Can churn ever be good in SaaS?

In this episode, Rob Walling is joined by fan favorite Derrick Reimer for a listener Q&A. They break down what it takes to compete with well-funded incumbents, how to decide whether to pivot or push forward, when a technical co-founder is truly necessary, the right time to think about trademarks, and the difference between “good churn” and “bad churn” especially when customers fall outside your ICP.

Episode Sponsor:

AI is completely changing how people discover brands and content online, and Ahrefs has built a full-blown SaaS marketing platform to help you stay ahead.

With over 15 years of real-world web data, and AI that actually understands marketing, Ahrefs helps you measure your brand presence, build authority, and monitor reputation across search, social, and AI platforms like ChatGPT, Google AIOs, Perplexity, and more.

You can also dig into what’s driving your competitors’ visibility and spot market gaps before they do, helping you create content that ranks and drive new traffic to your business.

There's no need to juggle a bunch of disconnected tools- get Ahref’s all-in-one platform to make your brand unmissable in a fast-moving world.

Try it free at ahrefs.com/awt.

• (3:35) – Competing with well-funded incumbents
• (12:47) – Should you focus on competitors or customers?
• (20:20) – Pivot, press on, or move on: how to decide
• (29:09) – Finding and vetting a technical co-founder or partner
• (39:04) – When should you pursue trademarks?
• (44:24) – Is churn ever good for a startup?

• MicroConf US 2026 - Portland, Oregon - Use Promo Code ROB50 for $50 off.
• MicroConf Connect
• BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)
• SavvyCal
• Derrick Reimer | LinkedIn
• Derrick Reimer (@derrickreimer) | X

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

What if you could get all 15 years of this podcast bundled up into one episode?

In episode 800, Rob Walling goes solo for a special milestone installment of Startups For the Rest of Us. He covers the 12 foundational commandments that shape his approach to SaaS, hard-won lessons forged from years of building, investing in, and advising startups.

• (3:46) – #1: Nuance beats absolutes
• (6:52) – #2: Make hard decisions with incomplete information
• (9:16) – #3: Avoid the classic traps
• (12:22) – #4: Don't build without real evidence
• (15:14) – #5: Marketing beats product
• (19:08) – #6: Fewer customers, better customers
• (21:01) – #7: Respect (and fear) the platform
• (24:04) – #8: Build your network, not just your audience
• (26:30) – #9: Overnight success takes a decade
• (28:45) – #10: Stack small wins
• (31:22) – #11: Be careful who you listen to
• (33:15) – #12: The hardest battles are in your own head

• MicroConf US 2026 - Portland, Oregon - Use Promo Code ROB50 for $50 off.
• Invest in TinySeed Fund Three
• SaaS Playbook
• The Entrepreneur's Guide to Keeping Your Sh*t Together
• Exit Strategy
• Episode 685 | 7 Things You Should Never Do
• Episode 700 | Playing the Long Game
• Episode 735 | The 8 Levels of SaaS Platform Risk

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

What's next for OutboundSync?

In the Season 5 finale of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling talks with Harris Kenny as OutboundSync blows past $500k ARR. Harris shares the wins and struggles of getting here, from choosing not to raise funding (for now), to planning a laser tag event no committee would approve, to what comes next on the road to $1M.

• (1:49) – Crossing $500k ARR and building personal health habits
• (5:36) – The big levers behind OutboundSync’s growth
• (6:39) – Laser tag, not hotel happy hours
• (13:01) – Deciding not to raise more funding (for now)
• (16:25) – An overbuilt tech stack
• (17:57) – Competitors, copycats, and growing a brand
• (19:06) – The next chapter for OutboundSync
• (23:29) – Ambition, TinySeed, and channeling energy
• (25:14) – Harris’s advice for founders still grinding

• Invest in TinySeed Fund Three
• Coaching Call Bonus
• OutboundSync
• Harris Kenny | LinkedIn

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify