SaaS Toolkit
Diagrams | Matrices | Thinkers
Develop a playbook to replicate and integrate to control your own system of record to maximize leverage and operational efficiency.
Systems that don't talk to each other are a multi-trillion dollar waste to the global economy. What functions and features are essential for running your business with optimum effectiveness?
See business growth workbook for detailed analysis.
Business Growth
Software for exploring ideas for driving business growth
- gummysearch
- treendly
- glimpse
- producthunt
- angellist
Business Operations
| Business Function | Notable Products | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | Salesforce | Build closer real world connections |
| Marketing | Hubspot | Automated storytelling |
| Human Resources | Workday, Deel | Deterministic |
| Software Development | Cursor, Windsurf | Every business is a software business |
Vertical SaaS
VSaaS refers to software solutions tailored to specific industries and verticals.
Analysis Meta
- JTBD: Understanding of the JTBD and desired outcomes
- AI Agent: Best AI Agent for JTBD
- Agent Platform: Agent Architecture
- DePIN: Decentralized Business Rails Potential/Impact
- Open Source: Best Open Source solution
Procurement Protocol
Steps to follow when evaluating where to Buy or Build your competitive advantage.
- Understand the job to be done
- Form a selection team
- Identify problems
- Map the flow of value (Actual vs Desired)
- Required performance outcomes
- Create a Decision Checklist / Request For Proposal (RFP)
- Search/Demo for Vendor Solutions
- Research Reference Checks
- Model Cost of ownership
- Negotiate
Compare the following vendor analysis checklist against the ease of building an integrated stack with AI Coding Tools
AI will make SaaS a utility, pricing models are in a race for the bottom.
| Checklist | Importance (weight) A | Fit (rating) B | Combined Score C = A x B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required Functionality Match | |||
| AI Workflow Integration | |||
| Pricing Terms and Conditions | |||
| Data Security & Privacy Compliance | |||
| Systems Data Integration | |||
| Data Access for Analysis and Custom AI Training | |||
| Data Onboarding Migration | |||
| Data Backup and Recovery | |||
| User Experience Complexity | |||
| Customization | |||
| Availability/Uptime | |||
| System response time | |||
| Accountability for QoS | |||
| Responsiveness to support requests | |||
| Responsiveness to enhancement requests | |||
| User community and network effects | |||
| Unnecessary Functionality |
Product Directories
Curated lists of tools. See which apps are used to research, design, code, support, gather feedback and market the products you use.
- App Sumo
- Capterra
- Product Hunt
- Tiny Wow (Online tools)
Open Source Products
Open Source business tools you don't need to pay subscription fees to run.
| Project | JTBD |
|---|---|
| Appflowy | |
| Cal.com | Scheduling infrastructure for absolutely everyone |
| Coolify | |
| Dokku | |
| ERPNext | |
| Instant | |
| Jitsi | |
| LibreOffice | |
| Mattermost | |
| Nocodb | Open Source Airtable Alternative |
| Plane | Open Source JIRA, Linear, Monday, and Asana Alternative |
Awesome GitHub Repos:
AI Product Directories
- AI Tools Club
- AI Tools Database
- Companies Tools
- Future Tools
- G2
- Tools For Humans
- Top AI Tools
- The Rundown AI
Onchain Dapps
Best products that leverage DePIN tech and crypto incentives.
See Crypto Toolkit for more detailed analysis.
Context
Related Ideas
- AI Coding
- Agent Development
- Product Development
- Platform Engineering
- DePIN Tech
- Business Operations
- Operations as a Service