It started on a warm Saturday afternoon, as I prepared for a workshop about using no-code tools.

Nothing new - I’d done similar training sessions before. But I figured I’d run through the workflow again, this time with a real problem to solve.

I thought back to the past few months of being on sabbatical. One recurring question kept popping up:

“How are you spending your break?”

People were curious about how I was setting goals, managing time, and staying intentional - without spiraling into endless hours of Netflix or doom-scrolling.

I figured, why not share the core of my current process? It mostly lived on a self-managed spreadsheet in any case.


Starting the Process

So I fired up ChatGPT.

I gave it a rough idea of what I wanted to build, and asked it to help me craft a more detailed prompt.

[Pro-tip: There are various "Prompt to Prompt" CustomGPTs that you can use for this]

I dropped the detailed prompt into Google AI Studio’s App Builder, which generated a pretty decent first cut in under 5 minutes.

After spending 30 more minutes "chatting" with Google AI Studio to tweak the UI, I was fairly satisfied with what I had.

Then I downloaded the code to work on it locally.

(Side note: While I’ve used tools like Lovable, Replit, and v0 - Google is my current go-to for jumpstarting a build.)

With the files in hand, I switched over to Cursor to continue work.

In my head, this was going to take maybe… Monday?

Oh was I wrong.

That’s when the real build began.


The Journey Begins

Over the next 9 to 10 days (in between other projects), I ended up touching nearly every part of the product stack:

🛠 Frontend / Backend

  • Refactored the codebase to cleanly separate frontend from backend.
  • Built a proper landing page instead of just an onboarding screen.
  • Added Clerk for authentication (though Supabase Auth would've worked too).
  • Hooked in Google Analytics for tracking, and Promptfoo to evaluate AI responses.
  • Wired up Supabase for the database and user records (this took up the bulk of my time, in terms of figuring out RLS policies, etc).

Troubleshooting Supabase-related errors

🧠 Core Logic

  • Re-architected every component like the Goal Setter and Planner.
  • Added input validation and LLM guardrails to improve reliability.
  • Created a persistent user profile system to store progress and preferences.

Earlier version of the Goal Setter module.

🎨 Design

  • Asked Cursor to check the design language for consistency (left to its own devices, the AI can give vastly different styles for buttons, saving/editing/deleting entries, etc)
  • Tweaked the layout to be fully responsive and mobile-friendly.
  • Used ChatGPT to rework the seedling icon (it's meant to be subtly anthropomorphic).

🔐Testing & Security

Before launch, I added:

  • Unit tests for the core logic and key user flows (especially around goal creation and journaling).
  • Manual testing across devices and screen sizes (I was QA, QA lead, and bug reporter).
  • A lightweight security audit - focusing on API exposure, auth scopes, and database policies.

🚀 DevOps

  • Bought the domain on GoDaddy and transferred the nameservers to Google Cloud.
  • Set up a light-weight CI/CD pipeline and deployed to Google Cloud Run.
  • Ran into issues with AI responses and had to roll back.
  • Fixed the LLM pipeline, re-deployed, and tested again.

📣 GTM & Feedback

  • Soft-launched in Open Beta with a few friendly testers.
  • Took in their feedback and made quick improvements.
  • Experimented with affiliate links - just to test if it could be self-sustaining.

💡 Post-Launch Iteration

After launch, I continued making updates:

  • Added PWA support so users could “install” it like an app on their phone.
  • Built a Self-Reflection module for folks not quite ready to set goals.
  • Wrote clearer instructions and guideposts throughout the app.
  • Clarified data policies and added controls for users to manage their info.
  • Set up a user feedback board for ideas, bugs, and future feature requests.

So… What is BreakBuddy?

BreakBuddy is a simple, focused web app for people on a sabbatical - or about to go on one.

It helps you set goals, plan your time, and check in regularly… without pressure.

It’s built on the same frameworks I’ve used myself - just digitized and supported with a dose of AI.


What I’ve Learned Along the Way

  • No-code (currently) gets you so far. There’s still a learning curve when turning a prototype into a working, scalable app.
  • CI/CD is still clunky for solo builders. I’d like to smoothen my own process.
  • Security needs to be intentional from the start. (Yes, I've accidentally committed .env files with API keys before. Fixed quickly, but lesson learned..)
  • A product is always a work in progress. I still haven’t cracked the “wow” moment for BreakBuddy - but I aim to get closer with each iteration.

This was one of the most satisfying “accidental builds” I’ve done.

A workshop demo turned into a real product - something I now use regularly, and something others are starting to use too.

For me, there is joy in solving problems with the tools that you've built.