Behind the Scenes: The Tech Powering Alien Brain Trust

Building a business means making constant technology decisions. Build vs. buy. Simple vs. scalable. Cheap now vs. sustainable long-term.

Here’s the tech stack powering Alien Brain Trust, the decision framework I’m using, and why I chose each component. Whether you’re building a business, launching a course, or just curious about the infrastructure behind the scenes, this is the honest breakdown.

The Decision Framework

Before diving into specific tools, here’s how I evaluate technology choices:

1. Does it solve a real problem I have today? Not “might I need this eventually?” - do I need it now?

2. Can I implement it without major workflow disruption? Learning curves are real costs. If a tool requires weeks of setup before delivering value, it better be essential.

3. What’s the total cost of ownership? Subscription fees plus learning time plus ongoing maintenance. Free tools that require constant tinkering can be more expensive than paid tools that just work.

4. Does it scale with growth? I don’t need enterprise capabilities today, but I don’t want to rebuild everything in six months either.

5. Can I export my data if I need to switch? Lock-in is a risk. If I can’t migrate away cleanly, I’m cautious about committing.

Content Creation Stack

Writing: VS Code + Claude Code

Why: I’m already a VS Code power user. Claude Code integrates AI assistance directly into my workflow without context switching. Everything I write - blog posts, course content, documentation - lives in markdown files I can version control.

Alternative considered: Notion, Google Docs Why I didn’t choose them: I want full control of my content in plain text. No proprietary formats. No cloud dependencies for editing.

Cost: Claude Pro subscription ($20/mo) + VS Code (free) Decision framework application: Solves immediate need (content creation), minimal workflow disruption (already using VS Code), reasonable cost, fully exportable (markdown files).

Audio/Video Production: Synthesia + (Evaluating Descript)

Why Synthesia: AI-generated music and audio elements for course videos. Custom, professional-quality audio without licensing headaches.

Why evaluating Descript: Video editing with AI transcription. Course content needs professional editing, and AI-assisted editing could save significant time.

Alternative considered: Traditional video editing (Premiere, Final Cut) Why I’m testing AI-first options: Time is finite. If AI tools deliver 80% quality with 20% of the editing time, that’s a winning trade-off for course content.

Cost: Synthesia ($10/mo), Descript (TBD) Decision framework application: Solves real production needs, but I’m managing token budgets carefully after learning that lesson.

Course Hosting

Current Status: Evaluating Options

I haven’t committed to a platform yet because I don’t have content ready to host. But here’s my evaluation framework:

Must-haves:

• Student management and progress tracking
• Content organization (modules, lessons, resources)
• Payment processing integration
• Reasonable pricing that scales with student count
• Clean, professional student experience

Evaluating:

• Teachable: Popular, full-featured, but takes significant revenue cut
• Thinkific: Similar to Teachable, slightly lower fees
• Podia: All-in-one with email marketing built-in
• Self-hosted (WordPress + LearnDash): Maximum control, maximum maintenance

Decision criteria: I’ll choose when I’m 30 days from beta launch. No sooner. Technology moves fast, and committing early to a platform I don’t need yet just creates switching costs if better options emerge.

Cost: TBD, likely $50-150/mo depending on platform Decision framework application: Deferring decision until I actually need it. No point optimizing for problems I don’t have yet.

Website & Blog Infrastructure

Current: GitHub + Markdown (Static Site Future)

Why: Maximum flexibility. Content lives in version-controlled markdown files. I can publish to any platform without migration headaches.

Short-term plan: Static site generator (likely 11ty or Next.js) deployed via Netlify or Vercel. Fast, secure, cheap to run.

Alternative considered: WordPress, Squarespace, Webflow Why I’m going static: Speed, security, cost, and developer control. I don’t need a CMS admin panel - I’m already working in VS Code. Static sites with markdown content fit my workflow perfectly.

Cost: GitHub (free for public repos), hosting (~$0-20/mo) Decision framework application: Minimal cost, scales easily, no lock-in, fits existing workflow.

Email & Communication

Email: Google Workspace

Why: Professional email (@alienbraintrust.com), calendar, drive storage. Standard business infrastructure.

Alternative considered: Custom email server, Fastmail Why Google Workspace: Reliability, integration with tools students already use, not worth DIY-ing email infrastructure.

Cost: $6/mo per user Decision framework application: Commodity infrastructure - just pay for the standard solution.

Marketing Email: TBD (Likely ConvertKit or Mailchimp)

Decision criteria: Waiting until I have 100+ email contacts before choosing. Current volume doesn’t justify the cost or complexity.

Cost: TBD, likely $15-50/mo when needed Decision framework application: Don’t solve problems I don’t have yet.

Development Tools

Version Control: GitHub

Why: Standard, reliable, free for public repos. Built-in CI/CD options when I need them.

Cost: Free (currently), $4/mo if I need private repos beyond free tier

AI Assistance: Claude Pro + Perplexity

Why Claude: Primary AI for content creation, strategic thinking, code assistance Why Perplexity: Research and competitive analysis

Cost: $20/mo + $20/mo Decision framework application: Both solve daily problems. ROI is obvious in time saved.

Automation & Integration

Current: Minimal (Intentionally)

I’m resisting the urge to over-automate early. Right now, manual processes are fine. As I identify repetitive tasks that genuinely waste time, I’ll automate them.

Philosophy: Automate patterns, not experiments. If a workflow isn’t consistent yet, automating it just creates technical debt.

Future automation targets:

• Social media cross-posting from blog
• Student onboarding workflows
• Email sequences for course participants

What I’m Building vs. Buying

Building:

• Course content and curriculum (obviously)
• Blog and content platform
• Custom workflows and processes
• Brand and messaging

Buying:

• Infrastructure (hosting, email, domain)
• Tools and platforms (AI assistants, video editing)
• Course platform (when ready)
• Payment processing

The Decision Line:

If it’s core to the value proposition or competitive differentiation, I build it. If it’s commodity infrastructure everyone needs, I buy it.

What I’m NOT Using (Notably)

No social media management tools yet: Volume doesn’t justify the cost. Manual posting for now.

No complex CRM: Google Sheets works fine for current contact volume.

No analytics beyond basics: I’ll add analytics when I have traffic worth analyzing.

No paid SEO tools: Creating quality content first, optimizing later.

The Total Current Monthly Cost

Essential:

• Claude Pro: $20
• Perplexity Pro: $20
• Google Workspace: $6
• Synthesia: $10
• Domain & hosting: ~$15 Total: ~$71/mo

Future adds (when needed):

• Course platform: $50-150/mo
• Email marketing: $15-50/mo
• Descript: $25/mo (if testing goes well) Estimated total at launch: $160-300/mo

That’s remarkably lean for a complete business infrastructure.

The Philosophy

I’m building Alien Brain Trust lean intentionally. Not because I can’t afford better tools, but because complexity is a tax on focus.

Every tool I add is:

• Another login to manage
• Another subscription to monitor
• Another integration point to maintain
• Another decision to revisit when it’s time to scale

Simple stacks scale better than complex ones. I’d rather have 5 tools I use fully than 20 tools I use partially.

The Framework (For Your Projects)

When evaluating technology choices:

1. Defer decisions until you need them - Future-proofing for problems you don’t have yet creates complexity without value
2. Choose based on workflow fit, not features - The best tool is the one you’ll actually use
3. Calculate total cost honestly - Time and attention are costs, not just money
4. Prioritize exportability - Lock-in is risk
5. Build differentiation, buy infrastructure - Your unique value shouldn’t be your email server

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The Bottom Line: Alien Brain Trust runs on less than $100/mo of tools right now. That’s intentional. Complexity kills startups more often than lack of features.

What I’m learning: The best tech stack is the smallest one that solves your real problems. Everything else is distraction.

What’s next: I’ll update this as the stack evolves. When I make platform choices for course hosting or email marketing, I’ll document the decision process.

Building lean, scaling smart, staying focused. That’s the Alien Brain Trust approach to infrastructure.