Arvid and Tyler are catching up after a two-week break, and they're glad to be back for episode 12 of their conversation series.
Tyler has been busy with his Calm Company Fund, making investment decisions and helping portfolio companies navigate the changing investment landscape.
He discusses the challenge some founders face in adjusting to the current market conditions, where raising capital is no longer as easy as it used to be.
Arvid reflects on his recent conversations about mental health and imposter syndrome with Dr. Julie Gerner and Paul Millard, highlighting the struggles of founders who lack support and understanding in dealing with such issues.
Tyler Tringas discusses the challenge of straying from the narrative of success and the tendency to hold out hope despite facing obstacles. He also mentions the strong incentive to persist and the complementary narrative of relentless persistence valorized in entrepreneurship.
Arvid Kahl shares his preparations for his German parents' visit to Canada, highlighting the humorous language translation challenges they will face. He also reminisces about a conference in China, where he encountered advanced language translation technology and observed concerning privacy implications of AI technology in education.
Arvid Kahl is preparing for a family visit and vacation, including a trip to Toronto and Niagara Falls, and hosting a large family gathering in the countryside.
Arvid has been working hard to get ahead on his work before the family visit, recording and editing content, and making preparations for his absence.
Arvid's regular work schedule involves writing, recording, and marketing, and he managed to double his workload by reducing his YouTube consumption and working extended hours.
Tyler Tringas, on the other hand, has a more unstructured work schedule, allowing flexibility to respond to time-sensitive work opportunities and follow his passion projects.
Tyler's work often involves urgent and time-sensitive tasks, requiring him to be responsive to incoming work opportunities.
Investing and helping portfolio companies are time-sensitive activities, unlike writing which is less time-sensitive and more about completing tasks at some point.
Arvid Kahl receives a lot of inbound emails and questions, mostly through Twitter, and responds to them immediately, often using video responses for efficiency.
He uses hey.com to filter out unwanted emails and has a system of 'bubbling up' emails for later response, prioritizing based on interest.
Tyler Tringas also discusses the challenge of managing a high volume of time-consuming emails and the potential of using video responses to speed up the process.
Arvid Kahl shares his experience with doing Twitter teardowns using video, recommends using Loom for video recording, and automating transcripts for efficiency.
He emphasizes the importance of integrating tools to save time and enhance productivity, and how his process is built to empower all aspects of his work.
Arvid Kahl enjoys doing 15-minute media stuff and finds it fun.
Tyler Tringas appreciates that it didn't cost him much and he loves getting it for free.
Tyler Tringas and Arvid Kahl discuss the challenges of setting up a studio for their media work, emphasizing the complexity and cost involved.
Arvid Kahl shares his excitement about finishing his basement studio and the technical aspects of setting up the space, including soundproofing and camera equipment.
Both entrepreneurs discuss accountability and goal-setting, with Tyler focusing on pace and direction rather than structured milestones, while Arvid seeks to maintain focus and make adjustments over time.
Arvid Kahl and Tyler Tringas discuss their different approaches to motivation and maintaining alignment in their work. Arvid emphasizes the importance of enjoying what he does and avoiding the trap of 'golden handcuffs,' while Tyler finds motivation in consciously re-choosing his work and embracing the potential for significant impact on certain days.
They also touch on the concept of the Calm MBA, a project aimed at providing guidance for building a bootstrapped business. They discuss the challenges of coordinating a cohort-based course and lean towards creating content first before structuring it into a course.
They consider involving their audience in the decision-making process by seeking input on the topics to cover, reflecting their commitment to transparency and community involvement.
Tyler and Arvid are discussing their plans and deadlines for working on a project. They are considering using Notion to organize their work and are excited to start. They also discuss the issue of copycats in the indie hacker community and commend a founder for handling a situation with calmness and focus.
They mention the possibility of making their Notion document publicly available in the future and express excitement about the upcoming work. They also consider the topic of dealing with copycats as a potential future discussion point for their podcast.
Overall, the conversation revolves around setting deadlines, organizing work, and addressing challenges faced by indie founders, while also expressing anticipation for the work ahead.