
Circl was created to address a common challenge in professional networking: maintaining meaningful relationships as personal and professional networks grow. While many networking platforms focus on collecting contacts, Circl focuses on strengthening relationships. The platform provides users with tools to organize connections, capture context from conversations, and stay consistent with follow-ups, making networking more intentional and effective.
As people meet more classmates, colleagues, mentors, and professionals, it becomes increasingly difficult to remember important details, maintain regular communication, and nurture valuable relationships. Existing networking tools often prioritize contact management over relationship development, leading to missed opportunities and weaker professional networks.
Create a simple and intuitive CRM platform that helps users build stronger professional relationships by organizing contacts, tracking interactions, and encouraging intentional follow-up habits.
I designed and developed Circl as a relationship-focused CRM built around the idea that networking should be about long-term connection rather than short-term transactions. Throughout development, I prioritized usability and simplicity to ensure the platform remained accessible to students, young professionals, and anyone looking to manage their network more effectively.
Challenges
What was hard
- Creating a CRM experience that felt approachable rather than overwhelming—traditional CRM platforms are often designed for sales teams and businesses, making them too complex for individual users.
- Translating a relationship-centered networking philosophy into practical features that users would find genuinely valuable in their daily lives.
Wins
What worked
- Contact and relationship management
- Interaction and conversation tracking
- Follow-up reminders and planning
- Personal notes and relationship context
- Organized networking dashboard
- Successfully launched a live web application designed to help users manage and strengthen professional relationships. The platform provides a structured system for maintaining connections and encourages consistent follow-up behaviors that are often overlooked in traditional networking.
- This project strengthened my skills in product design, user experience development, and full-stack software engineering. It also reinforced the importance of aligning product features with a clear philosophy and user need, ensuring that every feature supports the core mission of helping users build stronger relationships.
Skills
What I learned
Impact
Outcomes
- Created a live platform for professional relationship management.
- Introduced a more intentional approach to networking.
- Provided users with tools to build stronger and more meaningful professional connections over time.