Startups For the Rest of Us   /     Episode 759 | TinySeed Tales s4e6: Does AI + Pivot = Success?

Summary

In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling speaks with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she shares her latest startup journey pivot. After reigniting her “shipping muscle” while briefly dabbling in an AI-based project, Colleen refocuses on her newest pivot of Hello Query. She shares the challenges of determining the market viability of an AI-assisted SQL report builder. She stands at a crossroads, torn between catering to internal BI teams or exploring marketing analytics. Topics we cover:  (1:25) – Reflecting on the co-founder breakup (2:42) – Trying a scratch-your-own-itch project (6:27) – Unfair advantages inform another pivot (15:07) – Respecting the “emotional runway”   (19:23) – Marketing insights vs. an internal BI tool (23:01) – The curse of the audience Links from the Show:  Applications for TinySeed are Open Through Feb 23rd Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger) | X Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger.bsky.social) | Bluesky Hello Query If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Subtitle
In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling speaks with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she shares her latest startup journey pivot. After reigniting her “shipping muscle” while briefly dabbling in an AI-based project, Collee
Duration
00:27:10
Publishing date
2025-02-20 10:00
Link
https://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/episodes/episode-759-tinyseed-tales-s4e6-does-ai-pivot-success
Contributors
  Rob Walling
author  
Enclosures
https://prfx.byspotify.com/e/episodes.castos.com/5e1c969972fbb8-96341148/1969685/c1e-w409fr5x1rb8po91-qdwdjznxi612-escv95.mp3
audio/mpeg

Shownotes

In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling speaks with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she shares her latest startup journey pivot.

After reigniting her “shipping muscle” while briefly dabbling in an AI-based project, Colleen refocuses on her newest pivot of Hello Query. She shares the challenges of determining the market viability of an AI-assisted SQL report builder. She stands at a crossroads, torn between catering to internal BI teams or exploring marketing analytics.

Topics we cover: 

  • (1:25) – Reflecting on the co-founder breakup
  • (2:42) – Trying a scratch-your-own-itch project
  • (6:27) – Unfair advantages inform another pivot
  • (15:07) – Respecting the “emotional runway”  
  • (19:23) – Marketing insights vs. an internal BI tool
  • (23:01) – The curse of the audience

Links from the Show: 

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify