Case Study: Flixmedia
Building a Self-Serve Platform to End a Scalability Crisis
How I led the initiative to build a self-serve tool that saved ~$12k/quarter, eliminated developer bottlenecks, and empowered clients.
Context
The success of our product comparison tables, sold on a per-category basis, had created a severe operational bottleneck. Our clients loved the feature, but our internal teams were drowning in manual work. The process simply wasn't scalable.
The Problem: A Crisis in Two Parts
We faced two distinct, value-destroying problems:
1. The "Death by a Thousand Edits" Dilemma
Clients constantly requested tiny updates—adding a product, removing another, tweaking a single specification. Each request, no matter how small, required developer time, creating a backlog, frustrating clients, and pulling our tech team away from high-impact work.
2. The "One-Size-Fits-All" Logic Limitation
The tables could only sort products by basic attributes like size or price. But our clients had more sophisticated goals (e.g., push a new product, clear old stock). Our rigid system couldn't support these crucial, real-world business needs.
The Solution: A Self-Serve Platform
I led the initiative to completely rebuild our comparison table system into a powerful, self-serve platform. Working closely with design and development, we created a solution that empowered our clients and freed up our internal teams.
BEFORE: The Manual Bottleneck
AFTER: The Self-Serve Platform
Result: Autonomy & Speed
A Pragmatic Approach to Custom Logic
We had to make a crucial trade-off: how much custom logic could we support in an intuitive platform? After analyzing client needs and revenue potential, we decided to focus the full custom logic engine on our "manual setup" clients, who built tables one-by-one and had the most immediate need. For "automated setup" clients with hundreds of products, we provided visibility and access to the standard tools. This allowed us to solve the most pressing problem for our highest-value segment without over-engineering the solution.
The Results & Impact
~$12,000 Saved Per Quarter
Eliminated the need for minor dev tickets, saving an estimated 40-50 days of developer work annually and freeing the team for strategic projects.
Increased Revenue
The ease of use and new capabilities made it simpler for client teams to sell more comparison tables, driving direct revenue growth.
Improved Client Satisfaction
Clients were empowered to make changes instantly, giving them the control and agility they needed to meet their marketing goals.
Validated Product Strategy
Our trade-off decision was a success, resulting in zero revenue decrease from automated clients while massively reducing internal costs.