Building a CRM that solo consultants actually use (and why I’m ignoring the giants)

Hey everyone, I’m Meezan.

For the last few weeks, I’ve been heads-down building Relix.

The Problem:

I noticed a recurring theme among solo business consultants: They are either drowning in the complexity of HubSpot/Salesforce or losing deals in the "messy middle" of a spreadsheet.

Most CRMs are built for teams. But when you’re a solo founder, you don't need "enterprise reporting." You need to know who to email back before you lose the lead.

The Solution (Relix): I decided to build a "Lead Follow-up Tool" instead of a full-blown CRM.

• The Inbox: Only shows lead emails.

• The Drawer: Send emails and take notes without leaving the view.

• The Pipeline: A dead-simple Kanban board for flow.

The Tech Stack:

• Next.js (App Router)

• NeonDB for the data layer

• NextAuth + Google OAuth for Gmail integration

• Server Actions for a snappy, secure UX

Where I’m at:

It’s in a "raw" MVP state. I haven't even integrated payments yet because I’m obsessed with getting the workflow right first. I’m currently navigating the Google API verification maze (which is its own circle of hell).

I’d love your feedback on two things:

Is "Inbox-first" the right approach for a solo CRM?

For those who've integrated Gmail via OAuth, any tips for speeding up the Google Cloud verification process?

Check it out here: [Link to Relix/Demo]

Building in public is scary, but the feedback so far has been fuel. Let's talk in the comments!