Tool Selection Philosophy: build-and-connect with AI over buy-SaaS¶

Justin's standing principle (articulated 2026-06-09) for evaluating ANY new tool. Apply this to every "what should we bring in / what do we replace" decision.

The reframe¶

SaaS products bundle three things: (1) a core capability, (2) a polished UI, (3) integration plumbing. AI now collapses #2 and #3 to near-zero (it generates UI/HTML/code and reaches any API/CLI/MCP). So: keep paying for proprietary engines/networks you can't replicate; stop paying for UI + plumbing AI can generate. Forge = persistent connective tissue. Claude = glue + intelligence. Open tools = the organs. Examples already in motion: Rocket Money → forge build (SimpleFIN + AI); QuickBooks → ERPNext (open engine + AI natural-language books).

Decision rubric¶

Build / connect with AI when: - Reachable programmatically (API / CLI / MCP) and ideally open-source / self-hostable (own it, no per-seat tax, data is yours, no lock-in). - Its value is a capability (send, store, compute), not a proprietary network. - The "hard part" it sells is now AI-doable: design, copywriting, integration glue, segmentation, analysis.

Buy the SaaS when: - The value is a network or data you can't replicate (bank-aggregation connections, deliverability reputation pools, marketplaces). - Compliance / liability wants a vendor on the hook (payroll taxes, accounting attestation). - DIY maintenance burden exceeds the subscription and the SaaS is cheap.

The build spectrum (pick per appetite for build+maintain)¶

Pure SaaS — buy the whole thing (works today, zero build).
AI on cheap SaaS — a cheap/open engine (Mautic, Omnisend) does send/templating; AI generates content/products/flows/segments via API. Pragmatic middle.
Pure AI build — forge DB + the source API (e.g. Shopify) + SES + AI. Max ownership, a real project.

Rule of thumb: build the things that are reusable across all brands and connected to your data; buy the commodity-reliable or liability-bearing things.

Worked example: Klaviyo ($70/mo)¶

What Justin values ("click a product, drop a Shop Now button") is a Shopify API call, not a Klaviyo capability. AI-native version: Shopify Admin API (product data) + AI-generated responsive HTML (describe instead of drag-drop) + Shopify webhooks for flows + SES to send + open/click tracking summarized by AI. ~$1/mo, more customizable, connected to the rest of forge. Cost = build+maintain time only.

Verdicts on the current stack¶

Rocket Money → build · QuickBooks → ERPNext · Klaviyo/Mailchimp → build/connect · Notion → keep + AI-connect · Home Assistant → keep (open) · Gusto → buy (payroll tax liability).

[Claude Code, 2026-06-09]