Writing

Documenting my journey through life and entrepreneurship with regular retrospectives and the occasional article.

Using Claude in Github: Hype and Reality musing Jun 6, 2025

Agents are coming faster than ever and yet are still kind of hard to use?

Mentally preparing for the age of superintelligence May 30, 2025

What will it feel like living in a world where AI is smarter than all of us?

I spent the last day using MCP and it kind of blew my mind musing Apr 4, 2025

Five lines of JSON can now replace multi-million dollar SaaS companies.

Fixing Django's APPEND_SLASH behavior with Kamal musing Feb 21, 2025

I spent two hours figuring this out so you don't have to.

Your Life in Weeks musing Feb 20, 2025

I made an app that lets you create a compressed view of your life.

How will AI impact software boilerplate businesses? Feb 12, 2025

Thinking out loud about AI, code, and whether or not I'll be able to make a living in a few years.

How to Train an AI Image Model on Yourself Jan 31, 2025

It takes less than an hour and $3.

Using Coding Skills to Make Passive Income Jan 14, 2025

A decade of firsthand advice on going from an employed software developer to successful indie hacker running your own business(es).

Headspace is Perishable Jan 9, 2025

And when you have it, it’s worth acting on.

Solopreneurship: Year 8 Dec 20, 2024

My 2024 year in review.

Sales, Fears, and Taking a Break retro Dec 5, 2024

November 2024 Retrospective

Adding Bluesky-powered comments to any website in five minutes musing Nov 25, 2024

Long live the open web!

Enabling WiFi Calling on a Google Pixel on any network musing Nov 9, 2024

If you're trying to use WiFi calling on a Pixel in a foreign country, this is the post for you.

How I develop Django applications musing Oct 29, 2024

Documenting my Django dev set up in 2024.

Using monit for simple server monitoring musing Oct 16, 2024

Small steps to avoid big problems.

Deploying (Multiple) Django Apps to a Single Server with Kamal 2 musing Oct 10, 2024

Shared servers for the win!

Lowering the bar to writing online musing Oct 9, 2024

Be more like Simon Willison and less like Paul Graham

Time Wealth Aug 2, 2024

Why having more free time can be better than becoming rich.

Five Years of Parenting May 31, 2024

Observations on being a parent, now five years in.

Flailing around retro Apr 2, 2024

March 2024 Retrospective

The retro is dead, long live the retro! retro Mar 1, 2024

February 2024 Retrospective

The Things that Matter Feb 1, 2024

On bad days

Narrowing Focus Jan 24, 2024

My big-picture plan for 2024.

Solopreneurship: Year 7 Dec 22, 2023

My 2023 year in review.

The Sport of Indie Hacking Nov 27, 2023

Running your own businesses is a lot like competitive sports, only the score is money.

The Slow Death of Authenticity in an Attention Economy Oct 27, 2023

Why I've gotten more and more pessimistic about my relationship with Twitter.

Introducing Scriv Aug 3, 2023

I launched an AI product and got my first paying customers.

AI is Eating my Life retro Apr 21, 2023

What I've been up to so far this year, and the increasing role of AI in my work.

Quit Monkey, Grit Monkey Feb 28, 2023

The thing you've been pouring yourself into isn't working. Now what?

Re-entering the Arena Jan 1, 2023

Reflections on 2022, and towards a more ambitious year ahead.

Farewell, Building in Public Dec 8, 2022

The end of an era of radical transparency.

Rolling up the Sleeves retro Nov 1, 2022

October 2022 Retrospective

The Break retro Oct 3, 2022

September 2022 Retrospective

Tailwinds retro Aug 3, 2022

July 2022 Retrospective

The Rebound retro Jul 1, 2022

June 2022 Retrospective

Complacent retro Jun 1, 2022

May 2022 Retrospective

Shifting Perspectives retro May 3, 2022

April 2022 Retrospective

Rescuing the Art of Disagreement Apr 29, 2022

How we can have more productive disagreements, and why it's gotten so hard.

The Almost-Lost Month retro Apr 1, 2022

March 2022 Retrospective

Doing hard things retro Mar 1, 2022

February 2022 Retrospective

Back on the Horse retro Feb 1, 2022

January 2022 Retrospective

A Five-Year Journey to Financial Freedom...and Beyond Jan 25, 2022

My 2021 year in review

Redirection retro Jan 14, 2022

December 2021 Retrospective

Coming Clean Jan 4, 2022

My experience of the pandemic in South Africa and the case for a more inclusive conversation about Covid and vaccines.

Holy Crap! retro Dec 2, 2021

November 2021 Retrospective

My New Secret Life retro Nov 1, 2021

October 2021 Retrospective

Momentum retro Oct 1, 2021

September 2021 Retrospective

The Quarantine retro Sep 6, 2021

August 2021 Retrospective

What to do when no one tells you what to do anymore Aug 10, 2021

You left your job and have all the freedom in the world. Now what?

Diversification retro Aug 2, 2021

July 2021 Retrospective

I'm finally going solo* retro Jul 2, 2021

June 2021 Retrospective

It's time to build retro Jun 1, 2021

May 2021 Retrospective

My first $100k retro May 3, 2021

April 2021 Retrospective

The Lost Month retro Apr 1, 2021

March 2021 Retrospective

The Flop retro Mar 1, 2021

Feb 2021 Retrospective

Off to the Races retro Jan 31, 2021

January 2021 Retrospective

The Future is Wide Open retro Jan 11, 2021

December 2020 Retrospective

Riding the Indie Business Rollercoaster Dec 30, 2020

My 2020 year in review

Lessons from Running a Sale that Earned 3 Month's Profit in a Week Dec 9, 2020

Tips on running successful Black Friday sales for creators and Indie Hackers

Gratitude retro Dec 1, 2020

November 2020 Retrospective

How to Save the World Nov 13, 2020

Wading through the morass of do-gooding with the help of 80,000 hours

Reset retro Nov 1, 2020

October 2020 Retrospective

On Being a New Parent...Again Oct 19, 2020

Thoughts and observations on being a new dad, the second time around

Sailing into the future retro Oct 2, 2020

September 2020 Retrospective

Satisfaction, but feeling of uselessness Sep 30, 2020

Finding my way using the Japanese concept of Ikigai

The Calm Before the Storm retro Sep 1, 2020

August 2020 Retrospective

I'm building a new product! retro Aug 2, 2020

July 2020 Retrospective

What goes up... retro Jul 1, 2020

June 2020 Retrospective

A Great Month (while the world burned) retro Jun 2, 2020

May 2020 Retrospective

Viruses and Lockdowns, Part 2 retro May 1, 2020

April 2020 Retrospective

Viruses and Lockdowns retro Apr 1, 2020

March 2020 Retrospective

Place Cards, Profits, and my 15 Minutes of Internet Fame retro Mar 1, 2020

February 2020 Retrospective

The Place Card Pivot retro Feb 3, 2020

January 2020 Retrospective

Getting my First Subscription Revenue - in Five Days Jan 16, 2020

With some luck and little help from my friends

Closing out 2019 retro Jan 2, 2020

December 2019 Retrospective

The Master Plan Jan 1, 2020

My 2019 year in review

My Most Profitable Month Ever retro Dec 2, 2019

November 2019 Retrospective

One Year of Being a Parent Nov 18, 2019

Thoughts and observations on being a dad, one year in.

What do we do when we fall off the horse? retro Nov 6, 2019

October 2019 Retrospective

My Icarus Journey retro Oct 1, 2019

September 2019 Retrospective

Everything Kind of Clicking into Place 🤞 retro Sep 1, 2019

August 2019 Retrospective

30 Days of Accountability retro Aug 1, 2019

July 2019 Retrospective

The Indie Hackers "30 Days of Growth" challenge Jul 1, 2019

Spending a month trying to grow Pegasus by working in public.

The Horse Finally Learns to Fly retro Jul 1, 2019

June 2019 Retrospective

Done is better than perfect (unless you have imposter syndrome) retro Jun 3, 2019

May 2019 Retrospective

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ retro May 10, 2019

April 2019 Retrospective

Lost in the woods of product development retro Apr 1, 2019

March 2019 Retrospective

Building a Saas Template is Hard retro Mar 4, 2019

February 2019 Retrospective

Recalibrating Expectations retro Feb 1, 2019

January 2019 Retrospective

New Year, New Retro retro Jan 9, 2019

December 2018 Retrospective

A Tale of Two Years: The Struggle between Freelancing and Entrepreneurship Dec 26, 2018

My 2018 year in review

The New Normal retro Dec 3, 2018

November, 2018 Retrospective

On Being a New Parent Nov 13, 2018

Thoughts and observations on being a new dad, two-weeks in

He's Here! retro Oct 29, 2018

Week 84 Retrospective

The Wait retro Oct 22, 2018

Week 83 Retrospective

Stop worrying about edge cases Oct 17, 2018

Why I take shortcuts all the time and you probably should too

That strange feeling when everything sort of seems to be working retro Sep 30, 2018

Week 79 & 80 Retrospective

Climbing SaaS Mountain retro Sep 17, 2018

Week 77 & 78 Retrospective

Milestones, working for others, and committing to side projects retro Sep 3, 2018

Week 75 & 76 Retrospective

Weariness retro Aug 20, 2018

Week 71-74 Retrospective

The Long Road to Passive Income Part 3: Expectations vs Reality Jul 24, 2018

"The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry" - Robert Burns

The retro is dead. Long live the retro! retro Jul 23, 2018

Week 68-70 Retrospective

A Tale of Two Months retro Jul 2, 2018

Week 67 Retrospective

GoGoGo! retro Jun 25, 2018

Week 66 Retrospective

This is Barely a Retrospective retro Jun 18, 2018

Week 65 Retrospective

The Grind retro Jun 11, 2018

Week 64 Retrospective

New month, new beginnings retro Jun 4, 2018

Week 63 Retrospective

Ebbs and flows retro May 28, 2018

Week 62 Retrospective

The Problem with a Comfortable Career May 25, 2018

A framework for assessing and re-evaluating things when your work life is just a little too easy.

Attempting to Write Again retro May 21, 2018

Week 61 Retrospective

A Break retro May 14, 2018

Weeks 59 and 60 Retrospective

Heads down in India retro Apr 30, 2018

Week 58 Retrospective

Doing the bull dance, feeling the flow retro Apr 23, 2018

Week 57 Retrospective

Week 56 Retrospective retro Apr 16, 2018

Achievement Unlocked: 2nd Product

Week 55 Retrospective retro Apr 9, 2018

First world problems

Week 54 Retrospective retro Apr 2, 2018

Back to the basics

Week 53 Retrospective retro Mar 26, 2018

Comfort versus The Resistance

Week 52 Retrospective retro Mar 19, 2018

I guess I'm an employee/freelancer

Week 51 Retrospective retro Mar 12, 2018

Reset

Week 50 Retrospective retro Mar 5, 2018

Survival

Week 49 Retrospective retro Feb 26, 2018

Another disappointing week: is it expectations or execution?

Week 48 Retrospective retro Feb 19, 2018

When it's worth choosing life over your plans

Week 47 Retrospective retro Feb 12, 2018

When life gets in the way of your plans (continued)

Week 46 Retrospective retro Feb 5, 2018

When life gets in the way of your plans

Week 45 Retrospective retro Jan 29, 2018

Bit by Hofstadter's Law

Week 44 Retrospective retro Jan 22, 2018

Save Water

Week 43 Retrospective retro Jan 15, 2018

The Sickening

Week 42 Retrospective retro Jan 8, 2018

Mapping out my January

My Plans and Goals for 2018 Jan 2, 2018

What happens now?

Week 41 Retrospective retro Jan 1, 2018

New Year, New Beginnings

The Year Everything Changed Dec 29, 2017

A journey of slowing down, purpose, reflection, and looking for happiness

Week 40 Retrospective retro Dec 25, 2017

Merry Christmas!

Week 39 Retrospective retro Dec 18, 2017

Wondering whether I should strive for more fear and uncertainty

Week 38 Retrospective retro Dec 11, 2017

Turns out Raising Prices was a Good Idea

The Long Road to Passive Income Part 2: Getting from $100 to $1000 in Monthly Revenue Dec 7, 2017

My latest updates and plans for taking my little SaaS app from $100/month to $1000/month.

Week 37 Retrospective retro Dec 4, 2017

That Back to School Feeling

Week 36 Retrospective retro Nov 27, 2017

I'm on vacation!

Week 35 Retrospective retro Nov 20, 2017

Grind, grind, grind

Week 34 Retrospective retro Nov 13, 2017

Rhythm Found?

The Long Road to Passive Income Part 1: Getting to $100 in Monthly Revenue Nov 7, 2017

How I've taken my SaaS app from $1 to $100/month in three months.

Week 33 Retrospective retro Nov 6, 2017

Still Finding my Rhythm

Week 32 Retrospective retro Oct 30, 2017

Struggling with Juggling

Week 31 Retrospective retro Oct 23, 2017

Re-Entry

Week 30 Retrospective retro Oct 16, 2017

The Sabbatical is Over!

SEO for Developers: Reaching the Front Page of Google without being Spammy Oct 10, 2017

How I got my SaaS app to the first page of Google in three months and why it was much easier than I thought.

Week 29 Retrospective retro Oct 9, 2017

Growing Pleasures and Growing Pains

Week 28 Retrospective retro Oct 2, 2017

The streak is over, but the Drakensberg is awesome.

The Future Sep 27, 2017

Being just a little bit on sabbatical all the time.

Week 27 Retrospective retro Sep 25, 2017

Sharks, Whales, and Milestones

Week 26 Retrospective retro Sep 18, 2017

The Streak Continues!

The Secret Formula for Getting Traction from Your Writing Sep 15, 2017

The event that provided a 30x bump in readership, and no, it doesn't have anything to do with clickbait titles like this one.

Week 25 Retrospective retro Sep 11, 2017

It's almost like I had 60% of a job last week

Week 24 Retrospective retro Sep 4, 2017

200% growth!

Week 23 Retrospective retro Aug 28, 2017

Homecoming

What actually goes into making your first dollar from a SaaS project Aug 24, 2017

I just made my first dollar on my SaaS app and it only took 200 Hours and $110

Week 22 Retrospective retro Aug 21, 2017

Time off in Vermont

Week 21 Retrospective retro Aug 14, 2017

Back in the game!

When Your Business Refuses to Make Money Aug 7, 2017

Slowly trudging my way through the trough of sorrow.

Week 20 Retrospective retro Aug 7, 2017

Not sure where my time went...

Week 19 Retrospective retro Jul 31, 2017

Guess who's back?

Week 18 Retrospective retro Jul 24, 2017

I'm in Boston!

Week 17 Retrospective retro Jul 17, 2017

Just diving in again this week!

On Sabbaticals, Goals, the Future, and Finding Happiness Jul 11, 2017

Why I think everyone who can afford to do it should take some time to figure out their lives.

Week 16 Retrospective retro Jul 10, 2017

Sh*t's getting real.

Week 15 Retrospective retro Jul 3, 2017

Sometimes life gets in the way of productivity

Week 14 Retrospective retro Jun 26, 2017

Remembering that I'm pretty good at making things.

Week 13 Retrospective retro Jun 19, 2017

What the hell did I do last week?

The Best of Your Life Jun 12, 2017

When you're learning, you get to have the best experiences of your life every day.

Week 12 Retrospective retro Jun 12, 2017

Holy smokes it's the midpoint.

MVP Pricing Jun 11, 2017

Testing pricing and willingness to pay in the easiest possible way.

Week 11 Retrospective retro Jun 5, 2017

The mythical sweet spot between things that are fun and good business ideas.

I Spent a Week Yak Shaving Instead of Running a Pricing Test Jun 2, 2017

How I lost a week of time and delayed my main goal of testing pricing—and why I'm at peace with it.

Validating an Idea is Hard: Part 2 May 29, 2017

When you're excited about an idea, feedback from strangers can be really misleading.

Week 10 Retrospective retro May 29, 2017

You can't win 'em all.

Week 9 Retrospective retro May 22, 2017

It’s possible I’m not built for 40-hour weeks: Full speed and feeling good

Testing an MVP with Google Ads and Analytics May 17, 2017

How I used $18 of advertising dollars to decide whether or not I should keep pursuing my project.

Week 8 Retrospective retro May 15, 2017

Validating an Idea is Hard May 12, 2017

When you know nothing about marketing, getting your idea in front of people is harder than you might think.

Week 7 Retrospective retro May 8, 2017

Week 6 Retrospective retro May 1, 2017

The Place Card Teardown Apr 30, 2017

You didn't tear apart my idea so I decided to do it myself.

The Place Card Pitch Apr 26, 2017

I try to pitch you on the place card idea. Can you tear it apart?

Week 5 Retrospective retro Apr 24, 2017

Solopreneur Sabbatical: Month One Apr 18, 2017

A checkpoint one month in—reflecting on the past month and looking at the road ahead

Week 4 Retrospective retro Apr 17, 2017

Product Dating Apr 11, 2017

How working on products is more like Tinder than Wedding Wire

Getting People out of MailChimp Limbo Apr 10, 2017

How to easily rescue your pending MailChimp subscribers who have failed to double opt-in

Week 3 Retrospective retro Apr 10, 2017

The Art of Working Alone Apr 7, 2017

Systems I'm using to keep myself directed and motivated in the face of unemployment

Six Product Ideas Apr 3, 2017

Planning weddings, building better software, and Pokémon: a first batch of ideas for products I'm considering making

Week 2 Retrospective retro Apr 3, 2017

The Solopreneur Sabbatical Mar 28, 2017

From CTO to unemployed overnight - what now?

Week 1 Retrospective retro Mar 27, 2017

Writing on Solopreneurship, Sabbaticals, and Life