The Figue journal / Blog

Real experience for your next project

Build a product, choose your team and improve your tech. Our methods and first-hand lessons to help you make informed decisions.

A scale balances project modules against an orange geometric core.
AI
10 min

“With AI, I can finally afford my dream project”: what really changed about the price of an app

A quote that killed a project five years ago no longer describes what building costs. What AI actually made cheaper, what it did not, and the real 2026 budget.

Two halves of an arch joined by an orange keystone.
Strategy
9 min

Vendor or partner: how to choose who builds your software

Every vendor says the same thing. What separates a partner from a mere executor is the incentive. Seven questions and a few signals to tell them apart.

Three custom trays connected by an orange channel.
Building
10 min

Having your first business software built when you are not technical

You know your trade, not software. Here are the reference points a non-technical owner lacks: your real edge, the three traps, and how to de-risk before coding.

A minimal orange pavilion beside its more developed version.
Building
10 min

Your spec describes a V1, not an MVP: how to scope it right

Most specs describe a V1, not an MVP. Here is a method to reread your own document and separate what produces proof from what only produces comfort.

An orange prototype with its plans and a finished model.
Product studio
11 min

What is a product studio? Definition, model and pricing

Product studio: the word is everywhere, the definition nowhere. Here is what the model really covers, how it works, what it costs and who it fits.

An orange app tile in front of two publishing gateways.
Stores and publishing
8 min

Publishing your app to the App Store and Play Store

Your developer accounts exist and your build runs: here is how to submit your app to the App Store and Play Store, step by step, without getting rejected.

An orange core integrated at the center of three business workflows.
AI
8 min

How to integrate AI into your business: a practical, honest guide

Everyone tells you to do AI, without saying where or for what gain. Here is where AI truly creates value in a small business, concrete use cases, custom vs no-code, costs, ROI and the mistakes to avoid.

An orange pointer guides several models on a circular platform.
Tech leadership
9 min

Fractional CTO: what it is, when to bring one in, and how to choose

A product taking off, a small team, and no one to arbitrate the technical choices that will shape the next five years. A fractional CTO fills that gap without the cost of a full-time hire. When to bring one in, what they really do, how much it costs.

An orange route passes through several stages toward a product.
Go-to-market
9 min

SaaS go-to-market plan: the first 8 weeks to win your first customers

A clean product that will not sell is almost always a go-to-market problem, not a tech one. Here is a concrete 8 week plan: positioning, channels, pricing, growth loop. Founder to founder.

Modular blocks beside a custom-fitted orange piece.
Building
9 min

No-code or custom: how to choose when launching your first product

No-code to move fast, or custom to do it right? The real question is not the camp, it is the moment. Here is the grid to decide when you already have an audience or traction.

An orange bridge connects two modules of an architectural model.
Collaboration
8 min

Tech as a Service: senior engineering reinforcement to ship 3x faster

You have a technical team but a velocity bottleneck? Plug-and-play senior reinforcement lets you hit deadlines without hiring. Here is how, and when to use it.

Three sculptures illustrate an idea growing into a network.
Case Study
10 min

ReactIn: from side project to full LinkedIn outreach tool

How an internal LinkedIn prospecting tool became a $6K MRR bootstrapped SaaS, with zero paid advertising or fundraising.

A selection of geometric tools organized in an ivory tray.
Tools and Stack
10 min

Our best SaaS tools (and how we actually use them)

The complete stack of a product studio building SaaS products: dev, design, growth and ops. Real tools, real costs, real lessons after 3 years.

Separate workstations beside an integrated circular workshop.
Strategy
8 min

Product studio vs traditional agency: why it changes everything

Agencies optimise for volume. Product studios optimise for outcomes. Here's why that makes all the difference for your project.

Your next project

Turn your idea into a product

An agreed scope, a fixed price and a team to build your tool, SaaS or application.

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Your monthly tech team

Keep your product moving

A team of developers and designers to maintain, improve and automate your tech, month by month.

Explore the tech subscription

Common questions

Where should I start with a tech project?

Start with the problem to solve and the scope of the first release. Our articles on business software, MVPs and choosing a partner help you prepare that scope. Our Project offer presents the formats we build for a fixed price.

How does a project differ from a tech subscription?

A project builds an agreed scope for a fixed price. A subscription maintains and improves your tech month by month with a team of developers and designers. The right choice depends on what you need today.

Why share your own product experiences?

We also build our own tools and SaaS products. These first-hand accounts show the decisions, constraints and lessons that inform our work on client projects.