JustRightCRM – A CRM We Built … For Fun!
UPDATE: Mad Cow originally launched the JustRightCRM app (in beta) in April 2023. We’ve tested things out and had a lot of fun, but we officially wrapped the CRM in March 2024.
Even though the app is no longer available, the lessons we learned during its development are still gold. Be sure to check out our two Laravel blog posts to see under the CRM hood!
Over the last six months (second half of 2022), I’ve spent a good chunk of time working on an update to my WooCommerce plugin.
Professionally, I learned a lot during this process. Personally, I realized that I really, really enjoy building things with code.
When we’re building a website, a lot of our time is spent inside of page builders and customizing CSS.
Building the plugin, however, was 100% code focused, and I was truly in my happy place.
So I decided to move forward with another passion project of mine: building a CRM (customer relationship manager) web app from scratch.
A CRM that’s “just right”
For a number of years, I’d been (very casually) searching for a super simple CRM for solopreneurs.
All I really need wanted was:
- the list of all my clients with their contact information
- a way to make notes to track the conversations we’ve had
- reminders for any to-dos that I want to be (you guessed it) reminded about
Finding a CRM web app that offers that level of simplicity, apparently, is a bit too much (or too little!) to ask.
Sure, there are dozens of options out there, probably hundreds. But none really fit with what I wanted.
Even the ones that boasted about “how simple they are” were still so complex. All of them wanted to set up sales cycles, project management, automatic engagement, etc.. None of which I wanted—or needed.
It was the Goldilocks problem: The available CRMs were either too big or too small. What I needed was something in the middle—something “just right.”
So I got to work.
Introducing: JustRightCRM (now in beta!)
Fast forward a few months, and JustRightCRM is here (almost)!
Built in Laravel, this wee web app is exactly what I’ve been looking for:
- client contact info
- client details
- domain details (especially for devs)
- generous notes section
- to-do list (with reminders!)
It’s simple, easy to use, and keeps me organized when it comes to managing client relationships.
Want to check things out early? Join our beta crew!
The JustRightCRM web app hasn’t officially launched yet (we’re hoping within the next year), but a small group of udderly awesome friends and colleagues are testing things out for us.
✨ If you haven’t joined the beta crew yet, consider this your official invitation! ✨
Here’s how to join Team Beta:
- Sign up at JustRightCRM.io and start using it to your heart’s content. (You’ll automatically get a free 30-day trial.)
- Share any feedback or ideas with me along the way.
And if you need some help getting started, check out our short training video.
While JustRightCRM is in beta, I’ll be sharing short stories and videos about how the app was created in Mad Cow’s monthly newsletter. (If you’re not a part of the newsletter herd yet, you can sign up here!)
And if you don’t have time to join our beta team, no prob, Bob! We’d still love to hear your thoughts on CRMs in general and what would be helpful to you.
Want to see under the CRM hood?
