Now
This /now page is inspired by Derek Sivers - it’s the place where I record the overarching themes of what I’m thinking about in a given month, as well as books I read and places I visited.
But first, a quick overview:
I've been building SaaS apps since 2010, with varying levels of success, from $0 to $61k MRR and an exit.
I call Portland, Oregon home, but I'm currently living in Valencia, Spain with my wife and two boys. We left the U.S. in July of 2022 and having been family "slowmading" since then.
I'm a daily meditator. Nature and the beach are my happy places. The most fun I ever have is inline-skating through the city with my boys on their scooters.
October 2023
Went to MicroConf Europe in Lisbon. This was my fourth one, and had the best time ever. I made so many new friends, and left with mountains of inspiration, as always.
Been brainstorming with JanTheSaaSGuy and we’ve started breaking ground on UserSpark
Working on The Bootstrapper’s Mindset; what started as a ‘guide’ but looks like it’ll end up being a course.
The amount of creator friends I’ve been making has started to pick up a lot, due to Twitter and the newsletter.
Was on the iOS Dev podcast.
Places visited:
Lisbon, Portugal (MicroConf)
Denia, Spain
September 2023
Was on a couple podcasts.
We arrived in Valencia, Spain, on the 1st. Getting to know the city, searching or an apartment, etc. We are loving it!
The Art of Accomplishment Connection course is amazing. Intense at times, as we get deeply vulnerable but I love it.
Watching the $100M Leads videos.
Cranking on SaaS Pulse, to launch soon.
Been working on something new with Jan!
Places visited:
Valencia, Spain
August 2023
Was on a couple podcasts.
Have had a good meditation streak of an hour a day. Need to keep this up.
Had my first viral post.
Started the Art of Accomplishment Connection course.
Hired @rickyshq for branding work on the SaaS bootstrapper.
Reading:
The Mind Illuminated (amazing)
Places visited:
Denia, Spain
Porto, Portugal
Aviero, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal
Odeceixe, Portugal
July 2023
Geeking out on copywriting.
Reading:
Places visited:
Kotor, Montenegro
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Split, Croatia
Belgrade, Serbia
Korcula, Croatia
Lisbon, Portugal
June 2023
Had lots of visitors come see us in Croatia.
Places visited:
Rovinj, Croatia
Cavtat, Croatia
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Motovun, Croatia
Porec, Croatia
Groznjan, Croatia
Oprtalj, Croatia
May 2023
Did the Fighting Monkey Zero Form Essentials course.
Reading: The Mind Illuminated (amazing)
Places visited:
Crikvenica, Croatia
April 2023
Our friend Ashley came to visit from Amsterdam, and made us the best tacos we’ve ever had.
We went to Rome for spring break, and had front row seats to Cirque de Soleil.
Reading:
Places visited:
Rome, Italy
Bologna, Italy
Padua, Italy
Cortona, Italy
March 2023
Reading:
Places visited:
Venice, Italy
February 2023
I’ve been migrating digital tools again. Every time I switch away from the most minimal tools, I regret it. I prefer VIM and text/markdown files every time. I was trying Notion, then Obsidian, and they were fine, but I don’t like having to use a mouse more than I need to and I’m much more comfortable in VIM. Any time I forget this, I should just go back to Derek Sivers’ site for an inspirational reminder.
In addition I’ve been thinking a lot about the format and delivery of the content I’m producing. I’ve discovered digital gardens, and Maggie Appleton, and loving this concept of evergreen, deeply-linked content, forming a web of associations, over the linear streams of information we’ve become used to on the web.
I read Tiago Forte’s Building a Second Brain, and while I enjoy the overall concept, going back in time to the Zettlekasten has been more productive for me. I love the way it ties in to a digital garden.
I’ve started a digital garden and considering how I’ll incorporate it into macmartine.com, and The SaaS Bootstrapper newsletter. The newsletter may simply become my best/favorite Zettlekasten’s from the previous week.
Books read:
The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert
Perennial Seller - Ryan Holiday
On Writing - Stephen King
Places visited:
Sarajevo, Bosnia
Banja Luka, Bosia
Mostar, Bosnia
Laktasi, Bosnia
January 2023
I joined the Small Bets community, and went through the course. I really enjoyed it, and loved the Nassim Taleb references, as he’s one of my favorite authors.
Also started the Farnam Street Decisions by Design course which is 12-weeks long. It’s also been great.
We’ve been working on getting ready to apply for the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa. It’s been more difficult than it was to get the Croatia one, partly because we’re doing it from Croatia, and not the U.S. It makes things much harder. It’s the simple things you wouldn’t think about, like trying to send a check or money order the FBI, or sending a pre-paid return envelope. It’s no-one’s fault so much as incompatible systems. Europe doesn’t have a notion of personal checks or money orders without having the destination account’s routing number and account number on it. We don’t have personal checks with us, and the FBI doesn’t give out their bank account information for us to get a EU-style check for them. It’s that kind of stuff times twenty.
Not to mention Portugal required opening a bank account before applying, which can only be done in person in Portugal. And they require a signed 12-month apartment lease prior to applying, which isn’t easy to get from afar, sight-unseen, 8 months in advance.
Books read:
Building a Second Brain - Tiago Forte
December 2022
Placed visited:
Budapest, Hungary
Salzburg, Austria
Vienna, Austria
Graz, Austria
November 2022
Places visited:
Malta
Venice, Italy
Ljubliana, Slovenia
October 2022
Places visited:
Lake Bled, Slovenia
Split, Croatia
Sibenik, Croatia
Trogir, Croatia
Postojna, Croatia
Trieste, Italy
Rovinj, Croatia
Oprtalj, Croatia
Zavrsje, Croatia
Groznjan, Croatia
Motovun, Croatia
September 2022
Karlovac, Croatia
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Rastoke, Croatia
August 2022
Arrived in Zagreb, Croatia (to live there for a year)
Places visited:
Ljubliana, Slovenia
Varazdin, Croatia
July 2022
Places visited:
Paris, France
Aix en Provence, France
Marseille, France
Cassis, France
Mali Losinj, Croatia
Zadar, Crotia
Kornati Islands, Croatia
Rijeka, Croatia