Founder Software — Custom Built for SaaS MVP

I'm PJ, in Encinitas. I build custom software for SaaS founders who need an MVP shipped fast — without an agency, a bloated team, or six months of "discovery."

Quick answer — what most SaaS founders actually need:

An MVP that works, ships in weeks not quarters, and doesn't need a rewrite at Series A
One person who codes the thing and talks to you directly — no PM layer, no handoffs
A stack you can hire against later (not some framework nobody's heard of)
Honest answers about what to build vs. what to fake with Zapier until validated

Questions founders actually ask me

How fast can you actually ship an MVP?

Depends on scope, but real answer: 4–10 weeks for something paying customers can use. If someone tells you 2 weeks they're lying or they're building a landing page. If someone tells you 6 months they're an agency. Text me your scope and I'll tell you straight.

Should I build it myself with Cursor/Claude or hire someone?

Build it yourself if you can code and you're still figuring out the idea. Hire me when you know what you're building but shipping yourself is blocking you from selling. The goal is revenue, not code.

What stack do you use?

Boring, hireable stacks. Usually Next.js + Postgres + Stripe, deployed on Vercel or Railway. Supabase or Clerk for auth. I pick based on what you can hand off to a full-time hire in 18 months — not what's trending on Hacker News.

Do you take equity?

Rarely. I'd rather charge you a fair rate, ship the thing, and stay out of your cap table. If you're pre-revenue and the idea is genuinely interesting we can talk hybrid.

What if I just need a technical co-founder opinion?

Text me. If it's a 10-minute question I'll just answer it. No consultation fee, no calendar link, no "let's hop on a call." That's literally how I get work.

Are you local? Do you meet in person?

Yes. I'm in Encinitas, work with founders from Solana Beach to Carlsbad to downtown SD. Happy to grab coffee if you're nearby. Most work happens async though.

Things I'd tell a founder over coffee

Ship before you're ready

Your first 10 users won't care that your admin panel is a Retool dashboard. They'll care that the core thing works. Cut everything that isn't the core thing.

Stripe first, features later

Wire up payments on day one even if the product is half-broken. The act of taking money changes how you build everything else.

Don't hire a CTO yet

If you haven't validated, a CTO is overhead. Bring in a contractor (me or someone like me) who ships and leaves. Hire the CTO when you have ARR to protect.

Pick boring tech

Postgres. Next.js. Stripe. Every hour you spend debugging a trendy framework is an hour you're not talking to customers. Boring scales.

Fake it with no-code first

Before I write a line of code, ask yourself if Airtable + Zapier + a Typeform gets you to 10 paying customers. If yes, do that. Come back when it breaks.

Own your domain and your code

Whoever builds your MVP — make sure repos, domains, and infra are in your accounts. Not theirs. I've seen founders locked out of their own product.

Founder Software — Custom Built for SaaS MVPs (North County San Diego)