From Failure to Freedom: How Gonzalo Rodriguez Is Giving Founders Their Power Back Through Low-Code

How did you come up with the idea for Buildora Labs?

It started with frustration. My very first startup in Buenos Aires failed because we outsourced development to a third-party team who didn’t really care about the product. They just wanted to hit milestones and get paid. That disconnection was brutal—and it taught me that building your product without ownership or insight is a dangerous path.

Eventually, I discovered low-code tools like Make, Appgyver, and Xano. It was a turning point. I could build and iterate myself, test faster, and stop relying on full-stack teams I couldn’t manage. Later, I joined a proptech startup in Australia where we used low-code to build everything. It was intense, fast-paced, and efficient. That experience proved this model works at scale. So I launched Buildora Labs to give other founders the same speed, control, and flexibility—without wasting capital.

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What does the typical collaboration process with clients look like at Buildora Labs — from idea to delivery?

It always starts with understanding the problem. We hop on a short discovery call where I ask about goals, pain points, and what "done" looks like for them. Then I scope a lean MVP or internal tool that solves the immediate need — nothing bloated, just focused. Once approved, I design, build, and iterate quickly using low-code tools like Xano and WeWeb. Most projects go live in 1–4 weeks. I aim for hand-offable results: tools the client owns and can operate without ongoing dev support. 

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What has been your most successful channel for acquiring new clients?

Referrals and word of mouth have been incredibly strong — fast delivery and hands-on communication tend to leave a mark. That said, Upwork has been one of my most consistent sources for new clients, especially those looking for flexible, outcome-driven work. I’ve also started building a presence on LinkedIn to connect with founders and share insights from the low-code world. 

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How do you handle scaling challenges when a low-code MVP starts to gain traction?

This comes up often. The key is choosing the right platforms from the start — tools like Xano, Supabase, or Firebase that scale well. If something outgrows the current stack, I’ll work with the client to either optimize performance, modularize the system, or, if necessary, migrate parts to custom code. But truthfully, most teams don’t hit scaling walls as early as they think. The bigger challenge is building something people actually use — and that’s what I help them do first.  

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Are you working solo or do you have a core team at Buildora Labs? What roles would you like to hire next?

I currently lead a small team of four developers, and we’re growing steadily. While I still handle product strategy and client communication directly, the team supports execution across multiple projects. The next addition will likely be a part-time ops/project manager to help manage delivery and scale efficiently as demand increases. I’m not trying to build a big agency — just a tight, high-performing product team.  

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Can you share a story from your journey that demonstrates resilience?

When I joined that Australian proptech startup, we had just raised seed money and had to move insanely fast. We committed to building everything with low-code—no exceptions. It was one of the most high-pressure environments I’ve ever worked in. I spent nights debugging, pushing tools to their limits, and working closely with platforms still in beta. But we built a stable, scalable product. That experience shaped my work ethic: lean, fast, no excuses.

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What advice would you give to other founders just starting out?

Validate fast. Stay lean. Don’t complicate your stack just to look more “serious.” Use tools that let you test assumptions, talk to users, and get real feedback. Also, never outsource your product too early—it’s your vision, and you need to be part of shaping it. Learn just enough to stay in control. And please, don’t chase investors before building something real. Focus on solving a real problem and let traction speak first.

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What’s your long-term vision for Buildora Labs?

I want it to become the go-to product lab for SMBs and non-technical teams who want to move fast without losing control. Whether it’s internal dashboards, MVPs, or full web apps—we help clients build tools they actually own. Long-term, I see Buildora Labs as a trusted tech partner for thousands of businesses that don’t have an in-house dev team but still need smart, scalable software.

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Have you ever raised money from friends and family?

Yes, but not for Buildora Labs. I did it in a previous project, and honestly, it was a mistake. We raised out of urgency, without alignment or a solid plan. It wasn’t strategic—it was desperation. I learned that capital alone doesn’t solve early-stage problems. The right capital—aligned, value-adding, and timely—is way more important than just raising money for the sake of it.

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What’s your current fundraising goal, and how do you plan to use the funds?

I’m currently bootstrapping and staying lean, but if I were to raise, it would be to productize parts of what I do — possibly launching micro-SaaS tools or internal-use templates for repeat client use cases. Any funding would go toward hiring a small tech team and exploring scalable IP, not just expanding services.