The Build Log

Real-world notes for founders navigating the messy road from idea to launched product.

Jan 17, 202610 min read

The 5 Features Every Legal Document Automation MVP Actually Needs

Document automation can cut drafting time from 3 hours to 15 minutes. But most MVPs fail by building too much too soon. Here are the 5 features that actually matter.

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LegalTech

Jan 15, 20269 min read

Why Your LegalTech MVP Needs SOC 2 Planning from Day One

Law firms send 15-page security questionnaires before even scheduling a demo. Here's how to build SOC 2 compliance into your MVP from the start—and save 3-5x in retrofitting costs.

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LegalTech

Jan 14, 20268 min read

The LegalTech Founder's Guide to Selling to Law Firms (Without Dying in Pilot Purgatory)

95% of legal AI pilots fail. Law firm sales cycles stretch 12-18 months. Here's how to navigate the decision-making labyrinth and actually close deals.

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Building an AI-Native Marketing Automation App: Why Bolt-On AI Fails

MarTech

Jan 12, 20268 min read

Building an AI-Native Marketing Automation App: Why Bolt-On AI Fails

Most marketing automation apps treat AI as a feature to add later. Here's why that approach fails—and how to architect AI-native marketing automation from day one.

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Building Your First Marketing Automation MVP: A Technical Founder's Guide

MarTech

Jan 9, 20267 min read

Building Your First Marketing Automation MVP: A Technical Founder's Guide

A practical architecture guide for technical founders building marketing automation systems. Skip the overengineering, ship faster with PostgreSQL-first patterns, and avoid the mistakes that sink 74% of startups.

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The AI Agent Backend Checklist: 7 Infrastructure Requirements Your Chatbot Didn't Need

AI Development

Jan 7, 20268 min read

The AI Agent Backend Checklist: 7 Infrastructure Requirements Your Chatbot Didn't Need

Chatbots are stateless. Agents accumulate state, make decisions, and run for minutes. Here are the 7 backend requirements that make or break production agents.

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When NOT to Use AI Agents: A Decision Framework Before You Waste $50K

AI Development

Jan 5, 202611 min read

When NOT to Use AI Agents: A Decision Framework Before You Waste $50K

90-95% of AI initiatives fail. Most teams build AI agents when they need simpler solutions. Here's how to know if you're about to waste money on the wrong approach.

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Nx vs Turborepo: Which Monorepo Tool for Your Startup?

Tech Stack

Jan 2, 20269 min read

Nx vs Turborepo: Which Monorepo Tool for Your Startup?

A practical comparison of Nx and Turborepo for startup founders managing monorepos, with recommendations based on team size and project complexity.

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Neon vs PlanetScale: Serverless Database for Your Startup

Tech Stack

Dec 31, 20259 min read

Neon vs PlanetScale: Serverless Database for Your Startup

A practical comparison of Neon and PlanetScale for startup founders choosing a serverless database, with clear recommendations based on workload and budget.

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