When the Tools Just Don't Cut It
Sometimes the best solution isn't another SaaS subscription. Sometimes you need to build exactly what you need.
I had a live conversation about something that frustrates me regularly: the assumption that every business problem can be solved with an existing tool.
The SaaS Overload
Most businesses I work with are paying for 10-15 different software subscriptions. CRM, project management, email marketing, scheduling, invoicing, analytics, social media, help desk... the list goes on. And none of them talk to each other properly.
So they add Zapier to connect them. Then they add another tool to fill a gap. Then another. Before long, they're spending $2,000/month on software and still doing manual work because the integrations are fragile.
When to Build Custom
Here's my rule of thumb: if you're spending more than 30 minutes per day working around the limitations of your tools, it's time to consider a custom solution.
Custom doesn't mean expensive. With AI-assisted development, we can build focused tools that do exactly what you need in days, not months. A custom intake form that feeds directly into your system. A dashboard that pulls from all your data sources. An automation that handles your specific workflow — not a generic one that "kind of" works.
The Disposable Tools Philosophy
And here's the thing — these custom tools don't need to last forever. Build it, use it, and when your needs change or the AI tools get better, rebuild it. The cost of building is dropping so fast that maintaining a clunky tool is often more expensive than rebuilding a better one.
The Decision Framework
- **Off-the-shelf tool**: When the problem is generic and the tool fits 80%+ of your needs
- **Integration/automation**: When the tools are right but don't connect
- **Custom build**: When no tool fits, the workarounds are costly, or the problem is unique to your business
Stop forcing your business into someone else's software. Sometimes the right answer is to build exactly what you need.