Rails is still the best tool for building an online business.

The more I use JS (React, TS, etc.) the more I realize that.

The funny thing about AI is realizing how easy it is to mimic our (so-called) intelligence.

Are we really that smart? Or are we just good at pattern recognition?

The hard thing about talking to people is realizing that everyone thinks he's right, even though that's rarely the case.

The second hardest is realizing you might not be right either.

Looking to build an AI sales agent with Rails? I've got a new video up that shows you how.

youtu.be/iszd0lCaYEw

I send most of my support questions on the weekend. That's when I have time to shop.

And if a company answers, on the weekend, they've got me as a client. That's how impressed I am.

AI makes support run on autopilot. Support agents can automate that for tou.

The #1 lesson I've learned about running a business is lead generation keeps the lights on.

I made an AI generator that's helps me brainstorm lead magnet ideas.

Link in profile if you want it.

Value is subjective, so it's almost impossible to come up with good product ideas unless you're building products for yourself.

The alternative is to talk to people. Which is also the hardest.

The problem with MVPs (minimum viable products) is people tend to underestimate what the table stakes are.

Making useful stuff is about helping people, not about features and buzzwords.

There's no better feeling than making something yourself, no matter how small.

If you're thinking about how much 💰 you'll save switching from something like Heroku to Kamal, think again.

Lost a whole day with stupid errors that lack documentation.

You can't run a business without leads.

3 questions to get you started:

1. Does your product solve a painful problem?
2. Are you reaching your ideal buyer?
3. Is your product the best option for them?

If you answered "yes" to all, you're on the right track.

The best thing you can do if you're looking for business ideas is to turn your ad blocker off.

Do we love the work? Or the tools?

It's hard to choose.

I'm having a hard time admitting this, but I think it's the tools more than the work. Or at least it started out that way.

And it's probably why many developers love Ruby on Rails so much. It makes the (tedious) work much more enjoyable.

For years, the big advantage of Rails was you can pretty much replace an entire dev team with just one.

But now, AI agents can replace (a significant chunk) of your marketing team.

Rails + AI = Unfair advantage for SaaS startups.

3 reasons I still prefer Ruby on Rails for building new SaaS products in 2025.

1. Speed to market (ship fast and fail fast)
2. Cost efficiency (batteries included)
3. My 16 years worth of experience (unfair advantage)

What's your favorite framework for building SaaS products in 2025, and why?

Being able to understand why you're building something, and who's it for, will 10x your value and productivity.

The more I learn about building businesses the more I realize how important non-technical skills are (e.g., marketing, sales, etc.)

10 years from now, writing code without the help of an AI assistant will sound ridiculous.

Shipping to your own VPS may seem cost-effective, but spending hours debugging something that should have "just worked" can quickly outweigh the cost of a done-for-you option.