Building a community isn’t a “nice to have” for founders – it’s a growth engine.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to build an online community that creates trust, drives referrals, reduces support load, and can even become the backbone of an affiliate program.

Claudio Meireles (serial entrepreneur) breaks down what community actually means (it’s not just a Facebook group), why people join for the product but stay for the people, and how founders can use community as a “GPS” to shape the right product for the right audience.

Key takeaways ✅ • Why people join for the product, but stay for the people • How to start by tapping into existing communities first • A simple framework: support – inspire – nurture • How community turns users into power users (and cuts support tickets) • Choosing the right platform: Discord, Facebook, Telegram, Instagram Groups • How to build ambassadors and affiliates without being spammy

Join our SaaS founders’ community for $5/month and get step-by-step courses, proven strategies, and peer support: 👉 https://masterfulhub.com/

Connect with us:

• Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilhelmlaubach/

• Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiomeireles/

Can you build a real startup without burning your savings by funding it through your agency work?

In this episode, we talk with Adam and Carmel from POS Cafe, a Shopify POS app for cafes, about what it actually looks like to run a client agency and a SaaS product at the same time.

We dig into the emotional rollercoaster, the financial pressure, the slow progress, and why they still believe this path is worth it.

You'll learn:

*Why they started with an agency first – and how that paid for their startup

*The real trade-offs between agency work (relationships) and SaaS (scale)

*How working hands-on with clients gave them a sharper SaaS idea than any brainstorm

*What changed in their mindset once they shipped their first version to the Shopify App Store

*How they choose which features to build next (and what they regret building)

*Why niching down on cafes + Shopify POS became their unfair advantage

If you're an agency owner dreaming about your own product, or a founder thinking about bootstrapping through services, this conversation will give you a very honest look behind the scenes – including the moments where they almost gave up.

#BootstrappedStartup #IndieHackers #EntrepreneurMindset

Join our SaaS founders' community for $5/month and get step-by-step courses, proven strategies, and peer support: https://masterfulhub.com/

Connect with Us:

• Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilhelmlaubach/
• Guests: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwooding/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmelwooding/

Adam & Carmel – POS Cafe: https://poscafe.app/

Accelerators can speed up your startup if you choose and apply smartly. 👉 Don’t apply until you hear this advice! In this episode, Valdis Sprogis, an entrepreneur who joined four major accelerators (including two of the world’s top programs), shares exactly: - How to pick the best accelerator for your startup stage - What top accelerators like Y Combinator and 500 Startups look for - How to write an application that gets noticed - How to use referrals to boost your chances - Common mistakes founders make when applying 🎧 Hosted by Wilhelm Laubach, this episode helps early-stage founders shortcut their path to startup growth. #StartupAccelerator #StartupFunding #Antler #ycombinator #SaaS Join our SaaS founders’ community for $5/month and get step-by-step courses, proven strategies, and peer support: https://masterfulhub.com/ Connect with Us: - Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilhelmlaubach/ - Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valdis-sprogis/ https://www.hovi.id/ Chapters for Easy Navigation: 00:00 Introduction 00:48 About Valdis and His Startup Journey 01:30 What Founders Gain from Accelerator Programs 02:23 Building Valuable Connections 03:15 The Importance of Community for Founders 04:45 How Networking Opens Opportunities 07:00 Minimum Requirements for Joining an Accelerator 10:10 Local vs. Global Accelerators 12:20 Small Accelerators as a Stepping Stone 14:15 Full-Time Commitment 17:00 Solo Founders vs. Teams 19:50 Red Flags and How to Evaluate Accelerator Programs 22:00 How to Choose the Right Accelerator Program 24:40 Researching Programs 26:30 Beware of Scam or Misleading Accelerator Programs 28:00 How to Increase the Chances of Acceptance in an Accelerator Program 30:00 YC, Antler, and 500 Startups 32:10 Tips for a Strong Application to an Accelerator Program 36:00 The Role of the Idea and Founder’s Potential 37:50 Final Advice for Founders Considering Accelerators 39:00 About Hovi 40:20 Connect with Valdis and Learn More 41:00 Closing Thoughts