---
aliases: ["Q2 2025"]
Is A: Quarter
Created at: "2025-04-01"
Belongs to: "[[2025]]"
Has: ["[[25q2-reach-70k]]", "[[25q2-podcast-season-3]]", "[[25q2-team-retreat]]", "[[25q2-laputa-v2]]", "[[25q2-dolomites-trip]]"]
Status: Done
---
# Q2 2025

## Focus

Q2 was the heart of the execution phase for 2025. The 70k subscriber milestone was the key growth target. Season 3 of the podcast brought a new format — shorter episodes, more actionable. The team retreat in Tuscany was about alignment and bonding. And the Dolomites cycling trip was both training for Stelvio and pure joy.

## Highlights

- Hit [[25q2-reach-70k]] subscribers in early June — two weeks ahead of schedule, driven by viral LinkedIn posts and the referral program compounding
- Launched [[25q2-podcast-season-3]] with a new 15-minute "Tactical Tuesday" format alongside the regular deep dives — downloads surged to 14k/month
- Held [[25q2-team-retreat]] in a farmhouse outside Siena with [[person-matteo-cellini]], [[person-paco-furiani]], and [[person-sara-ricci]] — aligned on H2 roadmap, built real trust
- Shipped [[25q2-laputa-v2]] with bidirectional linking, graph view, and improved frontmatter editing — starting to feel like a real product
- Completed [[25q2-dolomites-trip]]: 4 days, 5 passes, 380 km — Passo Fedaia, Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, Campolongo
- [[measure-sponsorship-mrr]] hit EUR 17.5k — tracking well toward [[2025-reach-22k-mrr]]
- Premium tier reached 680 paying subscribers, up from 420 at start of quarter
- Two pillar articles syndicated by major tech publications, driving ~4k new subscribers

## Reflections

The team retreat was the highlight of the quarter, and maybe the most important thing we did all year. Working remotely with contractors is efficient, but you miss the informal conversations that build real relationships. Three days in Tuscany — cooking together, long walks, whiteboard sessions on the terrace — transformed how we collaborate. [[person-sara-ricci]] pitched the community idea over dinner on the second night, and it was so obvious in hindsight that we all wondered why we hadn't done it sooner. That became [[25q3-community-launch]].

Reaching 70k subscribers felt almost routine, which is itself remarkable. A year ago, every thousand felt hard-won. Now the flywheel is spinning: content drives subscribers, subscribers attract sponsors, sponsors fund better content. The referral program is the turbocharger — word-of-mouth from engineering leaders who trust their peers' recommendations.

The Dolomites trip was pure magic. Four days of riding through the most beautiful mountain landscape in Europe with three friends. Passo Fedaia at sunset, the Marmolada glacier glowing overhead — these are the moments that make the 5am training rides worth it. My legs are ready for [[2025-ride-stelvio]] in August. Bring it on.
