44: How much did we actually make this year?

In this episode, we look back on our first full year of building SixSides and share our top 5 moments each – from the emotional, to the hilarious, to the surprisingly profitable.

Chapters

(00:00) - Intro - uncaffeinated Mitch, cafe loyalty, QR code banter
(02:14) - What are we doing - year in review, top 5 moments, full transparency on numbers
(03:05) - Revenue and expenses - $15k in, $10.5k revenue, $23k spend, what surprised us
(07:34) - Bootstrapping chat - when funding might make sense, momentum and market advantage
(10:57) - Putting more money in - hiring ahead of revenue, marketing role, managing risk
(13:39) - Top 5 moments begin - Mitch’s #5: starting the podcast
(18:09) - Gav’s #5: starting this venture together
(19:58) - Mitch’s #4: meeting in person in June
(21:11) - Gav’s #4: The Founders Collective as a living case study
(23:06) - Mitch’s #3: Volunteering WA win and the payoff
(25:41) - Gav’s #3: designing “holy shit moments” and seeing them work live
(28:29) - Mitch’s #2: Laracon AU stress test - will the app fall over?
(31:58) - Gav’s #2: end-of-year momentum shift and inbound opportunities
(34:39) - Mitch’s #1: Brisbane hangs - drinking on the couch with Gav and Mel
(38:21) - Gav’s #1: Project Rendezvous - the opportunity that could change 2026
(42:28) - Bonus moments - conflict, communication, lessons from Denmark
(47:41) - Where to find us - Gavin’s plugs, Mitch’s socials, Happy New Year and what’s next

In this episode, we cover:

SixSides 2025 year in review - what changed (especially in the last 3 months)
Revenue for the year: $10.5k invoiced/received (excluding two agreements for next year)
Funding put in by founders: $15k total (setup, hosting pre-credits, AIM sponsorship)
Total spend for the year: just over $23k (incl. AIME for next year, contractor work, hosting, accounting)
Current bank position: roughly $2.5k left in the account
What bootstrapping feels like right now - and when funding might make sense
The “spend $2k to make $20k” mindset - spending only when it’s revenue generating or reduces costs
Hiring ahead of revenue - likely bringing on a marketing person next year
Top 5 moments each (mix of personal and business highlights)
Starting the podcast and why it’s become a weekly journal + creative outlet
Meeting in person (June catch-up) and building the co-founder relationship
The Founders Collective as a “living case study” for SixSides (events, RSVPs, lead gen)
Volunteering WA delivery - first big in-person win and the emotional payoff
Designing “holy shit moments” and seeing them work live at events
Laracon AU “stress test” - hundreds of photo uploads, infra holding up, learning from edge cases
End-of-year momentum shift - more inbound conversations and unexpected opportunities
Project Rendezvous teaser - why it could be a step-change opportunity
Navigating conflict and improving communication as co-founders
Quick wrap: where to find you both online + New Year / upcoming long-form episode teaser

Expect a candid, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to launch a B2B SaaS company from scratch – completely bootstrapped.

Got questions or topics you want us to cover? Email us at journey@sixsides.co

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Connect with us

SixSides: sixsides.co
Book a call with Gavin: call.sixsides.co
Mitchell on Bluesky: mitchdav.is
Mitchell on LinkedIn: mitchdav
Gavin on LinkedIn: gavintye
Gavin on YouTube: gavintye1
SixSides on LinkedIn: sixsides
SixSides on X: sixsidesevents
SixSides on Bluesky: sixsides.co
SixSides on Youtube: sixsidesco
SixSides on Substack: sixsides