October 22, 2024
Omnistack to Ostack: My Journey and Lessons Learned
When I first ventured into freelance development, I never imagined it would one day lead me to launch a SaaS platform. What began as a way to gain freedom and sharpen my skills has evolved into a platform that now helps small businesses and developers streamline their operations.
This article chronicles my journey from the founding of Omnistack to the launch of Ostack—a journey marked by innovation, learning, and adaptation. As I share my experiences, I hope to provide insights that can inspire and assist fellow entrepreneurs on their own paths.
The Early Days: Freelancing and the Birth of an Idea
I started as a freelance developer, much like many others in the industry. Working on different projects allowed me to gain exposure to a wide variety of technologies, coding styles, and industries. But the freelance life had its limits. No matter how skilled you were, you could only scale your income to a certain extent before burning out from the cycle of client work. While freelancing helped me sharpen my skills, I began to think about ways to leverage them for a larger, more scalable impact.
As I worked on various backend systems for clients, I saw a common need: businesses were looking for efficient backend solutions that were scalable but didn’t want to build everything from scratch. This realization planted the seed for what would eventually become Omnistack.
2016: The Omnistack Era
In 2016, I transitioned from full-time freelance work to build Omnistack—a backend-as-a-service (BaaS) and ERP platform. The goal was to help businesses automate and manage their backend operations without having to build the infrastructure themselves. Omnistack started as a beta platform, attracting a few early adopters. These were businesses that needed customized, scalable backends for their apps, but we always kept our customer base small, allowing us to deeply focus on their needs.
For several years, Omnistack operated in beta mode. It was an invaluable time that allowed me to refine the platform and test new ideas, all while receiving direct feedback from our small but dedicated user base. We continued iterating and learning, gradually expanding Omnistack’s capabilities as an ERP platform for larger enterprises.
2024: The Launch of Ostack
After nearly eight years of building and refining Omnistack, I realized that the needs of small businesses were different from our enterprise clients. They needed a solution that was simpler, faster, and more tailored to their needs—specifically in areas like no-code website building, e-commerce, and CRM functionalities. This is how Ostack was born.
Ostack is a simplified version of Omnistack, built specifically for small businesses, solopreneurs, and developers who need powerful backend services but without the complexity of an enterprise-level ERP system. With Ostack, we aim to make it easier for small businesses to create websites, manage customer relationships, and set up e-commerce stores—all without requiring extensive technical knowledge.
Launching Ostack marked a significant shift from our early days of working with a small handful of enterprise clients. Now, our focus has expanded to include helping smaller businesses compete and grow using accessible, no-code tools.
The decision to launch Ostack was not just about simplifying our offerings; it was a pivotal moment that reflected our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of small businesses.
Lessons Learned Along the Way
The transition from freelance developer to SaaS founder has been filled with valuable lessons that have shaped both Omnistack and Ostack.
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Take Your Time to Validate Your Idea
Omnistack’s years in beta mode gave us time to refine the platform, gather customer feedback, and make strategic adjustments. It’s tempting to rush into launching a product, but taking the time to validate your idea and ensure product-market fit is crucial, especially for something as complex as a SaaS offering. -
Know When to Pivot
While Omnistack catered well to larger enterprises, the emergence of Ostack highlights the importance of embracing transformation to better serve new market segments. Understanding when to innovate or pivot can position you ahead of the competition. -
Listen to Your Users
Customer feedback has been instrumental in the growth of both Omnistack and Ostack. Listening to our early users and making improvements based on their needs helped us shape the platforms into what they are today. This ongoing conversation with users ensures that we’re not just building software, but solutions that solve real problems. -
Build for Scalability
In the SaaS world, scalability is everything. Ostack was built with the intention of allowing small businesses to grow and scale their operations without having to constantly switch platforms. Offering modular tools that can grow with businesses is a cornerstone of our strategy. -
Patience is Key
Success in SaaS doesn’t happen overnight. Omnistack spent years in beta, and we took the time to build it right before moving forward with the launch of Ostack. The journey from freelancing to SaaS founder has taught me the value of patience and long-term vision. Progress might be slow at times, but consistent effort leads to results.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Ostack
With the launch of Ostack, we’re entering a new phase where small businesses and developers can easily build websites, manage their e-commerce operations, and stay on top of customer relationships—all without needing to write a single line of code. The future is bright, and we’re excited to see how Ostack can empower small businesses to compete in an increasingly digital world.
As we continue to evolve, Omnistack will remain our enterprise-level solution for larger organizations with more complex needs, while Ostack will serve the growing market of small businesses and solopreneurs. My journey from freelance developer to SaaS founder has been one of constant learning and adaptation, and I’m eager to see where this path leads next.
