Shows
Napkin MathFrom $0 to $1M+: Inside Tiiny Host's Bootstrapped Journey with Elston BarrettoElston Baretto, founder of Tiiny Host, joins us to break down how he grew his drag-and-drop file hosting platform to 2M+ users with zero market research. We cover the SEO and PLG tactics that got him to $100K, the freemium/trial tweaks that pushed him past $1M, how AI tools like Claude Code reshaped his engineering workflow — and the wild side of running a hosting company, from phishing takedowns to an actual FBI subpoena.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro & origin story 09:08 – Journey to $100K (SEO, growth, churn) 32:02 – From $100K to $1M (PMF, hiring, pricing) 43:16 – AI's impact on engineerin...
2026-06-221h 08
Napkin MathHow We Reinvented VEED for the AI EraFrom building one of the first browser-based video editors to facing an existential threat from AI, Sabba breaks down the hard decisions, failed experiments, and strategic pivots that transformed VEED from a traditional SaaS company into a fast-growing AI platform.Timestamps:00:00 Reinventing VEED for the AI Era02:08 AI Changed Video Creation Forever03:32 Why Listening to Customers Can Be Dangerous04:14 The Netflix Lesson08:14 Building VEED's AI Video Model09:54 Should Startups Build AI Models?12:22 The MAGIC Framework14:41 The Vibe Coding Boom19:08 The...
2026-06-1320 min
Napkin MathThe Vibe Coding Gold Rush: 3 Ways to Make Your First MillionThree concrete ways to build a million-dollar business on the back of the vibe coding boom. Specialized AI coding tools, security, and education with live napkin math, real company examples, and keyword research throughout.Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro & The Vibe Coding Opportunity00:03:27 - Way #1: Build a "Lovable for X" (Specialized Vibe Coding Tools)00:26:19 - Way #2: Vibe Coding Security00:34:12 - Way #3: Education & Training00:43:38 - Bonus: Discovery Layers & Living in the Future00:51:12 - Wrap-up & Listener Challenge
2026-05-2651 min
Napkin MathHow Tally Hit $5M ARR by Staying Small & User-ObsessedMaria Martinez, co-founder of Tally — a bootstrapped form builder that hit over $5M ARR since 2020 — joins Sabba and Charlie to break down how she and her husband Philip built a profitable SaaS business in a fiercely competitive market. From a failed hotel marketplace idea (killed by Covid in Bangkok) to launching a Notion-inspired form builder and growing it entirely through product-led growth, Maria shares the unfiltered story of what it really takes to compete without venture capital, a sales team, or a marketing budget.Timestamps00:00:00 - Intro & Guest Welcome00:00:59 - What is Tally & The Origin Stor...
2026-05-191h 08
Napkin MathHow to Reduce Churn in Subscription BusinessesA practical breakdown of churn: what it is, why it varies by market, how to tell good churn from bad churn, and the product, marketing, pricing, and activation moves that reduce it. The episode focuses on identifying sticky users, improving time to value, and designing free plans and workflows that convert better. Timestamps:00:00 - Intro to Churn00:01:36 - What Churn Actually Means00:04:15 - Good vs Bad Churn00:10:45 - Different Types of Churn00:12:47 - How to Reduce Churn00:16:41 - Talking to Customers00:24:11 - Workflow & ICP
2026-05-121h 07
播客翻译计划ChatBase 创始人：如何白手起家3年内做到一千万美金 ARR本期节目我们翻译了伦敦知名创业播客《Napkin Math》。主持人Sabba Keynejad（VEED.io联合创始人）与Charlie Ward（Ramen Club创始人）对话Chatbase创始人兼CEO亚西尔·埃尔·萨伊德（Yasir El Saeed），深度拆解他如何在ChatGPT发布前就开始布局，仅凭自筹资金（Bootstrapped）在3年内将一个简单的PDF聊天机器人副业项目，打造成年收入1000万美元（$10M ARR）的B2B AI客服平台。⚙️ 本期嘉宾亚西尔·埃尔·萨伊德（Yasir El Saeed），Chatbase创始人兼CEO。作为一名从埃及移民到加拿大的计算机科学学生，他在大厂实习后选择独立创业，成为AI应用层（AI Harness）最早的探索者之一。他凭借对AI模型发展的敏锐判断和极致的执行力，在竞争激烈的AI客服赛道中建立了独特的品牌护城河。🌟 精彩内容🚀 上线30分钟即变现：在GPT-3时代（ChatGPT尚未发布）就洞察到LLM潜力，发布首个版本仅30分钟便收到第一笔付款，4个月内突破100万美元ARR。🔄 从"包装器"到"工具链"（Wrapper to Harness）：最早以PDF聊天机器人起家，但随着模型能力进化，果断转型为面向企业的AI客服代理（AI Agent），连接CRM、数据库、邮件系统，实现真正的自动化客户支持。🛡️ AI时代的护城河：在模型能力每几个月就跃升一次的时代，产品护城河不在于技术壁垒，而在于执行速度、品牌认知和持续迭代能力——"别的公司没有我作为创始人"是最大的护城河。💰 自筹资金vs融资：解释为何在1000万美元ARR后仍选择不拿VC投资，保持独立性和对产品的绝对控制权，以及如何在资源受限的情况下通过"代理公司模式"（Agency Model）服务大客户。🤖 构建优秀的AI"工具"（Harness）：分享如何在大模型快速迭代的环境下，通过持续测试、快速抛弃沉没成本、整合MCP协议和CLI工具，构建比竞争对手更强大的AI应用层。🌐 播客信息补充翻译克隆自：How Yasser Bootstrapped Chatbase to $10M ARR in 3 Years本播客AI进行播客音频制作，如果你对翻译和音频质量有任何意见，随时联系我。如果有后续想要听中文版的其他外文播客，也欢迎联系微信：caiwenshuo你可以在Bayt播客上收听任何播客的中文翻译，并查看双语字幕，安卓 下载地址：https://baytfm.comiOS 下载地址：https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6748532039?pt=121796720&ct=xiaoyuzhou&mt=8mt=8Chatbase, Yasir El Saeed, 自筹资金, Bootstrapped, AI客服, AI Agent, ARR, SaaS创业, AI Harness, 产品迭代, 品牌建设, B2B销售, AI护城河, 独立开发者, Napkin Math前往小宇宙评论区与主播互动
2026-05-0958 min
Napkin MathHow Yasser Bootstrapped Chatbase to $10M ARR in 3 YearsYasir, CEO and solo founder of Chatbase, joins Saba and Charlie on the Napkin Math podcast to break down how he bootstrapped an AI customer support platform from a PDF chatbot side project to $10M ARR in just 3 years — starting before ChatGPT even launched. He shares the real story behind going viral, hitting $1M ARR in 4 months, the chaos of early growth, why he stayed bootstrapped, and how he thinks about building durable AI "harnesses" in a world where models improve every few months.Timestamps:01:38 - Origin story — building before ChatGPT existed14:04 - 0 to $1M ARR...
2026-05-051h 01
Napkin MathHow Ben Pasternak took Sabba's App and made millionsA founder's stolen app, AI image gold rushes, and why London might just be the next Silicon Valley — all on the back of a napkin.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:41 - The stolen app story08:54 - Lessons from the App Store11:36 - Vibe shuffles & business opportunities20:00 - Vibe coding education24:36 - ChatGPT image model28:31 - AI designer niches37:36 - Cursor's $60B acquisition40:57 - London Maxing movement
2026-04-2850 min
Napkin Math$1 Million Wellness Apps Hiding in Plain SightSaba and Charlie break down the $6.8 trillion wellness industry — period tracking, peptides, air quality, and sleep tech — then pivot to how the best founders (Dario Amodei, Brian Armstrong, Reed Hastings, Elon Musk) spotted emerging markets before anyone else. They close with a hot take on Anthropic's rumoured vibe coding platform and what it means for Lovable and Replit.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:06 - Wellness sector breakdown — the $6.8T opportunity04:01 - Period tracking, peptides, air quality & sleep apps25:30 - Building on Rising Tides — why bet on fast-growing markets27:20 - Founders who got in early: Dario, B...
2026-04-2151 min
Napkin MathLego's Near-Death & Anthropic's Insane Growth: Lessons in Focus, Culture & StrategyHow Lego nearly went bankrupt by losing sight of its core product and what it teaches us about culture, focus, and CEO decisions. Plus, a breakdown of Anthropic's jaw-dropping $30B run rate and what's fuelling it.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro02:04 - Lego deep dive - origin, near-bankruptcy & recovery lessons19:15 - The "wrong CEO" trap & staying focused as you scale34:49 - Anthropic culture - Dario's 40–50% time investment37:22 - Anthropic's growth: $3B → $9B → $30B in one year41:17 - Why the "focus on coding" strategy is winning49:36 - OpenAI acquires TBPN - what's the rea...
2026-04-1454 min
Napkin MathLego vs. S&P 500, The Claude Code Leak & Why Google Acquiring a Company Is the Best Signal to BuildSabba and Charlie are back with a packed episode spanning alternative asset classes, the growing wave of security vulnerabilities in vibe-coded software, and a deep dive into what it really means for Anthropic to be "winning enterprise." They also break down the accidental Claude Code source map leak, debate whether angel investing is just an expensive hobby, and uncover a surprisingly massive opportunity hiding in the hay fever market.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:39 - Alternative Investing: Lego, collectibles & vintage tech vs. S&P 50017:10 - Cybersecurity: npm supply chain attacks & vibe coding security risks31:10...
2026-04-071h 00
Napkin Math$1M Boomer App Ideas, Why OpenAI Killed Sora & How to Hire Insanely Talented PeopleThis week Charlie and Saba dig into $1M app ideas hiding in boomer hobbies, why OpenAI killed Sora and what it says about focus, and how to hire the most talented people. Saba's joining remotely from Sicily 🇮🇹, commitment to the pod is real.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:02 - $1M Boomer App Ideas18:48 - OpenAI Shuts Down Sora24:39 - The Importance of Focus34:25 - How to Hire Talented People45:38 - Open Floor Meetup Recap52:11 - Moats in an AI World
2026-03-3152 min
Napkin MathHow to Build AI Products in 2026, The Most Underrated Marketing Channel & The Big Lie About CompetitionSabba and Charlie cover how to build AI products in 2026 with Sabba's MAGIC Framework, why Threads might be the most underrated marketing channel, the big lie about competition, and how AI is giving content creators new ways to extend their work.Timestamps:00:52 - First hate mail, we're famous now02:01 - Why Sabba tore up the entire Q2 roadmap06:32 - The MAGIC Framework, building AI products in 202625:47 - Creativity Maxing, the Channel Surfer viral story28:28 - Threads is bigger than X (and massively underrated)32:52 - The Big Lie About Competition40:28...
2026-03-2446 min
Napkin MathHow to Get Startup Ideas in 2026, OpenClaw Business Opportunities, Londonmaxxing, and moreSaba and Charlie introduce the BROTH framework for finding validated startup ideas, dive into the Open Claw (AI agents) hype, break down Bending Spoons' private equity playbook, and celebrate the London Maxing movement, plus debate whether Charlie invented vibe coding.Timecodes:00:00 - Intro00:38 - The BROTH Framework, how to find pre-validated startup ideas25:06 - Competitive positioning strategies (more for more, less for less, etc.)32:15 - Story: founder who sold their company and is now looking for a job34:59 - Open Claw meetup, is AI agents a new product category?42:17...
2026-03-181h 07
Napkin MathCal AI’s Acquisition, Sabba’s 2 SaaS Growth Hacks for 2026, Intercom’s AI PivotSaba and Charlie do napkin math on the Cal AI acquisition by MyFitnessPal, share two must-do growth strategies for 2026 (API-first and Social SEO), and break down how Intercom bet the whole company on AI and won.Timecodes:00:00 – Intro00:33 – Cal AI Acquisition Breakdown19:20 – Growth Strategy #1: Go API-First29:33 – Growth Strategy #2: Social SEO36:46 – How Intercom Saved Itself with AI44:27 – The Future of Outcome-Based Pricing49:28 – Wrap up
2026-03-1249 min
Napkin MathHe Built a $1M/Month SaaS After an $8M Exit | Tibo MakerFrom an $8M exit to building it all again, Tibo is one of the most unique SaaS builders we’ve met. In this episode, we unpack his regrets after selling, the exact playbook behind his $1M/month portfolio, how he stays viral on X, and what building in the AI era really looks like, all while balancing life as a dad. 00:00 Intro & the $8M exit reality02:07 $1M/month portfolio breakdown06:15 Building in public & authenticity in the AI age16:32 Running 5 companies at once 23:03 Finding product market fit & growth tactics29:39 How Tibo ships so fast...
2026-03-041h 02
Napkin MathIs OpenClaw the First $1B Solo Company? API-First Products, Brand Rituals & Buying a Top-Level DomainWe kick things off with B2B SaaS lessons learned from Valentine's Day (yes, really), then spiral into whether the OpenClaw acquisition just produced the world's first one-person billion dollar company and whether Peter Steinberger is the most underrated engineer alive.From there we get into why most SaaS companies are failing at AI, the rise of API-first and agent-first products, and why the stable SEO blog subscription world of SaaS is quietly dying.We also do a full napkin math breakdown on what it would actually cost to buy your own top-level domain like...
2026-02-2447 min
Napkin Math$70M AI.com Acquisition, Anthropic's Superbowl Shot at OpenAI, $1M Solo Fitness App & Agent Wrapper BoomThis week we’re unpacking the $70M AI.com move, Anthropic taking shots at OpenAI, the rise of agent wrappers, and a quiet $1M solo app no one’s talking about.Timestamps:00:00 – The $70M AI.com Sale03:10 – The $15M Super Bowl Bet: Does the Math Work?10:10 – Charlie's Recent Domain Purchase & Do Dot Coms Matter?18:54 – Getting Scammed by Joe Exotic (B2B SaaS Lessons)24:32 – The Rise of Agent Wrappers26:23 – Are AI Agents Killing Jobs?32:14 – Codex vs Claude Code38:55 – Anthropic’s OpenAI Attack Ad 42:10 – The $1M Solo Fitness App (Happy S
2026-02-1746 min
Napkin MathIs OpenClaw’s Hype Real? Are AI Agents Replacing Jobs? What’s the Anti-AI Thesis?The Napkin Math duo is back with another episode. We spend most of this one trying to make sense of AI agents, OpenClaw - the new kid on the block, and why this wave feels messier but more real than the last few. We talk through hype vs reality, what agents can actually do today, and how work is quietly shifting from roles and seats to tasks and systems. We also discuss AI fluency levels, how people are using Claude Code in real marketing workflows, one-person companies, and end with the Anti-AI portfolio....
2026-02-101h 05
Napkin MathHow Jonny (Founder of Remotion) Got 14M Views on X in a DayThe duo is back with another episode, and this time we’ve got a guest. Jonny Burger, founder of Remotion, joins us after accidentally pulling 14M+ views overnight on X. We chat about vibe coding, prompting motion graphics with Claude, and why building with AI feels different right now. We also get into how Jonny handled the sudden attention, the noise, and acquisition offers that followed.Timestamps:(0:17) Remotion goes viral (accidentally)(2:25) Prompting motion graphics with Claude(6:54) How Jonny has been building for 5 years(10:33) Claude’s GPT...
2026-02-0256 min
Napkin MathIs Claude the New ChatGPT? Is Peter Thiel a Billionaire? Meta-Manus, $1M Plank Biz, Solo SaaS RiseWe have some news!!!Napkin Math Podcast is now live on YouTube.The episode starts with a life update (Sabba’s new baby) and somehow turns childbirth into actual B2B SaaS lessons. From there, it spirals into whether Peter Thiel is really a billionaire, why Claude feels like another GPT-4 moment, and how vibe coding is accelerating the rise of one-person companies.It then breaks down Meta’s Manus acquisition, a bootstrapped $1M planks business hiding in plain sight, X’s push into blogs, and finishes with Elon’s ever-expanding list of...
2026-01-2849 min
Napkin MathChristmas Special: $100M ARR Frenzy, LLM Wars, Sergey’s Comeback, ChatGPT App Store Opportunity, Prediction Markets, 2025 Awards & 2026 PredictionsSabba and Charlie are back for a special Christmas episode. A 2-hour deep dive split into two parts.In the first, the chaps dive into the $100M ARR frenzy across AI startups, break down the Claude Opus 4.5 release, and debate the escalating LLM wars between Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic. They also discuss Sergey Brin’s return to Google, the opportunity emerging around the ChatGPT App Store, and why prediction markets are starting to compete with traditional media.In the second, they announce the 2025 awards, sharing their picks for the best product, the best trend, the be...
2025-12-231h 30Napkin Math5+ Startup Idea Frameworks and Making Britain Rich AgainAfter a mini hiatus the boys are back with a banger. 5 startup idea frameworks you can use to start the next unicorn or profitable bootstrapped business. Plus, they inadvertently start the Ben Tossell fan club, and talk about making the UK rich again.00:00 Napkin Math - Startup Idea Frameworks01:43 Startup idea framework 1 - copy your competitors06:23 Framework 2 - build an indirect competitor09:02 Framework 3 - build for a growing trend16:18 Framework 4 - build for new regulations19:54 Framework 4 - build an Open Source competitor26:48 Are any frameworks better for bootstrappers?30:20 Do you need in-market experience before building in that market?31:45...
2025-11-1745 min
Scaling EuropeSabba Keynejad, CEO & Co-founder at VEED.IOSabba is the CEO of VEED.IO, the AI-powered online video editing platform transforming the way teams and individuals create professional video content.The company bootstrapped to $5m ARR raised a huge Series A from Sequoia and is now at $40m ARR.
2025-10-0919 minNapkin MathB2B SaaS lessons from breaking your leg, VEED's new CTO and AI launchAfter spending weeks in hospital with a broken leg, Charlie has had plenty of time to think about B2B SaaS lessons for the pod, and he delivers. The chaps also chat about VEED's new CTO hire, their Fabric 1.0 launch and brainstorm existing businesses that could inject AI to get to $100m quickly.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:07 B2B SaaS lessons from breaking your leg19:50 Why VEED hired a new CTO25:15 VEED Fabric Launch32:03 Existing companies that could inject AI35:29 Shift to usage based billing39:48 Why courses are hatedLinks:Napkin MathVEEDRamen ClubCosyRamen Space
2025-09-2341 minNapkin MathCrazy Figma IPO, why VPNs have become VERY popular and is DeepMind the best acquisition of all time?Today Sabba and Charlie break down the Figma IPO and speculate on which company will be the next Figma. They question whether the chat interface for AI is outdated, and debate if DeepMind might be the greatest acquisition of all time, plus who’s most likely to win the AGI race. They also dig into the UK’s online safety act, why VPNs are booming, and wrap up with a very cheeky “recording blocker” startup idea.00:00 Intro01:21 Figma IPO10:32 Who will be the next Figma17:25 "Tea app", Uber for X, Tinder for X etc...27:25 Is the chat interface for AI a...
2025-08-1548 minNapkin MathHow VEED founder uses ChatGPT, Duolingo's $1billion freemium masterstroke and more AI chatSabba talks about how he uses ChatGPT, Charlie talks use cases for Claude Code and the duo debate whether the UK is an impossible place to bootstrap. Sabba also share lessons on hiring top talent early, and dissect Duolingo’s $1billion freemium play (with a 15% churn rate) before comparing it to VEED’s freemium vs free trial approach.00:00 Intro00:28 How a VC-backed founder uses ChatGPT06:52 Use cases of Claude Code13:25 Napkin Math AI Animation16:14 Is the UK impossible to bootstrap?20:34 Hiring great talent early on25:31 Duolingo's $1billion freemium approach with 15% churn36:04 VEEDs approach to freemium vs free trial
2025-08-1240 minNapkin MathLoveable's insane raise, how to make $1m with eSIMs and breaking down the most effective growth channelsThe boys are back talking about Loveable's insane growth and $200m raise, the dangers of founder liquidity, plus more AI chat (of course). Charlie turns Sabba into BusinessGuruGPT prompting him with how he'd grow an eSIM business to $1m in a year. All this, and more, in this week's episode of NAPKIN MATH.Timestamps00:00 Intro00:30 Loveable raises $200m05:58 Jason Lemkin's Replit disaster09:38 Takeaways from Loveable's raise and the future of AI companies15:53 Generative content opportunities18:19 Making £1m from e-sims30:17 Founder liquidity40:14 Focusing on a single growth channel45:25 Are AI influencers important in the future of marketing48:34 S...
2025-07-3156 minNapkin MathMake £26k profit with fans, Ahrefs for LLMs and print money with an AI automation consultancySabba and Charlie kick things off with some napkin math on how to make £26k per year in pure profit selling fans, then dive into a the real money maker; an AI automation consultancy. They talk about the rise of the “VEED (or Indie Beers) Mafia,” and discuss JB's Ahrefs-style tool for LLMs. 00:00 Intro00:20 Portable fan Napkin Math09:22 Startup idea: AI automation consultancy15:28 AI for marketing17:40 The VEED Mafia (Indie Beers Mafia)19:41 Ahrefs for LLMs25:16 Why in person events are so important28:20 The new Perplexity browser36:05 Why Charlie is pausing his SaaS
2025-07-2241 minNapkin MathFigma going public, SaaS lessons from 50 Cent and the business of Glastonbury (and will Ramen Club become a nation state?)After a hiatus that included a weekend at Glastonbury and a failed recording, the boys are back, and they are on fire. They break down the business of the Glastonbury festival and some new startup ideas around it, they talk about the Figma S1 filing and the insane numbers behind the software platform and Charlie talks about the future of Ramen Space potentially becoming a nation state.
2025-07-1551 minNapkin MathSmall bets are a terrible idea and how VEED ranked for "AI Video Generator" (SEO Playbook)On this episode of Napkin Math, Sabba and Charlie explain why “small bets” are a terrible idea for most founders. They unpack how VEED ranks #1 for “AI video generator” (and other competitive keywords), explore Ben’s idea for a dream analysis app, the surprising business case for astrology, and how AI agents could thrive in markets like Nigeria. Sabba also shares why he believes the global adoption of stablecoins is inevitable.Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:51 Small bets vs single focus11:03 How VEED ranks number one for highly competitive keywords18:32 Ben's dream analysis app23:48 The business of astrology29:25 AI agent app...
2025-06-1743 minNapkin MathSaaS lessons from Trump & Musk falling out, TikTok shop business opportunities and why you need to reinvent yourselfThere’s been a major catfight on the internet this week: Trump vs. Elon. So, Charlie did what any good podcast host would do and distilled the best lessons SaaS founders can take from the drama. The guys also share feedback from listeners, chat about opportunities in TikTok Shop, discuss why companies need to reinvent themselves, and of course, Charlie gets Sabba into trouble.Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:32 - B2B lessons from Trump x Musk fallout03:41 - Napkin Math guest feedback12:51 - When did VEED get product market fit15:15 - VEED's 24 hour hackathon18:24 - Why companies ne...
2025-06-1050 minNapkin MathThe cost of VEED's video AI model, did Slack just kill Charlie's SaaS? and LLM business ideasFresh off the launch of VEEDs new AI, Sabba is excited about the company having built their own fully fledged AI model, so breaks down how much it cost to build it. Charlie, meanwhile has had some bad news about his SaaS app, Cosy, potentially being killed off by Slack's new restrictions. The chaps also fire off some "Loveable for X" business ideas, with the main opportunity in gaming.00:00 Intro00:30 VEED AI video launch 06:17 How much does it cost to build VEEDs AI video engine13:05 Platform risk for Charlie's app, Cosy21:44 Is Apple's 30% cut a good thing?28:38 Lovable f...
2025-06-0445 minNapkin MathGoogle's impressive AI launch, Jony Ive's $6b Open AI deal and Sabba's breakfast at the PMs houseThe boys have made it to 10 episodes, somehow. They are still talking about AI, this time after the impressive Google Gemini launch they discuss the possibilities (including getting a new podcast co-host). Sabba talks about the pastries he had at 10 Downing Street and if they think Jony Ive's $6bn Open AI deal is worth it.Timestamps00:00 Intro00:39 Google's new AI launch09:12 Future challenges of AI video16:29 AI powered podcasts24:02 Claude 4 release27:43 Jony Ive x Sam Altman37:48 Sabba's Downing Street breakfast43:17 Charlie talks AI agents with Monzo ex-CTO
2025-05-2749 minNapkin MathOpportunities in the running space, how to stick to ideas and Dracula's castleCharlie is back from Dracula's castle and Sabba is back from running a marathon. They are both arriving inspired. They do some Napkin Math on the economics of the running industry and the opportunities there, and how long it will be before they can pump out daily Dracula movies.Timestamps:00:00 Intro04:00 Marathon running breakdown and opportunties12:35 Runna acquisition Napkin Math25:18 Building interesting things vs networking28:31 How to stick to ideas40:08 How long before we can make feature length AI films54:32 Ramen Club launch party
2025-05-2058 minNapkin MathWhy you aren't working hard enough, big podcast update and a hack for creating luckAfter 7 beautiful episodes, the MRR show is dead. But fear not, Napkin Math is born from its ashes. Sabba and Charlie discuss the performance of the show, dig into where Sabba invests his angel money, do a business breakdown (some actual napkin math) before going on a tirade on founders why founders aren't working hard enough...Timestamps00:00 Intro00:23 New podcast name05:27 Podcast growth numbers16:22 Listener Labs napkin math23:49 Sabba's angel investing strategy28:03 Sabba's lunch hack36:23 How hard do founders need to work?46:50 Long term vs short term revenue
2025-05-0658 minNapkin MathAI image generation opportunities, how to make an entertaining video and are trade shows worth it for VEED?Sabba is tired after being at a trade show all week for VEED, but was it worth it? Sabba and Charlie discuss the cost and results. But there's nothing better than a pick me up recording with BBQ crisp-eating Charlie Ward, who finally has some MRR for his SaaS app. The chaps talk all things AI, opportunities, SaaS drama and more.Timestamps00:00 Intro01:20 How much does a SaaS trade show cost?05:56 What makes an entertaining video according to VEED09:32 Rippling vs Deel drama update11:29 AI image generation opportunities16:24 Sabba gets upset19:30 Cool opportunities in the AI...
2025-04-2949 minNapkin MathMaking money from tariffs, bullish on the UK and the evolution of "make something people search for"Sabba went to Sri Lanka and came back with fire in his belly. He's ready to make money from the tariffs and so he discusses with Charlie how he'd do it. This got them thinking about the lack of energy in the US at the moment, and why they're bullish on the UK as a place to build. They wrap up talking about the biggest mega trend to make money with in 2025.Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:27 What Sabba learned about business in Sri Lanka03:10 VEED's billboard ad cost and results07:38 Tariffs chat11:33 Making money from the tariffs15:25...
2025-04-1847 minNapkin MathThe $100m ARR future of VEED, 11x drama and do you need an audience?B2B SaaS drama has got spicy recently, with both 11x and Deel making headlines. Sabba and Charlie give their take on why the companies got in hot water and if it's justified. Sabba also gives his thoughts on the future of VEED as they storm towards their $100m ARR goal and what happens next for the company.Timestamps00:00 MRR Show 00501:06 Harry Dry's marketing course08:02 The 11x drama14:16 Deel drama17:50 Do you need an audience?24:55 Loom exit31:55 The future of VEED35:01 Studio Ghibli virality39:47 The future of AI image generation
2025-04-0943 minNapkin MathUK vs US for startups, Charlie's new coworking space and VEED's NYC subway advertising breakdownThis week Sabba and Charlie still struggle to get their audio recorded properly* but the content is top notch. Dubbed the UK's answer to My First Million, the two kick off with debating if the UK is better than the US for building a startup. Sabba questions Charlie's sanity starting a coworking space in London, before explaining how much VEED spent on bright green advertising on the NYC subway.00:00 Intro00:04 Charlie almost gets robbed by a creative director03:25 Is the UK a good place to build a startup?16:09 What to do when you're successful but unhappy24:45 Charlie's new...
2025-04-0252 minNapkin MathADHD product opportunity, Third Space for martial arts and Project EuropeCharlie and Sabba are back three weeks later for their weekly podcast, bringing you some banger business ideas. The chaps dive into Exploding Topics and discuss opportunities in ADHD, creating a Third Space style martial arts gym and building a better dentist. They're also bullish on Project Europe.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:39 VC fund for consumer brands05:23 Charlie's consumer trend idea22:45 Innovating in the health space24:48 High end martial arts gym33:38 AI Agents43:18 Model Context Protocol49:24 Project Europe
2025-03-2757 minNapkin MathDirectories, a d*ck measuring app and a sure-fire $10k MRR ideaCharlie and Sabba are back, fighting through a challenging remote connection, bringing you a cracking set of business ideas. Charlie brings a few interesting product discoveries from Indie Beers in Lisbon and Sabba stumbled across a $5-10k MRR idea while in a Ford Fiesta.Timestamps00:00 The MRR Show ep 201:28 D*ck measuring app03:52 Funeral directory business08:16 Feedback on episode 113:48 Car error code business idea23:02 How to find new business ideas
2025-03-0330 minNapkin Math(Pilot) AI pets, growth for free and why you should start a saunaHello and welcome to the pilot episode of The MRR Show, with Charlie Ward and Sabba Keynejad. Charlie is the founder of Ramen Club and Sabba is the co-founder of VEED.io. The duo are coming together for this pilot episode, to share their thoughts on SaaS, tech and startups, from the perspective of two successful founders with Charlie being the heart of the london indie community and Sabba running an 8 figure VC backed SaaS. AI is a prominent feature in this first episode, talking about meetups, fine tuning LLMs and being able to talk to your dog.
2025-02-2558 min
Tech TalksHow an art student went on to build VEED.IO, a video editing platform with 100,000 paid users.Sabba Keynejad is the cofounder and CEO of VEED.IO. A few months back I turned up at his office (he thought the interview was remote) and stuck a microphone on him. Over a tea we discussed his background, how art school and dyslexia shaped his work, and why he build VEED. We also talked about his views on the way video and AI are changing the way we communicate.
Also in the show today we bring you a bit of technology chatter from Düsseldorf. Markus Nimtz and Karsten Mostersteg let me put a...
2024-05-0838 min
Indie BitesHow VEED bootstrapped to $7m ARR - Sabba Keynejad, VEED.io (2020)Today I'm revisiting one of my favourite episodes, from 2020, with Sabba Keynejad, co-founder and CEO of VEED.io, an online video editing platform. When I interviewed Sabba, VEED were at around $2m ARR, fully bootstrapped. Since this interview, they’ve gone on to bootstrap to about $7m ARR before raising a whopping $35m series A from Sequoia. And when I first met Sabba, years before this interview, VEED was just a small product that wasn't generating any revenue. This episode is special to me because I’ve followed VEED’s journey from the start and it’s been inspiring to see...
2023-12-2714 min
MicroConf On AirMicroConf Refresh Episode 52: Bootstrapping VEED.io to $5M ARR in 2 YearsIn this talk from MicroConf Growth EU 2021, Sabba Keynejad walks through his journey of building Veed from 0 to $5M ARR in 2 years.
While the growth was quick, Sabba says that this was a "overnight success, ten years in the making".
Listen along to follow his incredible startup story and to hear his 6 tactics to help you grow your own SaaS.
Links from the pod:
Watch the video version of this talk on YouTube
MicroConf Youtube Channel
MicroConf Europe Tickets- Nov 15-17, 2022
Sabba Keynejad I Twitter...
2022-08-2433 min
The Quit Work PodcastNo more Mondays: going freelance, going indie with James McKinvenJames McKinven quit his marketing job to set up as a freelance podcast editor at PodPanda as well as bootstrap several other indie businesses.He puts out two podcasts of his own, Indie Bites & No More Mondays, and he has a podcasting course called 2 Hour Podcast, and he hand-crafts leather wallets at the Whitstable Craft Co.James talks openly about what happens when you take on too much work and too much debt, as well as the joys of working independently.You can connect with James on Twitter @jmckinven and through his web...
2022-03-2323 min
Builders' Studio: a Founder School by Slush#13 Bootstrapping - Sabba Keynejad (VEED) | Builders' Studio: a Founder School by SlushWhile it has seemingly never been a better time to raise capital, it has also never been a better time to bootstrap - the cost of developing products has dramatically reduced. Bootstrapping is driven by the idea of not reaching for external capital in the early phases of growth, but instead relying on savings and your startup’s cash flows to sustain growth. Joining us for an inside look into the bootstrapping process is Sabba Keynejad, Co-founder and CEO of VEED.Bootstrapping has the benefit of avoiding dilution, but is not without its hardships. In this talk Sa...
2022-01-1322 minMicroConf On AirBootstrapping VEED to $5M ARR with Sabba KeynejadWhen Sabba Keynejad started VEED, he knew that he wanted to build the company as a bootstrapped business. Founded in 2018, the business has been growing steadily over the past 3 years, and with the boom in video content over the past year and a half, the impact was palpable.
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2021-07-2128 min
The SaaS Podcast - Real Lessons on Growing Profitable SaaSSaaS SEO: From $100K to $2M ARR in Nine MonthsNine months ago, Sabba Keynejad was doing $10K MRR with VEED.io. They had been rejected by YC and nearly shut down with one month of runway left. Then they figured out a SaaS SEO playbook that changed everything. In less than a year, they grew from $100K to $2.2M ARR - bootstrapped, with no sales team.
VEED.io grew from $100K to $2.2M ARR by building standalone tool pages optimized for high-volume SaaS SEO keywords (webcam recorder, video compressor, subtitle converter), producing daily YouTube tutorials that drove 10% of paid conversions, and removing all signup friction so...
2021-01-2048 min
The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship274: Veed.io - Lessons on Bootstrapping a SaaS to $2M ARR - with Sabba KeynejadSabba Keynejad is the co-founder of Veed.io, a UK based SaaS startup that provides a simple online video editing platform.The SaaS Podcast is sponsored by:Gusto, an easy, online payroll, and benefits service built for modern small businesses. In other words, a people platform - one place to pay and take care of your hardworking team.Exclusive Offer - Get 3 Months Free!Show Notes:https://saasclub.io/274Learn More About SaaS Clubhttps://saasclub.ioBecome a Premium Member:http://thesaaspodcast.com
2021-01-2045 min
The Nomadic Executive | Discussions With Digital Nomads and Online EntrepreneursHow to Start and Scale a Tech Company From 0 to Over 1.7 Million ARR in Two Years With Veed Co-Founder Sabba Keynejad | TNE038 In today’s episode, I sit down with the co-founder of a tech company aiming to enhance the way you edit video. Introducing Sabba, co founder of Veed.io. After being rejected from Y-combinator and having only 3 months of runway left in the bank, Sabba and his co founder Tim took Veed from 0 to over 1.7 million dollars of annual recurring revenue in 2 years, while completely bootstrapping the entire idea. Today, Veed continues to exponentially grow and attract users from all over the world. I personally found Sabba as a Veed user myself, which I use to make cover...
2020-11-0438 minIndie BitesHow VEED grew to $1.7m ARR in less than 2 years - Sabba Keynejad, Veed.ioSabba Keynejad is the co-founder and CEO of VEED - an online video editing platform. VEED is a fully-fledged collaborative video editing product used by many influencers, coaches and businesses for adding subtitles, captions, text, merging videos, making meme videos, turning podcasts to videos and much more.What we covered in this episode:On VeedWhat is Veed?Where did you come up with the idea?What is your current revenue?Had you started and failed with anything before?What made Veed work out?Many indie hackers are solo. You have a co-founder split 50/50...
2020-09-2415 minThe SaaS Podcast - Real Lessons on Growing Profitable SaaSSaaS Monetization: YC Rejected, 20 Paid Users in 48 HoursSabba Keynejad flew to San Francisco for his Y Combinator interview. He got rejected. The reason: "Why are you not charging your users?" Forty-eight hours later, Sabba had 20 paying customers and VEED.io was on the path to SaaS monetization and bootstrap to profitability.
Why listen: Learn why doubling SaaS pricing twice with less than one month of runway had zero impact on user growth, how SEO landing pages for long-tail keywords became the primary growth engine, and why watermarks created the simplest SaaS monetization paywall for a freemium to paid transition.
🔑 Key Lessons
💰 SaaS m...
2020-03-0339 min