The Problem: Breeders Needed a CRM That Nobody Had Built
There are over 200,000 animal breeders in Poland — dogs, cats, horses, cattle, rabbits, poultry. Every one of them maintains documentation: pedigrees, vaccinations, shows, breedings, litters. Most do it in Excel, paper notebooks, or Facebook groups.
Existing solutions? Outdated desktop programs from the 2000s. Nothing mobile, nothing cloud-based, nothing that integrates with breeding registries. A market gap the size of a bus.
This was the perfect MVP candidate — clear problem, large niche, zero modern competition.
The Decision: Build in 9 Days, Not 9 Months
The standard approach would look like this: requirements analysis (4 weeks), UX research (3 weeks), design (4 weeks), development (8-12 weeks), QA (2 weeks). Total: 5-7 months and $40-60K.
My approach was different. Instead of guessing what breeders need, I decided to build the core product in 9 days and let the market tell me what's next. I used the MVP Sprint model — the same one I offer to clients.
Timeline: Day by Day
Day 1: Research and Architecture
- 4 conversations with breeders (20 min each) — understanding core workflow
- Analysis of existing solutions (5 desktop programs, 2 mobile apps)
- Database schema design (PostgreSQL via Supabase)
- Stack decision: Next.js 14 + Supabase + Vercel
Day 2: Foundation
- Project setup (Next.js + Supabase + Tailwind + shadcn/ui)
- Authentication (email + social login via Supabase Auth)
- Basic layout: sidebar, dashboard, routing
- CRUD for animals: add, edit, list, details
Day 3-4: Core Features
- Pedigree module — family tree with visualization
- Health module — vaccinations, tests, treatments with reminders
- Breeding module — matings, pregnancies, litters, offspring
- Photo upload with compression (WebP) and gallery
Day 5-6: Integrations and UX
- Reminder system (email via Resend)
- PDF export — animal card, printable pedigree
- Search and filters
- Mobile responsiveness (priority — breeders use phones in the barn/kennel)
Day 7-8: Polish and Testing
- UX fixes based on self-testing
- Performance optimization (lazy loading, image optimization)
- SEO basics: meta tags, sitemap, robots.txt
- Monitoring: Sentry (errors) + analytics
Day 9: Launch
- Production deploy (Vercel)
- Post in 3 breeder Facebook groups
- Short demo video on YouTube (5 min)
- Result: deployed and open for anyone to try
Tech Stack — Why These Choices?
Next.js 14 (App Router)
Why: Server Components = fast loading. App Router = clean routing. React ecosystem = huge community. SSR + ISR = SEO out of the box.
Supabase (PostgreSQL + Auth + Storage)
Why: PostgreSQL is the database that never fails. Supabase adds: Auth (zero code for authentication), Storage (file uploads), Realtime (live updates). Free tier covers 50K users.
Vercel
Why: Zero DevOps. Push to git = deploy. Edge CDN = speed. Free tier was enough for launch.
Claude Code (AI Pair-Programmer)
Why: This was the key productivity multiplier. Claude Code generated ~60% of boilerplate code, wrote tests, created database migrations. I focused on architecture and business logic. Result: 1 person's productivity = output of a 3-person team.
The outcome: a working MVP in 9 days
The outcome is a working MVP live at stadomat.pl — with authentication and the core modules. At this stage Stadomat is a concept: it's deployed and testable, but it doesn't yet have real users or usage data. The next step is putting it in front of the market.
What got shipped in 9 days:
- Working modules: animals, pedigrees, health, breeding
- Deployed to production (Vercel) with auth and photo upload
- Responsive interface designed for mobile use
- Low infrastructure costs (Vercel + Supabase on free/pro plans)
Build cost:
- Development: 9 days of work by one person
- Infrastructure: minimal (cloud services on free tiers at launch)
- Marketing: $0 — only posts in community groups
Lessons Learned
1. Less = More
I cut 70% of features from the initial list. Core: animal management, pedigrees, health. Everything else (shows, breeding marketplace, registry integration) — waited for feedback.
2. Mobile First Is Not a Slogan
Breeders work in the field — in the barn, at shows, at the vet. That's why I designed for mobile from day one; in this audience the product simply wouldn't make sense otherwise.
3. Community = Distribution
The distribution plan is built on breeder communities — active groups and word of mouth instead of paid ads. In such a specialized niche, that's a real advantage.
4. AI-Assisted Development Is a Game Changer
Without Claude Code, the same product would have taken 3-4 weeks. AI didn't replace architectural thinking, but it eliminated 80% of repetitive coding.
What's Next? Product Development
Based on conversations with breeders and product priorities, the next steps are:
- Breeding marketplace — animal sale listings (most requested feature)
- Registry integration — automatic data import from breeding organizations
- Mobile app — PWA works OK, but native app = better UX
- Admin panel — user management, moderation, analytics
I plan to develop Stadomat further using the Builder as a Service model — steady, predictable development.
FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see Stadomat live?
Yes — stadomat.pl. It's a working MVP, so you can test all features live (registration is free).
Why Next.js and not React Native / Flutter?
For an MVP, a web app is faster to build, easier to iterate on, and doesn't require App Store review. PWA gives 90% of the native app experience. Native apps make sense after validation — not before.
Is 9 days a realistic timeline for any MVP?
For a product of comparable complexity (CRUD + auth + several modules) — yes. Key factors: experienced developer + AI tools + ruthless feature prioritization. More complex projects (marketplace with payments, real-time chat) take 14-21 days.
How much would a software house charge for the same thing?
Based on quotes I collected: $30,000 - $50,000 and 4-6 months. That's 10-15x more expensive and 15-20x slower. And the end result? Probably worse, because without close contact with the problem during the build.
Does Stadomat generate revenue?
Not yet. The planned model is freemium (a free plan up to 10 animals + a Pro plan with no limits), but at this stage Stadomat is a concept — it's about validating the idea, not revenue.
Want Similar Results?
Stadomat shows that 9 days and the right tech stack are enough to build a working SaaS MVP. You don't need a 5-person team. You don't need 6 months. You need a clearly defined problem and someone who knows how to solve it fast.
Have a project idea? Let's talk for 20 minutes — I'll tell you how I'd approach your case and how long it would take. No obligations.
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