Is vibe coding a bubble or skill Issue? Tactics to actually ship usable products
There’s a whole narrative right now that “vibe coding is a bubble” and all the MRR from AI-built apps isn’t real.In this episode, we chat with Jacob Klug, founder of the agency Creme, which specializes in building lovable MVPs on top of tools like Lovable and AI coding assistants. Jacob makes the case that most of the “AI apps are trash” discourse is really a skill issue, not a tool issue—and he breaks down the exact process his team uses to ship full platform-level apps in two-week sprints.We dig into how to scope and design software that doesn’t look AI-generated, how to think about personal operating systems vs. SaaS, why ideas are getting worse even as tools get better, and how creators and agencies can turn niche domain expertise into real products.If you’re an operator, marketer, or founder trying to figure out how to actually use AI coding tools (instead of just tweeting about them), this one’s for you.GuestJacob Klug — founder of Creme, an agency building “lovable MVPs” and full-stack products with Lovable + AI tools; helps founders, startups & enterprises ship production apps in weeks without sacrificing UX.Guest LinksWebsite: https://www.creme.digital/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-klug-37b254156/X (Twitter): https://x.com/JacobsklugWhat You’ll LearnWhy the “vibe coding is a bubble” take is mostly a skill and discipline problemHow Jacob’s agency ships full startup-grade products using Lovable and AIThe PRD-first formula they use before ever opening a builderHow to decide when to build vs. when to buy software in 2025Why we’re entering a wave of personal OSes and custom internal toolsHow to avoid shipping janky AI UI and make your app look intentionally designedThe mindset shift from “I could build anything” → “I will build this one specific thing”Why specializing in one AI tool (Lovable, Cursor, n8n, etc.) beats being “the AI guy”Tactical content and lead-gen plays for agencies on LinkedIn and YouTubeHow to learn AI tooling without getting paralyzed by the infinite possibilitiesTimestamps00:00 — Vibe coding: bubble or breakthrough?02:23 — Effective use of no-code tools05:23 — Stack and scoping for MVP development07:08 — Trends in personal software development10:33 — Personal projects: blood work analysis tool13:00 — Steps to start building custom software17:49 — Successful and unsuccessful product categories21:01 — Learning and adopting AI tools27:45 — Creator collaboration in software development32:14 — Lead generation strategies for AI-powered agenciesKey Topics & Ideas1. Bubble or Skill Issue?Why early no-code/AI apps looked jankyHow tools like Lovable increased automation from ~50% → ~85%The remaining 10–15% where real engineering still mattersMany failures come from non-devs skipping fundamentals2. How Creme Builds Lovable MVPsEvery project starts with a clear PRD (often drafted with ChatGPT)AI is used to tighten scope before buildingWhen Creme stays fully in Lovable vs. moving code to CursorUsing Lovable Cloud for hosting, database, and analytics3. Personal Operating Systems & Internal ToolsPeople replacing SaaS subscriptions with their own custom toolsIn a 20-person cohort, nearly everyone built workflow appsRise of the Personal OS: one system for life + workExample builds:Bloodwork tracker from PDF uploadsUnified messaging CRM (WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS, email)Automated 30-second sales briefings4. How to Learn AI Coding ToolsHalf the cohort hadn’t built anything before startingMain blocker: overwhelm, not skillLearn core concepts: frontend vs. backend, auth, roles, securityBuild daily reps, focus on the next thing you need—not “all of AI”5. Designing Apps That Don’t Look AI-GeneratedGood design is still the hardest and biggest edgeCreme process: build a /components library, define buttons/cards/inputs, assign stable IDsTools: Mobbin, Figma Community kits, 21st.devBest prompt: “Here’s a screenshot → copy this.”6. What Works in Product IdeasMost of Creme’s builds are full startup platforms, not micro-toolsAI makes shipping easier, but ideas are getting worse without depthReal advantage = domain expertise + niche problem + AI speed7. Creators x SoftwareCreators can now ship products without capitalJacob prefers retainers over equityAnalogy: Like creator brands—most fail, a few go huge8. Career Strategy: SpecializeFuture = verticalized expertise, not “AI generalists”Specialist lanes: Lovable, Cursor, n8n, automationBe the person for one tool + one market9. Content & Lead GenJacob's two rules for content: people are selfish and people are boredBuild content that teaches, sparks emotion, and creates curiosityPost ~5x/week, prioritize visual postsLong-term: YouTube deep dives for high-intent inboundSponsorToday’s episode is brought to you by Graphed – an AI data analyst & BI platform.With Graphed you can:Connect data like GA4, Facebook Ads, HubSpot, Google Ads, Search Console, AmplitudeBuild interactive dashboards just by chatting (no Looker Studio/Tableau learning curve)Use it as your ETL + data warehouse + BI layer in one placeAsk:“Build me a stacked bar chart of new users vs. all users over time from GA4”…and Graphed just builds it for you.👉 Get a 14-day free trial with 10 seats for your team: https://graphed.com/
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