The Tech Stack I'd Build If I Were Starting Over Today
If I were launching a new agency or content business from zero today, the stack would look very different from what I built five years ago. Here's exactly what I'd choose and why.
Every few years the right answer to 'what tech stack should I use?' changes significantly. The tools that were best-in-class five years ago are often either obsolete, bloated, or have been leapfrogged. If I were building a new agency or content-driven business from scratch today, here's exactly what I'd choose — and more importantly, why.
The Principles First
Before the specific tools: I'd optimize for three things. First, API access — every tool in the stack needs to be automatable. If I can't connect it to Make or access it programmatically, it doesn't make the cut. Second, data ownership — I want my content, contacts, and operational data in systems I control, not locked in proprietary platforms. Third, compounding — I'd prioritize tools that become more valuable over time as data accumulates, rather than tools that just do a job.
The Stack
Content: Next.js + Sanity. The headless CMS model means my content is always portable, always API-accessible, and always structured. Sanity's GROQ query language is powerful and the content model flexibility is unmatched. Operations: ClickUp for project management and workflow orchestration. Make for automation. Notion for internal knowledge base. AI: Claude as primary LLM, Cursor for any code work, Perplexity for research. Analytics: GA4 for traffic, PostHog for product analytics. Communications: Beehiiv for newsletter (owns the list, excellent deliverability).
The total monthly cost for this stack at launch scale is under $500/month. The total monthly cost of the equivalent stack five years ago — with less capability — was probably 3x that. The tools have gotten dramatically better and dramatically cheaper simultaneously. There's never been a better time to build lean.