Rails Business podcast

35:14

In this episode, Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of the SaaS Marketing Gym , shares the challenges and successes of building SaaS businesses, and her current work coaching technical founders on effective marketing strategies. The conversation also covers various other topics like AI role in marketing content, Rails Upgrades and more. 00:00 Introduction to Colleen Schneller 00:14 Colleen's Journey into Programming 02:49 The Birth of SaaS Marketing Gym 05:32 Challenges and Insights in Marketing 08:44 Tailoring Marketing Strategies for Founders 17:43 The Role of AI in Marketing 19:41 AI Struggles with Nuance 19:56 AI in Cold Emailing: A Disaster Story 20:48 Using AI for Research 22:48 Rails Upgrade Challenges 23:29 Active Storage Encryption Issues 29:07 Front-End Framework Dilemmas 32:25 Maintaining Software vs. Rewriting 33:40 Conclusion and Contact Information Notes - Colleen's LinkedIn - Colleen's X/Twitter - Colleen's Bluesky - Ryan's Website - Brendan's X/Twitter - Brendan's Bluesky Send us a text…

Rails Business

1
Effective Project Management and Handling Tech Debt 26:42

11 days ago26:42

26:42

In this episode, the hosts explore the challenges of technical debt (tech debt) and delve deeply into effective project management strategies. They highlight the importance of categorizing tasks using a backlog system and explain how they utilize tools like Trello for tracking. Additionally, they explore the PARA method for organizing digital life and managing projects effectively. 00:00 Introduction to Tech Debt 00:11 Defining Tech Debt 00:20 Performance Issues as Tech Debt 02:36 Bugs vs. Design Defects 03:27 Prioritizing and Managing Tech Debt 06:20 Organizing the Backlog 07:05 Using Trello for Project Management 15:19 The PARA Method 19:09 Daily Workflow and Prioritization 23:01 Final Thoughts on Tech Debt Send us a text…

Rails Business

1
John Nunemaker 35:46

20 days ago35:46

35:46

In this episode, Brendan and Ryan welcome John Nunemaker. John is a prominent figure in the Ruby community and, shares his journey into Ruby on Rails, his career evolution, and his unique approach to managing multiple projects simultaneously. There's also discussion around how John and the hosts use AI for their development work. Enjoy! 00:00 Introduction to John Nunemaker 00:19 John's Journey into Ruby and Rails 02:31 Current Projects and Ruby Usage 04:17 The Role of AI in Development 10:51 Balancing Multiple Projects 17:48 Balancing Responsibilities and Focus 19:04 Tracking Time for Productivity 20:06 Daily Huddle and Remote Team Management 20:38 Using Timers and Breaks for Efficiency 23:53 The Beauty and Productivity of Ruby on Rails 26:46 Consistency Across Front-End Frameworks 28:35 The Origin and Success of Box Out 32:56 Future Plans and API Development 34:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Notes - John's X/Twitter - John's Bluesky - John's Website - Ryan's Website - Brendan's Bluesky Send us a text…

Rails Business

1
Ryan Castillo of Knowatoa 26:53

27 days ago26:53

26:53

In this episode, Brendan is joined by Ryan Castillo, co-founder of Knowatoa , a platform dedicated to optimizing business visibility and accuracy across AI-driven search engines. Ryan shares insights on his background in software development, and how his journey led to the creation of Knowatoa. They discuss the origins of Knowatoa, and Ryan also shares experiences with AI tools like ChatGPT and Cursor that have been integral in their development processes. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:18 Ryan's Background and Journey with Rails 04:00 Technical Insights: Ruby, Rails, and Redis 09:37 Scaling Challenges and Solutions 12:45 Networking and Community Impact 16:15 Development Cycles and Marketing Strategies 19:00 AI Integration in Development 22:47 Origins and Evolution of Knowatoa 25:32 Conclusion and Contact Information Links: - Knowatoa - Ryan Castillo's Blue Sky - Ryan Castillo's LinkedIn - Wafris SQLite Blog Post - Ryan's Website - Brendan's Bluesky Send us a text…

Rails Business

1
Adam McCrea of Judoscale 27:18

5 weeks ago27:18

27:18

In this episode, Adam McCrea, owner of Judoscale, shares his journey from corporate IT to starting his own Platform as a Service (PaaS) business. Adam discusses his preference for Rails due to its productivity and developer happiness. The discussion also touches on the company's small team dynamics, marketing approaches, and the role of AI tools for development and business operations. 00:00 Introduction to Adam McCrea and Judoscale 00:22 Adam's Journey with Rails 04:59 Transition to Judoscale 05:17 Building and Scaling Judoscale 08:42 Technical Challenges and Solutions 13:05 Marketing and Growth Strategies 21:40 Future Plans and Final Thoughts Links: - Judoscale - Adam's LinkedIn - Adam's Bluesky - Adam's Twitter/X - Ryan's Website - Brendan's Bluesky Send us a text…

Rails Business

1
Challenges in App Integration and Data Synchronization 27:13

7 weeks ago27:13

27:13

In this episode, the hosts discuss the complexities of app development, particularly focusing on integrating third-party data feeds and maintaining data synchronization within a Rails application. They explore issues like managing incomplete or variable data, updating data based on third-party changes, and the broader challenges of integration. The conversation also delves into the prioritization of feature requests, handling customer feedback, and the balance between building in-house solutions and leveraging external tools. They reflect on their experiences with specific integrations like HubSpot and emphasize the significance of clear product vision and efficient management of development priorities. 00:40 Dealing with Incomplete Data in Event Feeds 01:16 Syncing and Updating Event Data 02:13 Integration Challenges with HubSpot 02:37 Source of Truth Dilemma 04:22 Sales and Marketing Integration Issues 06:51 Product-Led Growth and HubSpot Integration Goals 09:15 The Complexity of Building Custom Integrations 21:09 Balancing Customer Requests and Product Vision 24:37 Conclusion: Reflecting on Integration Requests Links: - Ryan's Website - Brendan's Bluesky Send us a text…

Rails Business

1
Breaking Down Work into Manageable Chunks 25:26

8 weeks ago25:26

25:26

In this discussion, Ryan and Brendan delve into the challenges and strategies around managing Stripe invoice rate limits and the broader topic of breaking down work into manageable chunks. They highlight the importance of breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces for better estimation, easier reviews, and improved project flow. They also share their thoughts on estimation and the Shape Up methodology, emphasizing the benefits of delivering constant incremental improvements. 00:00 Introduction to Stripe Invoices Rate Limiting 00:15 Manual vs. Automatic Invoice Processing 01:13 Rate Limiting and Its Implications 02:22 Different Approaches to Invoicing 05:02 Stripe API Changes and Challenges 08:46 Breaking Down Work into Small Chunks 18:57 Project Management and Estimation Techniques 23:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Links: - Ryan's Website - Brendan's Bluesky Send us a text…

Rails Business

1
Navigating the Freelance and Product Development Landscape with Jason Swett 30:05

10 weeks ago30:05

30:05

In this episode of the Rails Business Podcast, hosts Brendan Buckingham and Ryan Frisch welcome Jason Swett, a content creator and Ruby influencer. The conversation dives deep into the intricacies of consulting, emphasizing the importance of sales and marketing. Jason shares his experiences and challenges in freelancing, noting the similarities to full-time employment. They also explore Jason's new venture, a continuous integration platform called Saturn CI, and his long-term goal of balancing a product-building endeavor with stable income. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction 01:16 Consulting Insights and Advice 02:26 Balancing Sales, Marketing, and Development 04:17 Freelancing vs Full-Time Employment 05:46 Challenges in Freelancing 07:46 Advisory Work and Its Difficulties 09:15 Considering Full-Time Employment 11:30 Product Development Journey 14:01 Finding a Viable Product Idea 19:01 Evaluating Business Ideas 26:13 Leveraging Influence for Product Success 29:08 Conclusion and Contact Information Links: - Jason's Website - Jason's Podcast - Sin City Ruby - Jason's Book Send us a text…

Rails Business

1
Developer Origins and Ruby on Rails Journeys 24:27

12 weeks ago24:27