Open Threads

Jay Clouse, founder of Creator Science, returns to the show and we have a fun episode where we talk about our lives away from the cameras and mics to talk about how we stay fit and healthy (or at least try to be). 

Brian and Jay’s conversation was recorded on November 8th, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - The Health Pendulum as Entrepreneurs
• (03:25) - Physical health = mental health
• (05:28) - Jay's health and fitness "stack"
• (07:45) - Diet and portion control
• (10:39) - Morning person/Night troll?

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Lianna Patch is known as a fantastic copywriter. Why? Because she’s also a comedian! We talk about Lianna’s passion for the craft of comedy, her comedic roots, and how she translated that into a thriving career as a copywriter. 

Brian and Lianna’s conversation was recorded on December 13th, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - Geeking out on Comedy with Lianna Patch
• (03:36) - Lianna's introduction to comedy
• (06:54) - Niching down in comedy
• (12:25) - Building a comedy set
• (15:27) - Dealing with stage fright (and monkey brain "anxiety" )
• (18:27) - Lianna's comedic inspiration
• (20:12) - Combining comedy with copy
• (22:19) - Lianna's journey to "punchline copy"

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

I spoke to Kevin Powell, YouTuber and front-end CSS teacher about how he operates his YouTube content business and how he grew to over 800,000 subscribers. 

Brian and Kevin’s conversation was recorded on December 7th, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - Teaching CSS to 800k YouTube Subscribers with Kevin Powell
• (06:56) - A week in the life of Kevin Powell
• (09:35) - Kevin's YouTube origin story
• (10:35) - Who is your target audience?
• (14:48) - Staying on the cutting edge
• (16:58) - Content ideation and maintaining a calendar
• (19:40) - Crafting the perfect video title
• (22:50) - The YouTube analytics rabbit hole
• (25:41) - Scripting and planning a video
• (28:35) - Outsourcing editing and post-production
• (30:38) - Long form vs short form content
• (33:18) - YouTube algorithms (or what we know about them)
• (34:59) - Subcribers to customers!
• (36:25) - Engaging with the YouTube community
• (39:17) - Separating content avenues

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Aaron Francis, creator of screencasting.com and prolific YouTuber returns to the show to talk all things video, screencasting and growing a business on YouTube.

Brian and Aaron's conversation was recorded on November 16th, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - YouTube as a business with Aaron Francis
• (02:52) - Talking video and screencasting.com
• (04:32) - Growing multiple YouTube channels
• (08:08) - How many YouTube subscribers is "enough"?
• (13:15) - YouTube Monetization
• (19:14) - Imposter Syndrome as a Teacher
• (22:17) - Hours & commitment in a YouTube business
• (27:12) - Staying authentic on YouTube

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Justin Ferriman, founder of LearnDash, talks to me about how he started, grew, and exited from this WordPress business in the LMS space. 

Brian and Justin’s conversation was recorded on  November 10th, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - From Selling a WordPress Business to SaaS with Justin Ferriman
• (03:08) - Justin's business transition to coaching
• (05:56) - Highlights of building a business
• (07:44) - Taking advantage of untapped markets
• (11:50) - Using your audience to promote your products
• (13:57) - Know where your audience hangs out
• (15:40) - Pricing *gasp* before subscriptions
• (16:56) - Growing the LearnDash team
• (18:19) - Biggest challenges growing LearnDash
• (21:49) - Justin's LearnDash exit
• (26:47) - After the exit: What next?
• (32:20) - AI and it's implications on software dev

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

 Jay Clouse, who runs Creator Science, joins me to talk all things creator businesses. 

Brian and Jay’s conversation was recorded on November 8th, 2023 

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - The Science Behind a Creator Business
• (05:21) - Content as a product
• (11:49) - Seperating personal and creator brands
• (18:21) - Creator Science breakdown
• (28:40) - Creative energy and prioritization
• (31:49) - Content ideation, production and output
• (33:54) - Side hustle to full time creator
• (39:09) - Where to focus your creative energy

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Adam Gilbert, founder of My Body Tutor, joins me to talk about how he scaled a personal fitness coaching business. 

Brian and Adam’s conversation was recorded on November 3rd, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - Scaling a Fitness Coaching Business with Adam Gilbert
• (03:16) - What is My Body Tutor?
• (04:20) - The evolution of Adam's business
• (07:01) - Adam's background in health and fitness
• (10:01) - Taking the leap and getting those first customers
• (14:18) - Good businesses solve a problem
• (15:44) - My Body Tutor today
• (17:26) - Maintaining core principles in a coaching business
• (19:14) - My Body Tutor milestones
• (21:17) - From solo coach to coaching business
• (24:02) - Practicing routines to turn them into habits
• (25:31) - Business growing pains
• (27:26) - Adam's routines
• (29:27) - My Body Tutor's new plan
• (30:59) - Catering to a wide range of customers

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Dru Riley, founder of Trends.vc, returns to the show to talk about his life as a digital nomad for 3+ years.

Brian and Dru's conversation was recorded on November 20th, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - 3+ Years of Nomad Life w/ Dru Riley
• (02:56) - Where in the world is Dru?
• (05:04) - Why choose the digital nomad lifestyle?
• (08:34) - Favorite places (so far)?
• (09:41) - Working across timezones
• (13:29) - Processes for life as a nomad
• (15:02) - Researching upcoming destinations
• (16:34) - Finding places to stay
• (18:23) - Social scenes as a digital nomad
• (20:04) - Challenges of living and working as a nomad

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Aaron Francis, creator of screencasting.com and prolific YouTuber joins me to talk about his “Era of Maximum Effort”. We get into building products businesses vs. creator businesses, and more.

Brian and Aaron's conversation was recorded on November 16th, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - Product vs. Creator Businesses with Aaron Francis
• (02:31) - Conversations across podcasts
• (05:04) - Aaron's "era of maximum effort"
• (10:57) - Focus vs. many "small bets"
• (17:24) - What are your goals as a creator?
• (27:34) - The initial business idea really matters
• (31:36) - How to find a break and relax?

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Ian Landsman of HelpSpot joins me to unpack all things Laravel ecosystem.

Brian and Ian's conversation was recorded on November 3rd, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - The Laravel Ecosystem with Ian Landsman
• (02:20) - Ian returns to talk Laravel
• (06:06) - Laravel vs. Rails
• (08:37) - Developer ecosystem
• (10:41) - Upgrading Laravel
• (12:38) - Front-end frameworks for Laravel
• (18:58) - Young developers learning on today's tools
• (22:06) - Tradeoffs
• (22:24) - Funding open source innovation

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Colleen Schnettler, founder of HelloQuery, joins me for a wide-ranging discussion around the question of choosing the right product idea to commit to as an entrepreneur. 

Brian and Colleen recorded this conversation on November 17th, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - Colleen Schnettler
• (02:48) - Twitter, Conference, and Podcast friends!
• (04:30) - Transitioning between between ideas
• (05:15) - Joining TinySeed
• (06:14) - the ZipMessage to Clarityflow story (as of Nov 2023)
• (17:41) - Emotional Runway
• (19:06) - Choosing a product idea
• (22:53) - Converting a service into a SaaS
• (28:03) - Riding a wave
• (32:00) - Evaluating potential ideas
• (35:34) - Validating ideas before building
• (43:03) - Audience growth vs. not
• (47:10) - What are you optimizing for?
• (52:34) - Survivorship bias
• (54:12) - Looking back on mistakes
• (56:33) - Shipping tiny ideas

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Dru Riley, founder of Trends.vc joins me to talk about building his Newsletter and Community business and the systems and processes he’s used to grow it.

Brian and Dru's conversation was recorded on November 20th, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - Systems to run & grow a newsletter business w/ Dru Riley (Trends.vc)
• (03:03) - Newsletter + Community
• (06:09) - Breakdown of revenue channels
• (09:04) - Launching a podcast for Trends.vc
• (13:15) - Pro membership model
• (15:24) - Process and delegation
• (20:31) - Choosing the right topics
• (24:07) - Marketing funnel

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Ian Landsman and his team at Userscape work on HelpSpot, a well-established SaaS product for customer support.  And after well over 10 years in business, they decided to embark on a full rebuild of their app.

Brian and Ian's conversation was recorded on November 3rd, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

• (00:00) - Rebuilding a SaaS with Ian Landsman
• (02:34) - Ian returns!
• (03:25) - Rebuild? Redesign? Relaunch? What is this?
• (04:22) - Is this a SaaS?
• (08:23) - Is this the first rebuild?
• (11:12) - Why rebuild? Why now?
• (17:35) - AI in customer support tools
• (22:48) - Killing vs. reworking features
• (26:07) - Thinking about competitors
• (29:27) - Roadmap and timeframe
• (30:35) - Founder designing vs delegating
• (34:21) - Rolling out the rebuild

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Open Threads is returning!

This is a quick update where I (Brian Casel) give you a preview of what's to come in the upcoming weekly episodes of Open Threads.  Plus a note on some changes to the format, including an interesting use of "dynamic audio" in Open Threads.  Listen in to hear more.

The next full episode will drop on Wednesday, December 13th, followed by new episodes every Wednesday throughout 2024!

Talk soon!

Hey! Just want to let you know that I’ll be taking a break (for a bit) from recording new episodes of this Open Threads podcast.

But don’t unsubscribe! I promise to come back to this feed with new conversations as soon as the opportunity arises.

In the meantime, be sure to check out my other podcast, Bootstrapped Web, which my co-host Jordan and I continue to publish on a weekly(ish) basis. That show is where we both share our behind-the-scenes real-time stories of running our businesses. 10-years in and our long-time fans really seem to enjoy it. I invite you to come along for the ride there!

I’m always sharing my updates on Twitter @casjam and in my newsletter, which you can subscribe to at briancasel.com.

I’ll be back on this feed soon enough!

Lemon Squeezy, the new platform for building SaaS businesses went through quite a few iterations before J.R. Farr and the Make Lemonade crew figured out what it is and who it’s for… And how to make people aware. Lots of gems in this conversation!

Brian and J.R.'s conversation was recorded on February 13, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

I invited Corbett back on the show when I noticed he’s been picking up steam on his Substack-based newsletter, Starting Things. Clearly, he’s in the exploration phase of his next entrepreneurial chapter. The perfect time for an Open Threads check-in :)

Brian and Corbett's conversation was recorded on February 6, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Founder Summit was one of the best conferences I’ve attended because it’s built on the idea that a conference is really about the relationships, not the headline speakers. Tyler Tringas, founder of Calm Company Fund, takes us through how Founder Summit came together and where it’s going next.

Brian and Tyler's conversation was recorded on January 30, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

Harry Morton, founder of Lower Street, is back on the show today to take us inside the creative process behind big brand podcast productions. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill interview shows. This is what next-level podcasting looks like — and how Harry built an amazing agency business around it.

Brian and Harry's conversation was recorded on January 23, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.

In 2020, after a hugely successful run building and exiting MOJO Marketplace, J.R. Farr announced the formation of a “dream team” new company known as Make Lemonade. What they’re making is truly impressive. We get into it!

Brian and J.R's conversation was recorded on January 16, 2023.

Brian's update was recorded on March 8th, 2024.

Brian's Product Studio
My product studio, Instrumental Products, is where I partner with SaaS companies, creators, and founders to take product ideas from concept to launched.  Got something to ship?  Let's talk!

Brian's YouTube channel
Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I'm building products and showing the process.

Brian's Newsletter
Subscribe to my newsletter where I send my best ideas and stories from working on products.

This Podcast on YouTube
This podcast is on YouTube!  You can watch full episodes on video by subscribing to the FSF Podcast Channel on YouTube.