Notes on building fast
Home →Short, actionable posts on product, engineering, and velocity.
- 9/1/2026
Case Study: Internal Tools That Save UN Offices $30,000 a Month
How a single 14-day sprint replaced manual data processing across UN South Asia offices with custom internal admin tools, saving $30k/month in processing costs.
- 9/1/2026
Case Study: An LLM Resume-Screening Pipeline That Signed Its First Client in Week 3
How ApplicoAI's recruitment platform shipped in a 14-day sprint: LLM resume parsing, candidate scoring, and the full pipeline. Demoed Day 14, first paying client the same week.
- 7/3/2026
Official Shopify App Store Developer Revenue Share 2026: 0% to $1M, Then 15%
The official 2026 Shopify App Store developer revenue share: 0% on your first $1M lifetime gross, 15% after, plus a 2.9% processing fee. Verified against Shopify's terms, with real MRR benchmarks.
- 7/3/2026
Shopify App Development Cost 2026: $5K–$60K Real Prices
What a Shopify app really costs in 2026: $5K–$9K private, $8K–$18K for a public App Store MVP, $25K–$60K multi-feature. Hidden fees and build-vs-buy math.
- 7/3/2026
AI Agent Development Cost in 2026: $3K to $80K by Agent Type (Custom Build Pricing)
What custom AI agent development costs in 2026: $3K–$10K single-task, $10K–$30K multi-tool, $30K–$80K multi-agent. Itemized cost breakdown, real API costs, hidden multipliers, and a free calculator.
- 7/2/2026
Shopify Fees 2026: Plan, Payment & Transaction Costs
Shopify's three fee layers in 2026: plan subscription, payment processing, and the third-party transaction fee. Find your true cost per order and cheapest plan.
- 7/2/2026
App Store Fees 2026: Apple 30% vs 15%, Google Play Rates
Apple and Google Play take 30%, or 15% on the Small Business Program. Official 2026 rates, subscription terms, developer fees, and your real net payout.
- 6/26/2026
Stripe Fees Explained in 2026: Why 2.9% Is Never Your Real Rate
The 2.9 percent plus 30 cents headline hides your true cost of payments. Here is how the fixed fee inflates your effective rate, why small charges are punishing, and how to model what Stripe actually takes.
- 6/16/2026
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Mobile App in 2026?
Mobile app costs range from $15,000 for a simple single-platform app to $300,000+ for a complex marketplace. Here is what drives the number, why both platforms cost more, and how to keep your first version lean.
- 6/11/2026
How Much Does App Maintenance Cost in 2026? A Real Budget Breakdown
App maintenance typically runs 15 to 25 percent of build cost per year. Here is what that number actually buys, why mobile costs more, and how to budget for it without surprises.
- 6/7/2026
SaaS MVP Development Guide 2026: How to Pick the Right SaaS MVP Development Company
SaaS MVP development guide for 2026: what a SaaS MVP includes, costs, the 14-day sprint method, and how to pick a SaaS MVP development company. Book a call.
- 5/26/2026
How Much Does an AI Voice Agent Cost in 2026? Real Per-Minute Numbers and Build Budgets
A grounded breakdown of what an AI voice agent actually costs in 2026: telephony, speech-to-text, LLM, and TTS per-minute pricing, build budgets by complexity, and the payback math against human-handled call volume.
- 5/12/2026
AI App Development Cost 2026: $8K MVP to $150K Enterprise
What AI apps really cost in 2026: $8K MVPs, $40K production builds, $150K enterprise systems. Cost factors, comparison table, and when not to build at all.
- 5/11/2026
User Interview Questions for MVP Validation: The 2026 Playbook
The exact user interview questions, structure, and rules that produce real signal for MVP validation. Includes a free interview question generator and recruiting playbook.
- 5/4/2026
How to Choose an LLM for Your Product in 2026
GPT-5, Claude Opus 4.6, Sonnet 4.6, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Llama 4, Mistral Large. A practical decision framework for picking the right model per use case, not the loudest launch.
- 5/4/2026
Cursor vs Windsurf vs Copilot vs Claude Code: Best AI Coding Assistant in 2026
Eight AI coding assistants tested side by side. Honest takes on Cursor, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Cline, Aider, Codeium, and Tabnine for solo devs, startups, and enterprise teams.
- 5/1/2026
Single Agent vs Multi-Agent: How to Choose Your AI Architecture in 2026
Most AI teams over-architect their first agent and regret it within a quarter. Here is a decision framework for picking between single-agent, router, supervisor, and swarm patterns, with cost and complexity trade-offs.
- 5/1/2026
SaaS Pricing Tiers 2026: How to Design 3 Tiers That Convert
Most B2B SaaS over- or under-prices. A step-by-step playbook for three tiers that capture the most ARR, with a free calculator to model your own.
- 4/21/2026
Pinecone vs Qdrant vs Weaviate vs pgvector: 2026 Comparison
Pinecone, Weaviate, Qdrant, pgvector, Chroma, and Milvus compared on pricing, performance, and hosting — with the decision framework I use with clients.
- 4/21/2026
Supabase vs Firebase in 2026: The Honest Tradeoffs I Actually Care About
A field-tested comparison of Supabase and Firebase in 2026. Pricing, realtime, auth, vendor lock-in, and the specific scenarios where each wins. With real numbers from production apps.
- 4/18/2026
React Native vs Flutter in 2026: An Honest Comparison From Someone Who Ships Both
The React Native vs Flutter debate has shifted in 2026. Here's what actually matters for your next mobile app - from someone who builds production apps with both frameworks.
- 4/16/2026
AI Agent Use Cases 2026: How to Pick Your First One
Most businesses have 3-5 processes suited to AI agents. A practical framework to find them, score them by ROI, and choose which one to build first.
- 4/16/2026
5 AI Agent Architecture Patterns Every Founder Should Know in 2026
From single agents to autonomous swarms - here's how to pick the right AI agent architecture for your product, with cost estimates and real trade-offs.
- 4/11/2026
AI SaaS Pricing 2026: Price Around Variable API Costs
Variable API costs break traditional SaaS pricing math. How to calculate real cost per user and set prices with margin that survives usage spikes.
- 4/6/2026
The Complete MVP Launch Checklist: 40+ Tasks You Can't Skip (2026)
Most MVPs fail at launch, not at build. Here's the complete pre-launch, launch day, and post-launch checklist I use with every client - plus a free interactive tool to track your progress.
- 4/6/2026
Is Your Startup Actually Ready for AI? An Honest Assessment (2026)
Most startups rush into AI without checking if they're ready. Here's how to evaluate your data, team, and infrastructure before spending a dollar on AI development.
- 4/3/2026
RAG vs Fine-Tuning in 2026: A Practical Decision Guide for Startup Founders
Should you use RAG, fine-tuning, or a hybrid approach for your AI product? A no-nonsense guide based on real production experience building AI MVPs.
- 4/3/2026
How to Calculate Chatbot ROI Before You Build (2026 Guide)
Most chatbot projects fail because nobody runs the numbers first. Here's how to calculate real ROI for a customer support chatbot - with actual cost breakdowns and a free calculator.
- 3/30/2026
Best AI Agent Framework 2026: LangChain vs CrewAI vs OpenAI
LangChain, CrewAI, OpenAI Agents SDK, Google ADK, and Microsoft Agent Framework compared on real builds — which to use, and where each one breaks.
- 3/29/2026
Best Tech Stack for Your Startup MVP in 2026 | From a Dev Who's Shipped 20+
A senior dev who has shipped 20+ MVPs breaks down Next.js vs React Native vs Django vs no-code for 2026. Skip the analysis paralysis - pick your stack in 10 minutes.
- 3/23/2026
How to Prioritize MVP Features in 2026 | The 14-Day RICE Framework
Cut your MVP scope in half without losing the magic. The exact RICE-based prioritization framework we use to ship MVPs in 14 days. Free template + scoring rubric.
- 3/15/2026
Build vs Buy Software in 2026: The Complete Decision Framework
Custom software costs more upfront but saves money long-term. SaaS is fast but traps you in pricing. Here's exactly when to build, when to buy, and the real costs of both.
- 3/13/2026
How Long Does It Take to Build an App? Realistic Timelines for 2026
Don't fall for "8 weeks" promises. Here's exactly how long it takes: MVPs in 2–4 weeks, full products in 12–24 weeks, and the factors that blow timelines every single time.
- 10/21/2025
The Next Era of Building: Fast, Focused, and Human
We’re entering a decade where anyone can build anything - but not everyone will build what matters. Here’s the philosophy that will shape the next generation of founders.
- 10/19/2025
How to Build a Founder Brand That Works While You Sleep
Your product can make you money. Your reputation can make you opportunities. Here’s how to turn your expertise into an authority flywheel.
- 10/17/2025
Scale Without Breaking: The Solo Builder’s System Blueprint
You don’t need a team to scale - you need systems. Here’s how to productize your process so every MVP sprint feels effortless.
- 10/15/2025
How to Price Your MVP - SaaS Pricing Strategy
Skip hourly rates. I teach value-based fixed-scope pricing so your MVP customers see clarity, not cost.
- 10/13/2025
Saying No as Founder - Protect Your MVP Focus
Every customer asks for features. Saying no is your superpower. I show you how to stay focused and protect your MVP scope.
- 10/12/2025
Build an Investor Ready MVP - Demo Like You’re Funded
Your MVP doesn’t need perfection - just credibility. I show you how to make your early product look polished for customer and investor demos.
- 10/11/2025
Why Do MVPs Fail - 5 Common MVP Mistakes
Most MVPs fail due to scope creep, wrong user, and edge cases - not code. Learn the 5 mistakes I see most and how to avoid them.
- 10/10/2025
MVP Positioning Strategy - One Page Canvas Method
Generic products die. I teach the positioning framework I use to make MVPs fundable and memorable in one page.
- 10/9/2025
How to Get First Customers for Startup - Step by Step
Your MVP is live - now get paying customers. I show you the exact process to go from zero to 10 paying users and build momentum.
- 10/6/2025
MVP User Retention - Keep Early Users Engaged
Users left after day one? Your retention loops are broken, not your product. I show you how to keep users coming back.
- 10/6/2025
MVP Metrics to Track - How to Measure Success
Skip vanity metrics. These 7 MVP metrics actually predict success and help you measure product-market fit from launch day.
- 10/2/2025
How to Do User Interviews - Talk to Users Right
User interviews terrify founders. I show you how to run real conversations that uncover pain - without the sales pitch.
- 10/1/2025
No Code vs Custom Code for MVP - Which to Choose
Should you use no-code tools or custom code for your MVP? I compare both with real case studies to help you decide.
- 9/30/2025
How to Fund Your MVP - 7 Ways Without VC Money
Build your MVP without venture capital. I break down 7 funding options: bootstrapping, pre-sales, grants, and founder-friendly financing.
- 9/24/2025
What to Do After MVP Launch - 30 Day Playbook
Your MVP shipped - now what? I give you the exact 30-day post-MVP strategy: demos, user interviews, metrics, and Sprint 2 planning.
- 9/21/2025
How to Choose Startup Idea - MVP Validation Framework
Too many ideas, no idea which to build? I show you how to pick and validate the right startup idea to MVP in 14 days.
- 9/20/2025
MVP Thin Slice Method - Scope Down to Ship Fast
Learn the thin slice MVP method: scope the minimal viable product to one user flow, one metric, one payment. I show you how in 14 days.
- 9/19/2025
MVP Case Study - SaaS MVP Built in 14 Days
Real MVP case study: property management tool from Notion to live demo in 14 days. Auth, workflow, payments, 6 interviews, 2 pilots.
- 9/18/2025
How to Build an MVP in 2 Weeks - Day by Day
Complete 14-day MVP sprint guide: scope, build, and ship in 14 days. I show you exactly what happens each day to hit Day 14 live.
- 9/17/2025
Introducing Week One Labs: A Solo Studio That Ships Production MVPs in 14 Days
Announcing Week One Labs, a solo studio that ships production‑ready MVPs in 14 days: fixed fee, day‑14 demo, docs & deploy, you own repo + infra.
- 9/1/2025
Shipping investor-ready MVPs: a 14-day playbook
A focused process to scope, build, and ship a production-ready MVP that impresses investors - without drama, scope creep, or a bloated backlog.
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