business
(00:35:28) - Deep Learning and the Google Cloud
(00:37:08) - Top Tech Thinkers: The Future of Content
(00:46:11) - Noah Toa: A Landing Page for New Users

RS346: What 11 Years in SaaS Really Looks Like

RogueStartups — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the podcast, Craig sits down with longtime entrepreneur Colin Bartlett, cofounder of StatusGator, to explore what it really takes to build, and sustain, a SaaS business over the long haul. With more than a decade at the helm of a company that helps users monitor service outages, Colin shares hard-won insights from 12 years of entrepreneurship and 11 years of running StatusGator. The conversation dives into how founders’ perspectives evolve, especially in today’s turbulent tech landscape, and how to stay grounded and successful through all of that craziness.

Highlights from Craig and Colin’s conversation:

How Colin and StatusGator did when Google Cloud went down for a few hours
The factors that can determine whether or not free trials can work for your business
The difference between the company in the beginning versus 10+ years down the road
How their businesses fit into the current markets (alongside AI and other tech advances)
Appreciation and respect for the businesses in such uncertainty
Plans, trajectories, and what the future holds for them
Views on profit in the SaaS industry
Their team structures and how to hire and maintain a team in the AI era
Staying fresh in the market after you’ve been in the business for a while
The benefits of having a cofounder
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) compliance and privacy standards
How many hours does your team have to work to be a value to your company?

Resources and Links from This Episode

Colin Bartlett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinabartlett/
StatusGator: https://statusgator.com/

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Talking Startup With Colin Bartlett
(00:01:51) - Flare on the Internet Outage
(00:03:48) - How Do You Capture Leads From Free Signups?
(00:09:18) - How Long Can You Keep Working On Your Startup?
(00:14:42) - How Do You Think Your SaaS Business Should Be Profitable
(00:16:53) - What Your Team Looks Like on SaaS
(00:19:12) - How We Run a WordPress Team
(00:21:34) - How to Hire a Team in the AI Era
(00:25:46) - Top Executives: How AI Will Affect the Business in 2
(00:31:20) - Podcaster on An Economic Dip
(00:32:17) - How Do We Stay Fresh After 11 Years?
(00:37:22) - If You Had to Pick A Boss, What Would You Do?
(00:38:39) - Cisco on SOC2 Compliance
(00:42:30) - How much Time Should Your Team Work?
(00:46:48) - How To Get Things Done As A CEO

RS345: The State Of Search 2025

RogueStartups — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

- LLMs.txt article: https://www.quoleady.com/llm-txt-files/

- Craig's YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@thecraighewitt

Chapters

(00:00:01) - Rogue Startups: The Startup Podcast
(00:00:07) - Content Marketing: Multimodal
(00:03:37) - Is Content Necessary for Your Business?
(00:06:23) - How to get a crawler to crawl your website for SEO
(00:13:58) - Marketing Decoded: Content and Search
(00:17:14) - Want to hear more of my ranting on AI?

RS344: 12 Years to Overnight Success with Amar Ghose

RogueStartups — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:01:00 +0000

What does it really take to lead a company for over a decade—and still be growing?

In this episode, Craig chats with Amar Ghose, founder and longtime CEO of ZenMaid, about the challenges, lessons, and evolution that come from running a SaaS company for 12 years. From market leadership and internal conflict to personal growth and productivity, Amar shares candid insights into the realities of long-term entrepreneurship.

Whether you're scaling a startup, feeling stagnant in your leadership role, or just wondering if AI is going to eat your SaaS lunch, this conversation delivers.

Highlights from Craig and Amar's conversation:

Transitioning from following trends to becoming a category leader
Navigating internal disagreements and managing tough decisions
Running a "benevolent dictatorship"—and why that sometimes works
How to deal with boredom, complacency, and staying sharp as a CEO
The productivity paradox: what being "productive" means at the top
Entertainment vs. distraction: protecting your focus
How coaching reveals your blind spots (and helps you evolve)
Staying out of cruise control—how to keep leveling up, year after year
Is AI a threat to SaaS companies, or a tool for growth?

Takeaways and Vision

Longevity in SaaS isn’t about coasting. It’s about evolving. Amar Ghose proves that staying in the game for 12+ years means embracing discomfort, sharpening your focus, and leading with intention. Whether you're one year in or a decade deep, this episode is a reminder: real leadership isn’t about avoiding boredom, it’s about leveling up through it.

Resources and Links from This Episode

ZenMaid – Amar’s SaaS for maid service businesses
Follow Amar on LinkedIn
Rogue Startups Podcast Archive
Connect with Craig on Twitter/X: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Chapters

(00:00:00) - How to Build a 12-Year-Old SaaS Company
(00:01:15) - Squarespace CEO on How Far Along the Business Is
(00:03:39) - How We Went From Fast Follower to Industry Leader
(00:08:35) - Jeff Bezos on Decisions Made by the Team
(00:13:52) - Zenmaid's CEO on Never Enough
(00:18:10) - How to Get More Out of a Manager
(00:19:30) - Craig on His Side Businesses
(00:25:49) - Kastos on What Would He Tell You?
(00:28:03) - How Do You Continue to Evolve As a Founder?
(00:33:16) - Brain tumor patient on work life balance
(00:39:46) - Jordan G. on AI and the Economy
(00:44:55) - Brands and the AI revolution
(00:46:33) - Amar Ghosh on Connecting With People

A Caffeine Infused Diatribe

RogueStartups — Wed, 28 May 2025 19:29:40 +0000

Hello, remember me? Sorry that it's been 6 weeks, but I'm back.

In this episode I talk through what I've been up to recently, what's going on with Castos, with myself personally, and things I'm learning growing the business.

Towards the end, I share the lessons I learned from a recent 2-day Scaling Workshop with Alex and Leila Hormozi. The event was great, and really reframed how I am thinking about the business, and about being a business owner.

My YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@thecraighewitt - for sales, marketing, and founder-focused content like this.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - What's Up With Me
(00:00:38) - Top Creators: AI and How to Use It
(00:06:21) - How We're Going to Implement Hybrid Podcasting
(00:10:36) - How I'm Using AI on My Personal Channel
(00:14:27) - Writing Content Is Dead on Social Media
(00:17:43) - A Retrospective on The Kastos Scaling Workshop
(00:18:43) - Interview
(00:19:14) - The Warren Buffett Lecture
(00:21:19) - Six Metrics That Make Up My Business
(00:23:17) - Top Executives: Paid Acquisition
(00:24:39) - Keeping Person in the Business
(00:25:42) - What is the Key Customer Risk?
(00:27:16) - Key Market Risks
(00:29:15) - Sales Funnels and How to Manage Them
(00:30:37) - How to Get More Out of Your Work Life
(00:31:40) - How to Scale a Startup: The Castos
(00:34:01) - The Four R's for Job Description
(00:35:04) - How To Get Feedback From Your Sales System & Culture
(00:37:12) - What They Look For In Their CRM Hiring
(00:38:54) - Sales and Marketing: The Middle of the Revenue Cycle
(00:42:21) - Castos: How to Make Paid Acquisition Work
(00:45:28) - The Time Evaluation Workshop

RS342: SaaS Survival Mode - AI, Niches & Navigating Chaos

RogueStartups — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Rogue Startups, Craig chats with Jesse Hanley, marketer, self-taught developer, and founder of Bento, a powerful email marketing platform for modern teams. With today’s economy in flux and global events adding more pressure, Craig and Jesse dive into what it really means to run and grow a SaaS business in 2025.

They explore how entrepreneurs can protect their businesses and families in turbulent times, why niching down is more important than ever (but only for some), and how AI is transforming both Bento and Craig’s own company, Castos. From global living experiences to making tough decisions about free tiers, this episode is packed with honest insights, practical advice, and a few spicy takes on the future of SaaS.

Highlights from Craig and Jesse’s conversation:

Living and working in Japan, France, Australia, and the US: cultural and business differences
Bento’s vision and how they are navigating economic uncertainty
Knowing when to bring in experts (and when to trust your gut)
How Bento is integrating AI—and how it’s driving real results for users
Behind the scenes at Castos: using AI to boost productivity and creativity
Are free plans a growth hack or a trap for SaaS companies?
Marketing smarter: finding your ideal customers in a crowded market
To niche or not to niche? What to do if your product is a Swiss Army knife

If you’re a SaaS founder, bootstrapped entrepreneur, or just love behind-the-scenes looks at real businesses navigating real challenges, this episode is for you.

Resources and Links from This Episode

Jesse Hanley on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jessethanley
Bento: https://bentonow.com/

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt
LinkedIn:

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Interview + Co-Host Chat
(00:02:34) - Visit Annecy, France
(00:02:51) - Living in France as an American
(00:04:39) - Trump on Trade Wars and AI
(00:05:04) - Bento CEO on Working With Customers
(00:07:41) - What's the rest of the team like?
(00:11:02) - How to Hire an AI-Inspired Team
(00:16:46) - Bento's CEO on How Long Will He Run the Business?
(00:18:55) - Bento CEO on Cash Exclusion
(00:23:53) - WSJD: Business Cycle, Uncertain Future
(00:27:15) - Have We Should Offer a Free tier?
(00:33:03) - Bento vs. Mailchimp: How To Reach Out to
(00:38:41) - Bento on Being a Utility Tool
(00:40:24) - Bento on Collaboration and Its Impact
(00:43:52) - Community and the AI of Business

RS341: Microconf 2025 Recap

RogueStartups — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Craig recaps his biggest takeaways from MicroConf 2025, reflecting on lessons in positioning, lead generation, conference ROI, and the power of going all in on what’s working. From tactical marketing insights to personal reflections, this episode delivers both strategic clarity and founder fuel.

RS340: Is AI Killing SaaS w/ Tim Schumacher

RogueStartups — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Rogue Startups, Craig sits down with founder and entrepreneur Tim Schumacher to discuss his insights on AI, the future of SaaS, and what makes a company successful.

In 2001, Tim co-founded Sedo.com, the world's largest domain marketplace. Since selling the company, he’s been active as an Entrepreneur and/or Investor in various start-ups, such as Eyeo (makers of Adblock Plus), Ecosia, Hitfox, Aklamio, Miomente, PiwikPro, BasicThinking, Home, Zolar, Joblift, SaaS.group, and others.

Highlights from Craig and Tim’s conversation:

The future of SaaS keeps founders up at night
Using artificial intelligence to analyze feedback and company metrics for smarter decision-making
How to make your data, and your customers' data, available across multiple platforms and environments
What impact will AI and automation have on the economy and the future of work?
Why are some in the SaaS industry still hesitant to adopt AI, and what are their fears?
Key factors that drive business growth and longevity.
Product-Market Fit vs Founder-Market Fit: Understanding the difference and why both matter.
Starting a business at the intersection between climate tech and AI
Remote work vs in-office culture: How the workplace dynamic is evolving in the age of digital transformation.

Resources and Links Mention in This Episode:

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

RS339: AI Skeptic, or Believer

RogueStartups — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode, Craig chats with Anthony Eden from DNSimple about how they use AI in their businesses and their personal lives. As early skeptics of AI, they do a deep dive into what made them change their minds, what AI does for them, and how it might actually be holding people back. Like the internet, AI is a powerful tool people can use to make their lives better.

They also chat about what it’s like to raise kids as entrepreneurs. Has their influence improved or hindered their children’s lives? Not to mention, how do they balance their work life and personal life and is AI helping them with that balance?

Anthony Eden is the creator and founder of DNSimple. He has been developing web applications since the early days of the web (1995) using Ruby, Erlang, Golang, and other languages. He used to publish a podcast called the Strong Businesses Podcast with Steven Bristol. He also published a mostly weekly podcast of progressive dance music over at theministerprime.com. He also produces tracks which can be found on SoundCloud.

Highlights from Craig and Anthony’s conversation:

What changed Anthony and Craig’s minds about AI
How to, as an entrepreneur, leverage AI without just “chasing the trend”
The personal and emotional impacts of running a business in this AI world
What AI will do for the future of business and SaaS
Training AI and what the “mistakes” teach you and your team
“I have to have a little bit of fear in everything I do [as a founder].”
Keeping customer data safe and secure
What data is AI using to aid you with your business?
“This kind of stuff is fantastic but, boy, does it make you lazy.”
As an entrepreneur, how do you talk to your kids about careers after college?
How is generative AI going to make our lives better?

Takeaways and Vision:

How do you take a non-native AI solution and adapt it to a solution for your customers, your team, and your business? As a founder and entrepreneur, how you use AI in your business is important. Not only do you have to pay attention to what information you are getting from AI, but how it is affecting your productivity overall.

Resources and Links from This Episode:

DNSimple
Anthony Eden, LinkedIn
Anthony Eden, Twitter
Anthony Eden, email: anthony@dnsimple.com
Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me:

RS338: Balancing Your Use of AI with Aaron Francis

RogueStartups — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Ever wonder what's happening behind the scenes when your dev team says they're "leveraging AI"? As a non-technical founder, you don't need to understand every line of code, but knowing how AI is actually being used in your business is becoming essential.

Today I'm sitting down with Aaron Francis, who pulls back the curtain on AI in development work. We'll explore the surprising differences between how veterans and newcomers in the field are using these tools, the common pitfalls teams fall into, and the unexpected ways AI is transforming how products get built. Whether you're trying to speak your developer's language or just want to ensure your company is using AI effectively, this conversation will give you the insights you need.

Highlights from this Episode:

Are junior developers utilizing AI too much?
Creating a balance between overusing AI and being a Luddite
How Aaron uses Claude for “discrete” tasks
Developers aren’t going away anytime soon
Balancing the use of AI without depending too much on it
Harnessing the power of AI for your business
AI tools are both calming and scary for founders
Aaron’s different uses for 01 Pro
What AI can do versus what AI should do and undeniably human tasks
Where to go to educate yourself about AI
The importance of testing and checking AI work

RS337: Building AI Native SaaS w/ Jordan Gal

RogueStartups — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Today, Craig chats with Jordan Gal from Rosie about starting a business centered solely on AI. While many of us use AI to help with our work tasks and streamline certain jobs, Jordan’s whole business is AI. They discuss how you and your customers can use AI, what it’s like to start a company right now, and what AI is doing to SaaS.

Rosie creates a new option for small businesses. Previously, the only way to handle phone calls during work hours was through voicemail or an answering service. Rosie offers a new option in that market: an AI can answer the phone for you and handle the tasks needed for these calls, whether it’s taking messages, sending messages out, or talking to clients.

Highlights from Craig and Jordan’s conversation:

Non-technical CEOs sympathize more with customers
- Jordan views his engineering company as customers see their product
- Because of this, he knows how Rosie helps businesses run better
Using AI to help the customer understand their data vs building a product that was not possible before AI
Create milestones for the team when creating a brand-new product
- Jordan tells his team to work as if they are onboarding 100 customers a day
Dealing with customers that have different knowledge bases of your type of product
- Remove marketing fluff to speak plainly to possible customers
- If you provide the customer with something they truly need and get value from, they will find ways to deal with those roadblocks
Conversion versus usage numbers: how to avoid churn
- Freemium and usage-based trials
What AI has done to SEO: people are led to video and YouTube
Software in the AI era
- Now is a good time to bootstrap; it is not a good time to raise money
Everything you do has to have leverage

Takeaways and Vision:

Everything in technology is time-sensitive because tech improves and evolves so fast. Rosie shows us that AI can do much more than just answer questions, run some numbers, and analyze data. Whether you’re using AI to help your business run better, or if you’re creating the next AI tool, now is the time to embrace this technology.

Resources and Links from This Episode:

Rosie

Jordan on Twitter/X

If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Do you have any interesting or unique AI stories or experiences to share? Feel free to reach out to me:

RS336: Claude Project Deep Dive with Alison French

RogueStartups — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

On today’s episode of Rogue Startups, Craig continues his AI series with founder, marketer, and Claude-user Alison French. They discuss the hesitation creators feel when working alongside AI and what Alison did to overcome that hurdle. Since then, she’s taught herself how to use Claude.ai in her creative and professional work. AI is a tool that everyone has to learn how to use.

Watch on YouTube

If you feel our podcast has benefited you and might benefit someone else, please share it with them. Also, if you have a chance, please give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. We’ll see you next week!

Highlights from Craig and Alison’s conversation:

How creatives can use AI to improve their professional and personal lives
How to fine-tune Claude’s tone of voice:

Add files to the specific project only
- You have to feed the machine with information that matters
- Over time, working within the same project, Claude will tune itself to your prompts

How to have Claude see references and change the tone or voice

Separate and break down transcripts by prompt to hone in on specifics

Claude is like a junior copywriter: work with it and nurture it, and it will help your work go faster so you can focus on the important things. Craig’s creative process when creating content:

Get examples/models, templates, and ideas to input into your AI program of choice.
Break your content up into different functions. Go in once a week to pull out topics.

Put the time and energy into refining one meaty piece of content that you can use over and over again.

You have to focus on what makes you credible to your audience

How does your team embrace and respond to AI because at the surface it’s a risk for all of us?

How do we educate our youth now, for a future with AI?

Takeaways and Vision

Balancing the importance of human connection with the ability to express your individuality and be yourself is even more possible in this AI era. Adopting and embracing technology and AI in your personal and professional lives can help save you time and free up some creative energy for being social, innovative, and expressing yourself. AI will give you the time to do the work to open yourself up to having personal experiences.

Resources and Links from This Episode

Alison French on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frenchalison/
LTO: https://www.joinlto.com/about
Claude.ai: https://claude.ai/
Fireflies.ai: https://fireflies.ai/
Alison’s blog post: https://www.joinlto.com/post/leveraging-ai-tools-a-practical-guide-for-founders-and-sales-marketing-leaders
Alison’s framework and prompts: https://www.joinLTO.com/ai-powered-content-guide
Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

Want to Share Your AI Story?

I’m looking for guests to share how they’re using AI in their businesses. If you’ve got some great examples or unique insights, reach out to me:

RS335: Evaluating AI Model Performance with Stuart Grey

RogueStartups — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode of Rogue Startups, Craig sits down with AI expert Dr. Stuart Grey to discuss how AI is transforming both his personal and professional life. Dr. Grey also shares how he educates his students and clients on AI applications. He believes AI will play a pivotal role in all of our futures, and while there may be hesitations, AI can be harnessed to create high-quality content and drive innovation.

Watch on YouTube

Over the next few episodes, I’ll be chatting with folks about the real ways they’re using AI in their businesses. If you’re interested in joining the conversation, hit me up (details below). But for now, here’s a breakdown of how I’m incorporating AI into my own work.

Highlights from Craig and Stuart’s conversation:

What it’s like to teach AI and machine learning at the university level
Comparing AI prompts across different platforms and analyzing results
Stuart’s AI Rules of Thumb for efficient content generation
Ethical considerations when using AI technologies
A glimpse into the near future of AI in everyday life and business
The two primary types of AI-driven content creation
How to turn basic AI-generated content into exceptional material

Takeaways and Vision

AI is integrating into our daily lives and everyone needs to learn how to leverage this powerful technology to save time and enhance productivity. Whether you’re just starting or an established professional, understanding how to work alongside AI-powered tools is key to staying ahead in your career.

Resources and Links from This Episode

Stuart Grey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartgrey/
Stuart Grey on X: https://x.com/stugrey
Stuart Grey’s website: https://www.stugrey.com/
Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

Want to Share Your AI Story?

I’m looking for guests to share how they’re using AI in their businesses. If you’ve got some great examples or unique insights, reach out to me:

Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt
LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt
Email: podcast@roguestartups.com

RS334: How AI Saves Me 10 Hours A Week

RogueStartups — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 11:35:11 +0000

Today, I’m kicking off a series on AI—how I’m using it personally and professionally to grow my business, make life easier, and operate at a higher level.

Key Ways I’m Using AI in My Business

Content Creation for Programmatic SEO
- Using OpenAI and Claude to create use case pages for Castos.
- Built a process to programmatically generate 100+ SEO landing pages using Google Sheets and templates.
- Example use case: Why Startups Should Start a Podcast for Thought Leadership.
Custom GPT for YouTube Scripts
- Created a custom GPT workflow to script our Castos YouTube videos.
- Process: Provide a topic, feed it examples, and let GPT draft outlines and scripts.
- Outcome: High-performing, 90%-ready scripts I tweak and personalize.
Building Free Marketing Tools
- Leveraging tools like Replit and Cursor to develop free tools for Castos (e.g., podcast name generator, social post creator).
- Focus: Engineering as marketing to drive traffic and lead generation.
Documenting Internal Processes
- Using Loom to record workflows (e.g., triaging support tickets).
- Leveraging AI to convert videos into detailed step-by-step process documentation (aka playbooks).
Automating Low-Level Tasks (Future Plans)
- Exploring tools like Make and Airtable for automating repetitive processes (e.g., email tagging, Slack notifications).
- Goal: Free up mental energy for high-value activities like sales, marketing, and strategy.

Takeaways and Vision

AI is transforming the way we work, and I’m all in on finding ways to integrate it into every aspect of my business. It’s not just about saving time; it’s about leveling up and creating systems that make the impossible possible.

I’m inspired by the idea of building something like an 8-person, $10M business with AI at its core. That’s where I’m headed—and I want to bring you along.

Resources and Links from This Episode

Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools
VidIQ (for YouTube insights): vidiq.com
Replit (for building free tools): replit.com
Cursor (for coding support): cursor.com
Loom (for recording processes): loom.com
Email me: podcast@roguestartups.com
Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

Want to Share Your AI Story?

I’m looking for guests to share how they’re using AI in their businesses. If you’ve got some great examples or unique insights, reach out to me:

Let’s level up together!

RS333: Grading My Business (and yours!)

RogueStartups — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

In this New Year's Eve 2024 episode, we dive into a framework for evaluating SaaS businesses across eight crucial criteria. Instead of doing a typical year-in-review or making predictions, we explore how to assess the fundamental strength and potential of your business.

Episode Highlights

Craig grades Castos (podcast hosting platform) across eight key criteria for evaluating SaaS businesses:

1. Pricing (6/10)
- Core product (podcast hosting) averages $28/month - below ideal $50+ threshold
- Production services start at $1,500/month
- Enterprise clients pay tens of thousands annually
- Mixed pricing model affects overall score

2. Churn (9/10)
- Extremely low churn rate
- Attributes success to:
- WordPress integration
- Premium pricing (no free tier)
- Strong technical reliability

3. Payment Processing Integration (4/10)
- Offers multiple monetization options:
- Castos Ads
- Castos Commerce
- Donations
- Paid subscriptions
- Private podcasting
- Limited adoption of direct monetization features
- Most customers monetize indirectly through business growth

4. Switching Costs (6/10)
- Technically easy to switch providers
- High retention due to ongoing necessity
- Perceived switching cost higher than actual

5. Technical Advantages
- WordPress integration provides unique value
- Core functionality similar to competitors
- Important lesson: Customer needs often simpler than assumed

6. Expansion Revenue (3/10)
- Limited expansion opportunities
- Most customers stay at $19/month
- Working to add upgrade opportunities
- Identified as major growth limitation

7. Established Market Need (10/10)
- Clear market position
- Well-understood service category
- Strong product-market fit

8. Customer Acquisition (6/10)
- Success with content marketing, SEO, partnerships
- Struggling with paid acquisition
- Limited by low price point
- Working on improving paid channels

Key Takeaways

- Overall Business Grade: B (maybe 80/100)
- Growth Ceiling: Business could potentially double but unlikely to become a $50M/year company
- Main Limitations:
- Low initial price point ($19/month for most customers)
- Limited expansion revenue
- Restricted marketing channels due to unit economics

Looking Forward

Future episodes will mix personal insights about founding and running a business with interviews featuring successful founders.

RS332: Competing with Stripe and Hubspot (ft. Geoff Roberts)

RogueStartups — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Hey everyone! Just had an awesome chat with Geoff Roberts from Outseta (outseta.com). They're doing something pretty wild - basically smashing together Stripe and HubSpot into one platform for subscription businesses. How cool is that?

Quick Hits:
- Outseta is an all-in-one platform handling payments, auth, CRM, email, and help desk
- They've got this unique setup where everyone makes $210k/year (pro-rated) and can work 1-5 days a week
- Took them 4 years to really nail the product (hey, good things take time!)

Best Parts of the Convo:
- Jeff got real about marketing struggles (who hasn't been there?)
- Turns out ChatGPT is actually sending them customers now - wild!
- We had a great debate about whether SaaS is still the golden ticket (spoiler: it's way more competitive now)
- Talked about why sometimes it's better to stick with a "pretty good" business than chase the next unicorn

Where They're Headed:
- Aiming for $10M in revenue with a lean team of about 20 people
- Shifting from being super product-focused to really pushing growth
- Geoff's been at it for 8 years and plans to keep going for 7 more

Real talk: This episode is perfect if you're building a SaaS company or thinking about bundling multiple tools together. Geoff drops some serious knowledge about what it's actually like in the trenches.

Check them out at outseta.com if you want to see what they're building!

#SaaS #Startups #Entrepreneurship

RS331: I'm Still Here...

RogueStartups — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 06:00:00 +0000

After a 2+ month hiatus, we're back!

Watch on YouTube

Sorry for the pause in episodes, but thank you for tuning in this week.

In this episode I talk through why the forever long break in the podcast, what I've learned in that time, and where things are with me and the business.

But most of all, I want to hear from you...what do you want out of this podcast.

Hit me up on Twitter, LinkedIn or even Bluesky

RS330: Product-Led Playbook with Wes Bush

RogueStartups — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Wes Bush is a leading authority on product-led growth (PLG) and is here to guide Craig through the playbook for implementing product-led strategies in your business. This episode is invaluable for entrepreneurs eager to understand how product-led growth works, as well as those skeptical about its effectiveness. Listeners will gain insights into the product-led mindset and methodology that Wes employs for successful PLG implementation.

Watch on YouTube

Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Send Craig an email at podcast@roguestartups.com. If you feel like our podcast has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. We’ll see you next week!

Highlights from Craig and Wes’ conversation:

Differences and Similarities Between Product-Led Growth (PLG) and Self-Service SaaS
How to Leverage PLG as a Marketing Tool
Internal to External Growth Loops (e.g., Canva)
Providing Value and Education to Empower Customers
Overcoming the Fear of Change and Embracing Creative Destruction
The Product-Led Implementation Program and Wes Bush’s New Book
From Contender to Leader: Navigating Your Market
Castos: A Case Study in Product-Led Growth

A Little About Wes:

Wes is an entrepreneur, author, and product-led coach. Over 500,000 people have read his Product-Led Growth book and listened to the ProductLed Podcast.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Wes on LinkedIn

Product-Led

“Why Nations Fail” by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Craig on LinkedIn

Castos

Founder Insights

How To Hire For Growth

RogueStartups — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Rogue Startups, I dug into several pressing questions from the community. From knowing when to pull the plug on a marketing channel to the debate around hiring for support versus sales, we covered ground that matters deeply to founders and entrepreneurs. Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways that can help you level up your startup game.

Watch on YouTube

1. When Should You Know if a Channel is Working?

A common dilemma many founders face is determining whether a new marketing channel is working. If you’ve ever wondered how long you should invest in a channel before calling it quits, you’re not alone.

Here’s how I break it down:

Give New Channels at Least 90 Days: If you’re starting fresh with a channel, 90 days is the minimum timeframe to give it. Less than that is almost never enough.
Existing Channels Need Time Too: Even for established channels that you’re tweaking or optimizing, 90 days is still a good baseline. After that, look at the data to guide your decision.
Focus on Leading Indicators: Whether it’s impressions on LinkedIn, open rates in email campaigns, or early engagement in SEO, you need to assess the leading metrics first. These are the earliest signs that a channel is gaining traction.

For example, if you’re working on LinkedIn, impressions tell you whether your content is even being seen. Engagement and DM conversations are steps that follow, but focusing on what starts the funnel will help you decide if you should stick with it.

2. The Support, Success, or Sales Dilemma

Another big question I often get asked is, “How do I know whether I need to hire for support, sales, or customer success?” This decision depends largely on where your business is in its growth stage and the roles you want to fill.

Support Roles: These are typically more reactive—answering support tickets, maintaining a knowledge base, and troubleshooting. If customers are having common issues, or if onboarding is a bottleneck, it might be time to bring in a support team member.
Success Roles: Customer success is more proactive. The goal here is to ensure customers get the most value from your product. This role could be key if your customers are signing up but not converting to paid users, or if you’re looking to drive expansion revenue.
Sales Roles: Salespeople hunt for new business and close deals. If you’re looking to generate new demand or work with enterprise clients, this is the hire for you. Sales is more aggressive in its pursuit of growth, but if your inbound leads just need a quick demo, you may not need a dedicated salesperson—success could handle it.

I suggest founders think about these roles in terms of function and their contribution to revenue growth. Where is the biggest gap in your customer journey?

3. Focus on Customers and Revenue-Generating Activities

As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to get bogged down in tasks that feel productive but don’t directly drive growth. One of my favorite principles to live by is focusing on activities closest to your customers and revenue.

Direct Conversations Over Complex Funnels: Fancy marketing automation systems might feel like progress, but especially early on, nothing beats direct customer conversations. Whether it’s cold outreach or calling people in your network, it’s the quickest way to gather real data and refine your approach.
Avoid Procrastination via Fancy Funnels: Instead of hiding behind digital funnels and automation, get out there and sell directly. Speak to potential customers, get their feedback, and learn what truly resonates.

Remember, your goal in the early days is to collect data, not over-engineer things.

4. Simple Ways to Test Paid Acquisition

Paid acquisition is often intimidating, but there’s a simple approach that’s often overlooked—sponsorships in industry newsletters, podcasts, or YouTube videos. This tactic is low-risk and can provide quick insights into whether your message resonates.

Why Sponsorships Work: Instead of figuring out the complexities of Google Ads or Facebook Ads, consider sponsoring content that already has your target audience’s attention. Whether it’s a niche podcast or a popular industry newsletter, you can place your offer in front of a highly relevant audience without a huge commitment.
Discreet and Affordable: Unlike ongoing paid ads, sponsorships can be a one-off or a short-term commitment. You can test the waters, see if it works, and then decide whether to scale up.

At Castos, we’re experimenting with this approach by sponsoring a few relevant newsletters and YouTube videos in our space. It’s a great way to validate messaging and offers before diving into more complex ad platforms.

5. The Most Important Thing for Founders

The core principle for any founder is this: Work on the thing closest to your customers and revenue. All the fancy tools, automation, and branding strategies can come later. Start by doing what doesn’t scale—talking directly to your customers, gathering insights, and refining your product and messaging based on real feedback.

Final Thoughts
These are some of the questions that have come up repeatedly in my coaching sessions and with fellow founders. My best advice is to stay close to your customers, be data-driven in your approach, and always remember the 90-day rule when evaluating new channels. If you have more questions or want to dive deeper into any of these topics, feel free to reach out!

Call to Action: If you’re interested in growing your business and leveling up your marketing, stay tuned for our upcoming episode where I’ll be sharing a deep dive into building a paid acquisition funnel for higher-ticket products.

RS328: Are you Productive or Effective as a founder?

RogueStartups — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Running a business is both incredibly rewarding and exhausting. Over the years, I’ve experienced highs of motivation and productivity, but I’ve also hit those low points, battling burnout and loneliness. In this post, I want to share some of the habits, strategies, and mindset shifts that have helped me stay in the game and maintain the discipline and accountability necessary to keep moving forward. If you’re a founder—or on any long-term entrepreneurial journey—I hope these insights can help you do the same.

Watch on YouTube

The Isolation of Being a Founder

Being a single founder can be a lonely journey. For me, working from home, with my wife and kids out for the day, often leaves me in the company of my dog and cats. While solitude has its perks, isolation can be damaging to both motivation and productivity.

Find Community: Join a mastermind group or work from a co-working space. Being around people, even casually, can be a game-changer. I started playing tennis twice a week—not because I’m a tennis fanatic, but because it gives me a social outlet and some physical exercise. Finding balance between work, family, and social time is key to staying mentally sharp.
Surround Yourself with Peers: Programs like TinySeed or the DC Accelerator not only offer education but surround you with like-minded individuals who push you to level up. In my career, the periods when I’ve had a strong community around me have been my most productive.

Accountability: The Secret Weapon for Consistent Progress

One of the biggest myths in entrepreneurship is the idea of the “solopreneur” doing everything on their own. The reality? Success comes from being accountable, whether it’s to your team or an external source.

Accountability to Your Team: I’ve got payroll to meet, and employees who count on me. That creates built-in accountability. But even if you’re a one-person operation, you need some form of this. Whether it’s a peer accountability partner or joining a program with structured check-ins, having someone who will ask, “Did you get that done?” is crucial.
Accountability Buddy: Inspired by a conversation with Rob Walling, I decided to create My Founder Pal, an accountability network for founders to check in with each other regularly. It’s still in its early stages, but the idea is to create a system where we set goals and follow up on progress, offering each other the motivation to keep pushing forward.

Daily Structure for Focus and Efficiency

One simple habit that has had a huge impact on my productivity is making a list of three things I need to get done each day. I literally put the notebook on my keyboard so it’s the first thing I see before starting my day. These can be small tasks, but they are important things that move the needle. I prefer to write the list in the morning so I have a fresh perspective on what matters most that day.

This simple act keeps me focused on what’s essential, rather than getting distracted by Slack or email first thing in the morning. It’s about prioritizing effectiveness over productivity—doing what matters most rather than just doing more things.

Sharing Your Work

Another aspect of accountability that I’ve found useful is sharing my work with my team. Whether it’s a new YouTube video or an internal operations playbook, I post it in Slack for feedback and accountability. It not only helps me feel more productive, but it also fosters a sense of friendly competition among my team.

Avoiding Negativity and Overanalysis

We all have tough days, but one of the worst habits I’ve fallen into is bitching and complaining when things aren’t going well. It’s easy to get stuck in a negative loop—SEO is dead, cold outreach doesn’t work, our customers are too price-sensitive, and so on. But in reality, no business is perfect. Focusing on the negatives too much paralyzes progress.

Instead, I’ve learned to compartmentalize the challenges and move forward. Acknowledge the imperfections in your business, but don’t let them dominate your thoughts. Staying active, shipping, and doing the work will always outweigh overanalyzing the flaws in your business.

Focus on Inputs, Not Outcomes

As founders, we often get discouraged by focusing too much on outcomes. It’s tempting to start a marketing channel and expect instant results. But the reality is, you need to put in sustained effort over time to see results. I’ve learned that it’s more productive to focus on inputs—the work we’re putting in—rather than getting fixated on the immediate results.

For example, if you’re investing in a new marketing strategy like LinkedIn outreach, give it time. Stick with it for a quarter before evaluating its success. Switching strategies too quickly leads to rash decisions and missed opportunities.

Separating Strategy from Execution

Lastly, one mistake I’ve made is trying to do all parts of a project at once—strategy, planning, and execution. I’ve found that separating planning from doing yields better results. For instance, with a YouTube video, I focus on planning and scripting first, and then tackle the actual recording when I’m fresh the next day. Trying to do everything at once burns me out and results in lower quality work.

Conclusion

Being a founder is a long game, and the key to longevity is building the right habits and support systems. Whether it’s finding community, staying accountable, or structuring your workday for focus, these small changes can lead to big improvements. And remember, it’s about progress, not perfection.

I’d love to hear your thoughts—what habits help you stay productive and accountable as a founder? Drop a comment or message me to share!

Plus i share an update on https://myfounderpal.com – an accountability community for SaaS founders.

RS327: 3 Traits Of Successful Founders w/ Rob Walling

RogueStartups — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Craig has TinySeed’s Rob Walling in the hot seat today. They’re chatting about defining, attaining, and maintaining success. What does success mean to you? How do focus, clarity, and execution fit into it? Rob, a leading founder and one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the SaaS industry, shares his expert advice and insights on achieving success.

Highlights from Craig and Rob’s conversation:

What makes Rob Walling a successful founder
How to gain clarity and focus in your decision-making
Relentless execution: why the winners are those who practice every day
Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
Creating a network of accountability
The parallels between “fitness” and being a founder
- Making success fun
- Finding someone to hold you accountable
Is there a one-stop shop for founders?
The layers of Rob’s business model funnel

A Little About Rob:

Rob Walling is the founder of TinySeed, host of Startups For The Rest Of Us, and of MicroConf. Rob has bootstrapped multiple startups to exit, most recently Drip. He has been advising, mentoring, and investing in startups for more than a decade. He has also written The SaaS Playbook which aims to help entrepreneurs strategize and build frameworks from the trenches so they can grow successful SaaS companies.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

saaslaunchpad.co

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Craig on LinkedIn

Castos

Founder Insights

RS326: 5 Things Most Founders Struggle With

RogueStartups — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 07:28:44 +0000

Today’s a solo episode with Craig where he’s talking through the 5 common topics and themes that he helps most of his coaching clients through.

Whether it’s through his 1:1 coaching with private clients or in serving as Advisor In Residence at TinySeed, where he’s advised over 50 SaaS founders, a few common patterns have emerged.

These topics include:

Managing Uncertainty
Getting a Sanity Check On New Initiatives
Being An Accountability Partner
Navigating Financial Troubles
Sales & Marketing Strategy

Most important thing to remember from this is that being a founder is tough, but you are not alone. Text a friend, join a community, get a coach, but somehow build that support network around yourself so that you can thrive as a founder to grow your business.

If you’re interested in learning more about my one-on-one founder coaching head over to craighewitt.me/coaching – I offer free 30 minute consultation sessions, and if we’re a good fit to work together we can go from there.

RS325: Stuck? Ask Yourself These 3 Questions

RogueStartups — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 16:32:54 +0000

Are you a SaaS founder feeling stuck, unmotivated, or unsure about your next move? In this video, I dive into three powerful questions that can help you break through mental barriers and gain clarity on your business’s direction.

These thought-provoking questions will challenge you to confront hard truths, think like an outsider, and tap into your own wisdom. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling up, these insights will help you refocus and reinvigorate your entrepreneurial journey. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on your SaaS business!

RS324: $100 Million Bootstrapped SaaS with Adam Robinson

RogueStartups — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the Rogue Startups podcast, Craig sits down with Adam Robinson to explore key topics such as founder psychology, overcoming self-limiting beliefs, and avoiding self-sabotage. They delve into how to identify and break free from the plateau and gradual decline that can occur when you believe you have achieved product-market fit but haven’t. Adam, who has built multiple successful businesses, shares his valuable insights and practical tips with Craig. Don’t miss out—tune in to gain actionable advice from an experienced entrepreneur!

Highlights from Craig and Adam’s conversation:

The success story behind Adam’s unicorn B2B SaaS business
An in-depth exploration of achieving product-market fit
The importance of establishing effective business processes
How to avoid the entrepreneurial trap: recognizing when to transition to a new venture
The story behind “2,300 sign-ups and 13 paying customers, 6 weeks after launch”
How Adam deals with bad press when he pushes the envelope
The future of data privacy and cookies
Creating value for customers and learning from mentors and successful entrepreneurs

A Little About Adam:

Adam is the CEO of Retention.com. Retention.com is the industry-leading Shopify e-commerce solution for increasing revenue. They enable email-based retargeting so brands can re-engage lapped audiences and grow their email lists for the future. On the outside, Retention.com is a magic wand that makes money fall from the sky. He also runs RB2B, a website that helps identify your anonymous website visitors.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Adam Robinson, LinkedIn

Retention.com

RB2B.com

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Craig on LinkedIn

Castos

Founder Insights

RS323: Breaking Through Plateaus with Josh Ho

RogueStartups — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Today on the Rogue Startups Podcast, Craig chats with Josh Ho from Referral Rock about the peaks and valleys of being a founder. When is the right time to sell? Is there ever a right time? How do you break through a plateau in your business growth? How do you switch from wearing your visionary hat to your marketing and sales hat? They also do a deep dive into when and how you should go about delegating tasks so you can focus on more important things.

Josh built Referral Rock from the ground up. Referral Rock helps customers run end-to-end referral programs with frictionless sharing, nudge reminders, and rewards customers actually care about. They help bring in more referrals from happy customers — through a remarkable referral experience — without the pain of building & tracking it all yourself.

Highlights from Craig and Josh’s conversation:

Switching from visionary mode to marketing mode
Reflecting on decisions made as a founder
Letting go of your inner Superman: letting your team handle sales
Knowing what you need and being strong enough to look for help
Strong operations is speed
The importance and effectiveness of SEO today
Valuating your business and progress
Growing, selling, and the future of your business
“Good enough” versus “Being done”

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Referral Rock

Josh Ho on Twitter/X

Josh Ho on LinkedIn

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Craig on LinkedIn

Castos

Founder Insights

RS322: Marketing, in 2 hours a week

RogueStartups — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 07:25:19 +0000

In this episode Craig descirbes his current SaaS marketing approach. Balancing Active and Passive marketing, he’s got his marketing time down to just a few hours a week. Using a video-first, AI-assisted workflow he’s reaching his target market, educating his prospective customers, and building goodwill in the community.

RS321: B2B Lead Gen on LinkedIn

RogueStartups — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

If there’s one thing Craig loves more than podcasting, it’s sales.

In this episode, he shares his enthusiasm with tech sales coach Peter Ahn. They discuss everything from bridging the gap between creating content and driving leads to the importance of being genuine and authentic.

Peter drops plenty of knowledge bombs, so grab a chair, take out a notebook, and jot down some great tips from this episode of the Rogue Startups podcast.

Highlights from Craig and Peter’s conversation:

Why are technical founders so scared of tech sales
The trigger that helps tech founders understand sales
Earning the trust of your customers and helping them gain confidence
Staying up-to-date with authentic sales strategies
Dealing with imposter’s syndrome
Which businesses benefit most from LinkedIn for lead generation
Make your world ubiquitous for potential customers
Creating content creation that will generate leads

A Little About Peter:

Peter is a Korean-American tech sales coach and former VP with experience at Twingate, Front, Slack, Dropbox, and Google, he is passionate about sharing his authentic experience as an Asian-American while helping others find their own unique sales voice.

Peter knows that sales is becoming increasingly difficult, so developing an “edge” or advantage requires combining effective skills and confidence in one’s identity. He coaches on both of those topics.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Peter on LinkedIn

Peter Ahn website

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Craig on LinkedIn

Castos

Founder Insights

RS320: The Psychology of Sales

RogueStartups — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Clearly Design works in every aspect from branding to marketing, from product to promotion. Go to Clearly.Design for a discount on his monthly design subscription service. Tell him that Rogue Startups sent you.

What gets someone to buy our products or services? How do you make LinkedIn a meaningful sales channel? In today’s discussion, Craig speaks with LinkedIn expert Ryan Musselman on optimizing your LinkedIn presence. Ryan highlights the importance of focusing on and mastering a single platform for maximum impact. Understanding effective methods to connect with a broad audience is crucial for achieving your strategic goals. LinkedIn offers excellent opportunities to engage with your target demographic.

Highlights from Craig and Ryan’s conversation:

What influences customers to buy services and products
What if customers don’t know what they want?
- The answer to what they need is inside of them, so ask good questions
Selling the path to the outcome and the transformation
Focus on helping potential and current customers overcome their obstacles
Have a natural way to sell without “selling”
- Speak to the problem or the want instead of using the phrase “demo”
Maximizing the time you spend on LinkedIn
The more rapport you build with a potential customer, the more they will trust you
Engaging with their content in order to create deeper connection rates
LinkedIn as a platform is embracing video more and more
LinkedIn as an amplification system
The power of video for building connections
Be intentional with LinkedIn for 6 months: engage with content, make connections, and build relationships.

A Little About Ryan:

Ryan Musselman is the founder of Coaches who Close. CwC equip coaches to close, scale, and enterprise with new clients, content engines, and constant lead flow.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Ryan on LinkedIn

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Craig on LinkedIn

Castos

Founder Insights

RS319: Mastering LinkedIn Video Content

RogueStartups — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Danny DelVecchio joins Craig today to discuss creating, posting, and uploading video content on LinkedIn. In today’s conversation, you’ll discover how to overcome challenges in creating compelling video content, even if you lack confidence on camera. Uncover the essentials of selecting the right gear to kickstart your video journey and crafting timeless content across various platforms. Gain insights into balancing visual appeal with clear messaging and discover influential LinkedIn users worth following.

Highlights from Craig and Danny’s conversation:

Tips for creating videos when your on-camera presence is lacking
Why people don’t create video content on LinkedIn
Essential gear and tools for getting started with video
Creating evergreen content across multiple platforms
Choosing assistants and social media managers
What happens when you overemphasize graphics over your message
Top LinkedIn users to learn from
Batching recording sessions each week/month
Maximizing engagement with LinkedIn connections
Look for things that people are excited about and start conversations about it
Three styles of video everyone should be creating: educational content, content that builds trust, and sales content

A Little About Danny:

Danny elevated founders with social video. He is also a father, husband, business owner, and coach.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Danny DelVecchio on LinkedIn

Danny DelVecchio on YouTube

Alex B Sheridan on LinkedIn

Chris James on LinkedIn

Laura Acosta on LinkedIn

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Castos

Founder Insights

RS318: LinkedIn Content That Converts

RogueStartups — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Clearly Design works in every aspect from branding to marketing, from product to promotion. Go to Clearly.Design for a discount on his monthly design subscription service.

Today Craig is chatting with Nemanja Zivkovic about conversion on LinkedIn. This is the crux of LinkedIn for a lot of us, as B2B SaaS founders, especially indie or bootstrapped businesses. So how do you find opportunities on LinkedIn for you? How do you use LinkedIn to drive more engagement, resulting in deals and dollars?

Highlights from Craig and Nemanja’s conversation:

Common objections to being more active on LinkedIn
The narrative, structure, and intention behind LinkedIn engagement and posts
Differentiating yourself with unique points of view and varied content on LinkedIn
B2B: Solving problems instead of selling
Building trust on LinkedIn through diverse post types
How engagement fosters relationships and leads to conversions
Using feedback forms to understand customer origins
Fast-tracking responses with templates (no automation)
Maximizing company synergy in LinkedIn posts
Ensuring visibility by reaching out to expand your network’s reach

A Little About Nemanja:

Nemanja started as a strategist and began with a startup where he served as CMO, repeating this role across various sectors. His experience spans from COO roles with heightened responsibilities to founding his company in 2020. This diverse exposure has shaped his unique perspective on B2B growth, blending B2C insights to fill industry gaps.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Nemanja on LinkedIn

Funky Marketing Podcast

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Castos

Founder Insights

RS317: Steal My LinkedIn Growth Strategy

RogueStartups — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000

This episode is sponsored by Clearly Design. Francois and his team at Clearly Design are absolute geniuses of UI, UX, and design. If you’re looking to level up your design, UI, and UX give Clearly Design a try

If you’re running a B2B business today, chances are that LinkedIn is a fantastic growth opportunity for you, and your business.

But if you’re looking at the vastness of how to grow your audience (and business) on LinkedIn, and feel overwhelmed, you’re in luck.

In this solo episode I’m breaking down my entire LinkedIn content and growth strategy.

You can take and implement this strategy to grow your personal brand, get more exposure of your message to your Ideal Customer Persona, and get highly qualified leads for your business as a result.

RS316: Getting 100k LinkedIn Followers

RogueStartups — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Optimize your company’s retention, and supercharge growth with Churnkey.

In today’s episode, Craig welcomes Sam Browne. They take a deep dive into the ever-evolving landscape of LinkedIn, the premier platform for professionals seeking to expand their network and amplify their influence.

With Sam’s expert advice and practical tips, they guide listeners through proven strategies for personal branding, lead generation, and relationship building. Tune in as they tackle pressing questions like content recycling, imposter syndrome, and the future of video on LinkedIn. Whether you’re a seasoned LinkedIn aficionado or a newcomer eager to make your mark, this episode promises invaluable insights to propel your career forward.

Highlights from Craig and Sam’s conversation:

LinkedIn is where the money is when it comes to social media.
Regarding topics to post on LinkedIn: choose a primary niche but don’t shy away from others you are interested in because that contributes to your personal brand.
Because social media is so transient, should you recycle content every 90 days?
Treat LinkedIn as more than just lead generation and make CTAs low-friction.
How to overcome imposter syndrome: you’re not alone.
Observe and analyze the feedback and comments you receive.
Commenting versus posting: where should your focus go?
The different personas we adopt on various social media platforms.
The best way to build relationships on LinkedIn.
Craig’s 30-Day LinkedIn Gameplan.
Steps to best optimize your LinkedIn profile.
Video is the future on LinkedIn and other forms of social media.

A Little About Sam:

Sam has over 100,000 followers on LinkedIn. He’s a lifestyle entrepreneur and a growth and income LinkedIn expert. He loves to help entrepreneurs grow their audience and generate income on LinkedIn. He works with clients about anything and everything regarding LinkedIn, from optimizing profiles to creating great content ideas to forming a brand that stands out.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Sam on LinkedIn

Sam Browne

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Castos

Founder Insights

RS315: $8 LinkedIn Ad Leads

RogueStartups — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Optimize your company’s retention, and supercharge growth with Churnkey.

In this episode Craig sits down with Matt Hayman from Linklo to talk through how we as SaaS founders can set up cost effective LinkedIn ads.

Matt has strong experience in building B2B lead flows for a variety of companies, and out of that experience saw the pain for a more customizable LinkedIn ads experience.

In the episode Matt breaks down his formula for a 3-step ad sequence that consistently gets him and his clients leads from LinkedIn for less than $8.

Highlights from Craig and Matt Hayman’s conversation:

Ways that you can think of LinkedIn from a high-level conceptual standpoint
Maximizing lead generation with cost-effective LinkedIn Ads
Enhancing Brand Identity and Effectiveness Strategies
The importance of clarity on ICP (ideal customer profile)
Building emotional connections with prospects is the key to succession engagement
The goldmine of opportunity from the prospects that come from early calls
How Linklo can help you and your company
What you bring to the table and how your personality manifests in your demos

A Little About Matt:

Matt knows LinkedIn Ads. Founder of Linklo.io. He’s passionate about changing the way agencies and advertisers manage LinkedIn Ads at scale.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Matt Hayman on LinkedIn

LinkLo

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Castos

Founder Insights

RS314: The 8 Attributes Of A Perfect SaaS Business

RogueStartups — Wed, 29 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Optimize your company’s retention, and supercharge growth with Churnkey.

Are you looking to build the perfect SaaS business? Discover the key elements for crafting a thriving SaaS venture in the latest Rogue Startups episode. Craig delves into the success story of Castos, dissecting eight crucial attributes essential for any SaaS business to flourish. Some of these are things Castos has nailed, and others are not. Craig candidly shares insights from personal and professional growth and extensive research.

Highlights from this episode:

Optimal pricing strategies for maximum profitability
Enhance retention by ensuring that your product or service is exceptionally sticky
Incorporate payment solutions seamlessly into your business to enhance user experience
Become a valuable asset for your clients by contributing to their revenue streams
Implement strategies to heighten switching costs, fostering customer loyalty.
Customers should be getting value even when they’re not actively using your product
Stand out from competitors by highlighting unique features and advantages
Confirm market demand by researching your niche

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Designing The Ideal Bootstrapped Business – Microconf talk

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Castos

Founder Insights

RS313: Unfair Advantages with Jason Cohen

RogueStartups — Wed, 22 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000

This episode is sponsored by ChurnKey: Optimize your company’s retention and supercharge growth with Churnkey.

Are you looking to fuel your startup’s revenue growth? Jason Cohen, founder of WP Engine, joins Craig behind the mic on this episode of Rogue Startups. Join Jason and Craig as they delve into strategies for sustained revenue growth, even when certain metrics plateau. Discover the power of pricing strategies and delivering enhanced value propositions to justify premium prices. Learn how diversifying variables beyond product features can make your business highly desirable to your market.

Moreover, Jason emphasizes the pivotal role of the community in authentic company development. Uncover the importance of leveraging existing assets and explore his innovative “adjacency matrix” method for strategic expansion.

Got any thoughts on our content or ideas for upcoming episodes? Reach out to Craig via email at podcast@roguestartups.com. If you’ve found our podcast valuable, don’t hesitate to share it with others. If you could spare a moment, leave us a review on iTunes. We appreciate your support and look forward to connecting again next week!

Highlights from Craig and Jason’s conversation:

Determining success or failure as a founder and business owner
Strategies for becoming the market leader in your industry
Importance of building a community to enhance customer value
Distinguishing between brand, company culture, values, and mission
Identifying when branding becomes crucial for a startup’s success
Deciding between staying focused on your core business or expanding into new ventures
Embracing a culture of innovation despite the risk of failure
Achieving a balance between personal fulfillment, skill development, and company needs
Practical applications of AI for internal operations and enhancing customer experience

A Little About Jason:

With over 27 years of experience in business and software development, Jason Cohen is the founder of WP Engine where he has served in several roles including CEO, Head of Engineering, Head of Product, and CTO. Jason Cohen is the Chief Innovation Officer at WP Engine, with a focus on the intersection of corporate and technology strategies as well as continue as the company’s executive sponsor for the headless platform, Atlas. Jason is a serial entrepreneur, having built four technology startups to more than $1 million in annual revenue. He is a founding member and mentor at Capital Factory, and was previously a founder of Smart Bear and IT WatchDogs. Jason received the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017 Central Texas Award for Technology.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

WP Engine

Jason on Twitter/X

Jason’s Blog

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Castos

Founder Insights

RS312: Hacking LinkedIn

RogueStartups — Wed, 15 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode, Craig is joined by Adam Shaw from Marketing for Founders to talk about precise and overarching marketing strategies. Adam’s expertise lies in navigating Reddit and LinkedIn, two social media platforms that B2B SaaS entrepreneurs often neglect. Together, they explore Adam’s techniques for Reddit, LinkedIn, and broader marketing principles. Should you focus on active marketing or passive marketing? How do you know how much time to put into marketing? What are good marketing strategies for new business owners? Check out this episode for the answers to these questions and more.

Highlights from Craig and Adam’s conversation:

Utilizing your Reddit page as a landing page for your business
Optimizing LinkedIn as a platform to maximize its potential
Identifying which companies are suited for each social media platform
The Marketing for Founders service and model
Recognizing the flexibility inherent in marketing strategies; it’s not one size fits all
Consistency is the key to seeing results from marketing
When to engage in active marketing versus passive marketing
How much time should you spend on marketing?
When you should do your marketing on your own versus when to hire a marketer
Find where your customers are hanging out
Identifying the two biggest obstacles that might be impeding your scalability efforts

A Little About Adam:

Adam’s goal and vision for Marketing for Founders is to help B2B SaaS founders do their own marketing.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Marketing for Founders

Adam Shaw’s LinkedIn

The Marketing Memo

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Gummy Search

Hive Index

Sparktoro

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Castos

Founder Insights

RS311: Does Your Business Pass The Test?

RogueStartups — Wed, 08 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Join Craig as he chats with Dan Andrews, renowned cohost of the Tropical MBA, a weekly podcast dedicated to bootstrapping businesses and entrepreneurship. Dan is also the founder and brains behind Dynamite Circle and Remote First Recruiting.

Today, they’re dishing out some expert advice about podcasting, content creation, and strategies for acquiring customers. Tune in to explore Dan’s opinions on the rapid evolution of AI and his tips on building thriving ventures.

Highlights from Craig and Dan’s conversation:

Dan’s podcasting inspirations and his journey into the industry
Why Dan chose podcasting over any other platform
Is YouTube worth the effort?
Finding the overlap between creativity and growth
The importance of Investing in your team and treating your business like an investment
Getting over imposter syndrome and what your job is as an entrepreneur
Creating successful businesses versus businesses that are “just okay”
The difficulty of getting to $1 mil for a SaaS company
The lifecycle of the entrepreneur ecosystem
Predictions for bootstrapping and podcasting trends in the next 5 years

A Little About Dan and TropicalMBA:

Tropical MBA started in 2009 when hosts Dan and Ian wanted to meet other entrepreneurs for some celebration and commiseration. Most of their first episodes were just them, sharing what they learned about bootstrapping their own business until they concluded that journey with a multi-seven-figure exit. Both Dan and Ian have moved on to their next projects but continue to talk with entrepreneurs on their show.

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Tropical MBA

Connect with Dan on Twitter/X

Lifestyle Business Podcast

Internet Business Mastery

Smart Passive Income Podcast

Startups for the Rest of Us

“Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine” by Mike Michalowicz

Check out Matt Paulson’s Twitter/X

“Exploitative Play in Live Poker: How to Manipulate your Opponents into Making Mistakes” by Alexander Fitzgerald

Rogue Startups Resources:

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Castos

Founder Insights

RS310: Stealing Customers

RogueStartups — Wed, 01 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000

In this solo episode Craig talks through a few updates from Castos, how he’s thinking about growth, and where he’s focusing his attention and energy in the business.

Craig also gives an update on his personal content: this podcast, his Founder Insights newsletter (check it out at craighewitt.me/join ) and his new 1-on-1 coaching business.

Craig’s started coaching founders, 1-on-1, to help them grow, stay sane, and thrive in their business.

If you’re a SaaS founder and are looking for a sounding board, someone who’s seen a lot in business, and has your back (through thick and thin) head over to craighewitt.me/coaching to learn more and schedule a free 30-minute session. The coaching has been really rewarding, and is a great way to give back to the founder community that has given him so much.

If you’re interested in sponsoring Rogue Startups, hit me up on Twitter/X at twitter.com/thecraighewitt

RS309: Growth Fundamentals Most Founders Get Wrong

RogueStartups — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Alison French joins Craig behind the mic today to talk about ICP and go-to-market strategy, as well as the challenges that bootstrap founders have. We can all overcome these struggles with the right tools, systems, outlook, and determination. She commiserates with Craig about what bootstrappers have to go through and also gives some great advice for new startups and entrepreneurs.

Alison runs a boutique sales and marketing consultancy all around B2B SaaS startups. She is the Marketing Gal who got bit by the revenue bug and became passionate about helping companies scale their revenue by focusing on the intersection of sales and marketing. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she specializes in assisting B2B founders and leaders who venture into new markets. Her ultimate goal is to help you build a robust sales and marketing infrastructure that not only streamlines lead generation but also maximizes your ability to close deals. And the best part? She does all this while keeping your expenses to a minimum.

Highlights:

Why everyone sucks at execution.
- Ideas are cheap. Execution is the hard thing.
- Recognize how to get out of your own way and when to delegate
  - How can you delegate cheaply
  - Free up your time so you can do the higher-leverage tasks
- Getting good content writers and/or a copy editor
  - The entire team needs to know the values and priorities of the company
People discount the importance of brand research and focus
- ICP: marketing, content,
When you’re taking a dollar of profit and reinvesting in growth, where do you focus?
- Build a prospect list and then proactively nurture that small segment
- Versium: matched audience media
- The importance of retargeting
- Your Dream 100
- Cold E-mail: a balance of who you can go after, the right time, and the right place
Starting your bootstrapped B2B business today: where do you focus?
- Look at your prospects, laser focus on your ICP
  - Apollo.io for data hacking
- Recognizing you can’t do it all
  - Look at your tech-stack
  - Know, instantly, who you can delegate to
  - Throw tasks out into the world and see what happens
  - As a founder, you’re never going to find someone who can sell as much as you

Resources:

Alison French, LinkedIn

LTO.com

Follow Craig on Twitter/X

Castos

Founder Insights

Rogue Startups

RS358: Your Design Sucks

Highlights from Craig and Francois’ conversation:

Resources and Links from This Episode:

Chapters

RS357: I Got Hacked

Highlights from Craig and Brandon’s conversation:

Chapters

RS356: When to Pivot, When to Push w/ Jesse Hanley

Highlights from Craig and Jesse’s conversation:

Resources and Links from This Episode

Chapters

RS355: Code Velocity and the Future of SaaS

Highlights from Craig and Arvid’s conversation:

Chapters

RS354: The State Of Podcasting Heading Into 2026

Highlights from Craig and Colin’s conversation:

Resources and Links from This Episode:

Chapters

RS353: Is This the Last Organic Marketing Channel

Highlights from Craig and Brian’s conversation:

Resources and Links from This Episode:

Chapters

RS352: AI Killed Traditional Marketing – Here's What's Next

Highlights from Craig and Ross’s conversation:

Resources and Links from This Episode:

Chapters

RS351: Why Brands Fail on Reddit

Chapters

RS350: Authenticity, Content Strategy, and the Future of Marketing with AI

Highlights from Craig and Brendan Hufford’s conversation:

Chapters

RS349: Ranking In ChatGPT with Devesh Khanal

Highlights from Craig and Devesh’s conversation:

Resources and Links from This Episode:

Chapters

RS348: Not Exactly White Hat AI-SEO with Lars Lofgren

Highlights from Craig and Lar’s conversation:

RS347: How to Rank Any Brand In AI Results

Highlights from Craig and Mike’s conversation:

Chapters

RS346: What 11 Years in SaaS Really Looks Like

Highlights from Craig and Colin’s conversation:

Chapters

RS345: The State Of Search 2025

Chapters

RS344: 12 Years to Overnight Success with Amar Ghose

Highlights from Craig and Amar's conversation:

Chapters

A Caffeine Infused Diatribe

Chapters

RS342: SaaS Survival Mode - AI, Niches & Navigating Chaos

Highlights from Craig and Jesse’s conversation:

Resources and Links from This Episode

Chapters

RS341: Microconf 2025 Recap

RS340: Is AI Killing SaaS w/ Tim Schumacher

Highlights from Craig and Tim’s conversation:

Resources and Links Mention in This Episode:

RS339: AI Skeptic, or Believer

Highlights from Craig and Anthony’s conversation:

Takeaways and Vision:

Resources and Links from This Episode:

RS338: Balancing Your Use of AI with Aaron Francis

Highlights from this Episode:

Resources and Links from this Episode:

RS337: Building AI Native SaaS w/ Jordan Gal

Highlights from Craig and Jordan’s conversation:

Takeaways and Vision:

Resources and Links from This Episode:

RS336: Claude Project Deep Dive with Alison French

Highlights from Craig and Alison’s conversation:

RS335: Evaluating AI Model Performance with Stuart Grey

Highlights from Craig and Stuart’s conversation:

RS334: How AI Saves Me 10 Hours A Week

Key Ways I’m Using AI in My Business

Takeaways and Vision

Resources and Links from This Episode

Want to Share Your AI Story?

RS333: Grading My Business (and yours!)