The Breaking Point
I tried using HubSpot as a solo founder. Closed it in 10 minutes.
It was too complex, too expensive, and fundamentally not built for people like us. Most tools aren't made for indie founders; they're made to maximize enterprise pricing rather than usability.
So, I flipped the script and built my own.
🚀 Introducing Kerno
Kerno is a CRM built explicitly for indie SaaS founders. And I didn’t just build a fragile MVP—I built a full production-grade system in exactly 5 days.
Here is what I prioritized to make it actually useful for a solo builder:
- 📊 A clean dashboard: MRR, leads, and churn risk—everything in one place without the clutter.
- 🤖 Churn OS: An integrated AI system that predicts exactly which users are at risk of leaving.
- 📈 Real-time analytics: Actual growth tracking instead of just vanity metrics.
- ✉️ Built-in email sequences: No need to tape together external marketing tools.
- 💳 Razorpay subscriptions: Native payment integration so you aren't constantly juggling services.
No clutter. No enterprise nonsense. Just what a builder actually needs.
⚡ The Tech Stack
I built this entirely solo leveraging modern web architecture: Next.js 14 + Supabase (RLS multi-tenancy) + Resend + Vercel
🎥 Go Deeper
I recorded a full YouTube breakdown of Kerno covering how it works, my architecture decisions, mistakes made, and everything in between. It's not a “guru” video—just real building.
👉 Pricing Model Iteration: We structured it fairly: Free • Pro (₹1,599/mo) • Agency (₹3,999/mo). But right now, it’s completely FREE. If you’re building a SaaS, this might genuinely save you weeks of headaches.
If you like this system or want to follow my journey building software, connect with me and let's chat on LinkedIn!