Every agency owner knows the cycle.
You find a new tool that promises to fix everything. You migrate your proposals, contracts, invoicing, time tracking, and projects. For a while, it feels like progress. Then the cracks show. Something doesn’t quite fit. Workarounds pile up. And eventually, you’re back searching for the next system that promises to finally get it right.
Nikolai Graf Rüssel lived this cycle for years while running his agency. His experience feels familiar because it’s honest. The promise of all-in-one tools sounds right. In practice, it almost never holds up.
Sweet summary
Most agencies don’t have a discipline problem. They have a fit problem.
- Most all-in-one tools are built for one business model, not two
- Agencies often run both project work and recurring services at the same time
- Forcing everything into one system creates friction instead of clarity
- What actually works starts with focus, not software
The tool-hopping trap
Nikolai put it simply. He was always looking for one system that could handle contracts, invoicing, payments, recurring work, hourly billing, fixed pricing, and time tracking.
Every year or two, he’d find the perfect tool. And every time, it eventually let him down.
His team knew the pattern. Another announcement. Another migration. Another reset.
The intention was always good. The outcome rarely was.
The issue wasn’t effort. It was expectation.
Why all-in-one tools never quite add up
The promise is appealing. One platform. One login. Everything connected. Fewer mistakes. Less switching. More control.
In reality, most all-in-one tools end up doing a few things well and the rest awkwardly.
They’re stretched thin trying to cover proposals, billing, time tracking, and delivery without
truly excelling at any of them.
The gap shows up fastest when an agency runs more than one revenue model.
The part most tools weren’t built for
Nikolai’s agency was doing two different kinds of work at the same time.
Project based work with defined scopes, timelines, and pricing.
Recurring services like hosting, maintenance, and ongoing support.
These businesses behave differently. They bill differently. They’re tracked differently.
They’re managed differently.
Most tools are designed to serve one of these models first. The other becomes a compromise. Trying to force both into one system creates constant tension. One side always feels slightly off.
Where flexibility starts slowing things down
All-in-one tools face a hard choice.
If they’re flexible enough to handle every agency edge case, they become complex and hard to use. If they’re simple enough to onboard quickly, they force agencies to bend their process to fit the software.
That leaves agencies with three familiar outcomes.
They change how they work to match the tool.
They spend too much time configuring and maintaining it.
Or they use only part of the tool while paying for all of it.
None of those feel like progress.
When integrations stop being simple
Even when a tool claims to integrate with your accounting system, CRM, or project manager, the reality usually includes manual setup, syncing issues, and regular maintenance.
Fields need mapping. Data breaks. Updates cause regressions. Someone on the team becomes the unofficial systems manager.
Instead of simplifying operations, the tool becomes another thing that needs managing.
The hidden cost of constant switching
The subscription fees aren’t the real cost.
The real cost shows up in quieter ways.
Teams stop fully adopting systems because they expect another change.
Processes weaken as they’re rebuilt again and again.
Historical data fragments across platforms you no longer use.
Choosing the next tool becomes stressful instead of hopeful.
Over time, the business starts adapting to tools instead of the other way around.
The real issue behind the failed tools
The problem wasn’t that Nikolai picked the wrong tools.
The problem was that he was trying to run two businesses without clear prioritization.
No single system could gracefully handle project delivery, infrastructure management, recurring billing, emergency support, time tracking, and fixed fee pricing at the same time.
The tool wasn’t broken. The expectation was.
Why adding software doesn’t fix confusion
Nikolai never found the perfect system while running his agency.
But his experience points to what actually helps.
Business clarity comes first
Before looking for tools, get clear on how your business really works.
- What’s your primary revenue model?
- What’s secondary?
- Which one drives decisions.
Build operations around the primary model. Support the rest with purpose built tools.
Sometimes separation is the strategy
The best system is often two or three tools that each do their job well.
- A proposal and project tool for client work.
- A billing platform for recurring services.
That friction is usually lower than forcing everything into one mediocre solution.
Fix the thing that’s hurting
Not every operation needs to live in the same system.
- If scope creep is the issue, focus on proposals and scoping.
- If cash flow is the issue, fix billing and payments.
- If profitability isn’t clear, invest in time tracking and reporting.
- Solve the problem that hurts first.
Process before software
Tools should support a process you already understand.
If your proposal, contract, or invoicing process is unclear, no tool will magically fix it.
Software amplifies structure. It doesn’t create it.
What actually works
Modern platforms like Sweet exist because of the exact problems Nikolai described.
They’re built around the real workflow of freelancers and agencies.
- Client conversations.
- Proposals.
- Pricing.
- Scope.
- Delivery.
They don’t try to be everything. They focus on doing the core work well. That difference matters.Why all-in-one tools keep missing the real problem