Dex: A Personal CRM That Actually Helps You Stay Connected

Ever had that sinking feeling when you realize you haven't talked to a close friend in months? You meant to reach out, but life happened. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and suddenly you're scrolling through old photos wondering where the time went.

That's exactly the problem Kevin, founder of Dex, set out to solve. He noticed he was drifting away from people who mattered to him—not because he didn't care, but simply because he'd lose track of time. Sound familiar?

Why Spreadsheets Don't Cut It for Managing Relationships

Kevin's first instinct was to use what most of us would try: data organization tools. He experimented with Airtable, Notion, and Google Sheets, setting up neat little systems to track when he last contacted people.

The problem? These tools require constant manual updating. You need to remember to open the spreadsheet, log your interactions, and actually check it regularly. Before long, the whole system becomes another task on your to-do list that you keep putting off. The irony is brutal—you're too busy maintaining your relationship tracker to actually maintain your relationships.

What Makes Dex Different

Dex takes a smarter approach by doing the heavy lifting for you. Instead of making you manually log everything, it connects with your existing digital life—Google contacts, calendar, and optionally Facebook and LinkedIn. Think of it as having a personal assistant who knows your social network and gently nudges you when it's time to reconnect.

The core feature is beautifully simple: Dex suggests people to contact every day. These aren't random suggestions either. Over time, the system learns your preferences as you customize how often you want to reach out to different people. Your college roommate might be a monthly check-in, while your mentor might be every few weeks.

Beyond reminders, Dex includes standard CRM functionality—logging notes about conversations, setting custom reminders, and organizing your contacts. If you're looking to 👉 build stronger professional and personal networks without the mental overhead, these features work together to create a sustainable system.

The Chrome Extension That Fits Your Workflow

Here's where Dex gets clever: a Chrome extension that integrates directly into social networking sites like LinkedIn, Messenger, Twitter, and Facebook. You can view your relationship history and add notes without switching tabs or opening another app.

Imagine you're on LinkedIn catching up with someone's career updates. With Dex's extension, you can instantly see when you last spoke, what you talked about, and add new notes—all without interrupting your flow. It's the kind of thoughtful design that suggests the creator actually uses his own product.

Who Actually Needs This?

Most people already recognize that meaningful relationships require effort. We all know staying in touch brings value and fulfillment. The gap isn't in awareness—it's in execution.

Dex bridges that gap for people who:

• Have good intentions but struggle with follow-through

• Maintain large professional or personal networks

• Want to be more intentional about relationship building

• Already have some system (mental or otherwise) that keeps failing them

The reality is many of us have attempted our own "systems" for managing relationships. Maybe you have a note on your phone with names. Maybe you set calendar reminders that you dismiss. Maybe you just rely on memory and hope for the best. 👉 Dex offers a more reliable approach to staying connected without requiring you to become a productivity guru.

The Bigger Picture

What's interesting about Dex isn't just the technology—it's the recognition of a very human problem. We live in an age of unprecedented connectivity, yet maintaining genuine relationships feels harder than ever. We're not lacking tools to communicate; we're lacking systems to remember to communicate.

A personal CRM might sound overly transactional at first. But think about it differently: it's a tool that helps you act on the values you already have. You already want to stay in touch with people. You already know these relationships matter. Dex just makes sure your actions align with your intentions.

The founder's willingness to hear about different approaches to managing relationships is telling too. There's no one-size-fits-all solution here, and the best systems are often the ones that adapt to how you naturally work rather than forcing you into rigid structures.

If you've ever felt that pang of guilt about losing touch with someone who matters, Dex might be worth exploring. Sometimes the simplest solution to a complex problem is just a well-timed reminder—and the commitment to act on it.