Why I Built My Own CRM

While running outreach campaigns for both job search and product testing, I realized I needed something better than spreadsheets or off-the-shelf tools to track conversations, engagement, and follow-ups. So I built a lightweight, Django-based CRM designed for outreach where learning matters more than sales.

What It Does

• Tracks contacts across multiple campaigns (e.g. Career Outreach, ResearchStudies)
• Monitors opens, replies, and follow-up sequences
• Visualizes performance by tier, campaign, and round
• Links engagement to outcomes like interviews or feedback

What I Learned

• Tier 2 firms responded more than Tier 1 — until I rewrote the engine
• More casual subject lines often got better results
• Open tracking is useful, but imperfect
• Follow-ups are essential, but timing matters
• You can't improve what you can't see

What's Next

I didn’t build this as a product — just a tool I needed. But if you're running outreach campaigns for finance, research, or recruiting and you'd like something focused, flexible, and private, feel free to reach out. I’m open to sharing, collaborating, or learning what you need.