Journal of a working studio.
Honest writing on shipping SaaS, scoping startup MVPs, building custom AI that survives production, and the economics that decide whether a founder’s build actually ships.
2026
- May 22, 2026
How to choose a software development agency in 2026
A founder's honest playbook for evaluating a software development agency — what to ask, what to verify, where most engagements actually fail, and the eight signals that separate a partner from a vendor.
Hiring & Engagement8 min read - May 21, 2026
How much does it cost to build a SaaS in 2026?
An honest, line-item breakdown of what a real SaaS build costs in 2026 — by engagement model, by stage, and by the part of the work most quotes hide.
Pricing & Estimation8 min read - May 20, 2026
MVP development for startups: a step-by-step playbook
An engineer's guide to shipping a real MVP — what to cut, what to defend, how to scope, and the eight weeks of work that decide whether your product launches at all.
MVP & Product8 min read - May 19, 2026
MERN, PHP, or Python? Picking a stack for your SaaS in 2026
An engineer's honest comparison of MERN, PHP/Laravel, and Python/Django for SaaS — strengths, weaknesses, hiring realities, and the one question that decides your stack.
Engineering9 min read - May 18, 2026
Hiring software developers in Bangladesh: a 2026 founder's guide
What it really costs, how it really works, what to verify, and the three reasons founders consistently get it wrong — from a studio that’s been on both sides of the engagement.
Hiring & Engagement7 min read - May 17, 2026
SaaS vs. custom software: which one should you actually build?
A framework for deciding whether to build a multi-tenant SaaS product, a single-tenant custom application, or stay on off-the-shelf tools — with the questions most founders skip.
Strategy8 min read - May 16, 2026
Fractional CTO vs agency: which one does your startup actually need?
Two very different hiring decisions get conflated as the same one. Here's the honest split — when a fractional CTO is right, when an agency wins, and the three cases founders consistently get wrong.
Hiring & Engagement9 min read - May 15, 2026
How to write a software development RFP that gets honest bids
A founder's template for writing a software development RFP — what to include, the four sections most founders skip, and how to read the bids you get back.
Hiring & Engagement11 min read - May 14, 2026
Stripe billing integration: real cost, timeline, and what quotes hide
A working engineer's breakdown of Stripe billing integration cost — the real timeline, the seven things most agency quotes leave out, and how to scope billing honestly.
Engineering10 min read - May 13, 2026
MongoDB vs PostgreSQL for SaaS in 2026: the honest comparison
A working engineer's take on MongoDB vs PostgreSQL for SaaS — where each wins, where each hurts, and why most senior teams quietly pick Postgres.
Engineering9 min read - May 12, 2026
When to rebuild your MVP — and when the rewrite is a mistake
A founder's honest framework for deciding when to rebuild your MVP, when to refactor instead, and the five rewrite traps that quietly kill startups.
MVP & Product11 min read - May 11, 2026
AI integration cost for SaaS in 2026: a founder's budget guide
The real AI integration cost for SaaS in 2026 — line-item engineering, model spend, the four AI features actually worth shipping, and the ones that won't pay back.
Pricing & Estimation11 min read - May 10, 2026
Multi-tenant SaaS architecture: pooled, siloed, or dedicated in 2026
An engineer's honest take on multi-tenant SaaS architecture — when to pool tenants, when to silo, when to dedicate, and the cost gap between them at scale.
Engineering10 min read - May 9, 2026
Hiring offshore developers: India vs Bangladesh vs Vietnam in 2026
An honest comparison of hiring offshore developers across India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam in 2026 — real rates, hiring pools, time zones, and where each market actually wins.
Hiring & Engagement11 min read - May 8, 2026
SaaS pricing models in 2026: flat, per-seat, usage-based, or hybrid?
A founder's honest guide to SaaS pricing models in 2026 — when flat wins, when per-seat scales, when usage-based unlocks growth, and how to combine them.
Strategy11 min read - May 7, 2026
Auth for SaaS in 2026: Clerk vs Auth0 vs Supabase vs build your own
An engineer's honest breakdown of auth for SaaS in 2026 — when Clerk wins, when Auth0 is overkill, when Supabase fits, and when building your own actually makes sense.
Engineering11 min read - May 6, 2026
B2B SaaS onboarding flows that convert in 2026: the playbook
A founder-engineer's guide to B2B SaaS onboarding flows that convert in 2026 — what to instrument, what to cut, and the four moments that decide activation.
Product11 min read