I still remember the moment it hit me.
I was sitting at my desk, switching between tabs: Slack, Trello, Google Docs, Gmail, back to Trello.
The team was in the middle of a client project. Just six of us, all remote.
I had a task open in Trello, a draft in Google Docs, and three Slack messages blinking for replies.
Someone had just dropped a comment on the doc: "I think this section needs a rewrite".
At the same time, another teammate wrote in Slack:
"Where's the image for this blog post? Didn't someone upload it to Drive?"
Another Slack message popped up:
"Hey, I left some thoughts in the doc, but also replied to the Trello card. I think I'm up to date... but not totally sure."
I leaned back in my chair, sighed, and thought:
"This is ridiculous. We're spending more time finding stuff than doing actual work. We're organized… but somehow completely disorganized."
Each tool was great: Trello for tasks, Docs for writing, Drive for assets, Slack for quick chats. But they didn't talk to each other. We were constantly jumping between them, piecing things together like a puzzle we never finished.
And when you're working with clients, the chaos multiplies.
Where should you send the file? Did the client see the latest version? Did they leave feedback in the doc, or in the email thread?
We were trying to look professional while duct-taping together different tools. It was exhausting.
We tried switching to a few of the big "all-in-one" project management tools, hoping they'd help.
But every time we onboarded, we ran into the same problem:
Too many features. Too many clicks. Too much noise.
I remember telling a teammate: "It feels like using Photoshop just to crop a photo".
We didn't need enterprise-grade everything.
We just wanted something simple, something that kept us, our work, and our clients in sync.
When we looked around, we saw the same frustration everywhere.
We weren't the only ones trying to stitch together multiple tools, or getting lost in bloated all-in-one platforms packed with features no one actually used.
So we built Upbase.
An all-in-one workspace that's easy to use, thoughtfully designed, and, most importantly, focused on personal productivity first.
Because we realized something important:
Team productivity starts with individual clarity.
When each person on your team is focused, organized, and knows exactly what to do, everything flows better.
Less context-switching. Fewer "where was that?" moments. More deep work.
And for client work? We designed Upbase to make collaboration feel effortless, and well-structured.
With our private-first structure, you control exactly what clients see. Share a file, a doc, or a task. Nothing more.
Your internal notes stay internal. Your client sees just what they need. Clean, polished, and no oversharing.
Today, Upbase is what we wish we had back then:
Tasks, docs, messages, files - all in one place.
A calm, clutter-free interface that helps you stay focused.
Built for teams, perfect for solo users, and ideal for working with clients.
And always simple, because we believe less is more.
Today, thousands of businesses, especially client-focused teams like marketing agencies, freelancers, and consultancies, rely on Upbase to stay organized, deliver work faster, and give clients a smooth, transparent experience.
If you've ever felt scattered across five different tools... If you've ever burned out trying to keep everything "organized"… If you're tired of software that feels like more work just to use...
It might be the calm, focused workspace you didn't know you were missing.
Tony Pham, Co-founder
