What this episode covers: Why build vs. buy keeps coming up

The classic rule of thumb (and its limits)

If something isn’t core to your value stream, don’t build it
Even when it is core, vendors may still be better positioned (payments, invoicing, infrastructure)

Teresa’s two contrasting examples

Why she moved from WordPress to Ghost instead of building her own blog platform
Why she did build her own task management system — despite plenty of existing tools

The role of data ownership

When the underlying data becomes the real product
How task management, notes, and workflows become deeply personal and idiosyncratic
Why owning and controlling data changes the build vs. buy equation

How AI is changing the decision

Vendor lock-in and data portability

Build vs. buy as a discovery problem

A caution on complexity

Key takeaways

Build vs. buy isn’t just about speed or cost — it’s about core value, data ownership, and long-term responsibility
AI lowers the barrier to building, but doesn’t erase complexity
Treat build vs. buy decisions like any other discovery effort: test assumptions, prototype, and validate before committing
Ask not just can we build it, but should we own it?

Resources & Links:

Mentioned in this episode:

Acquisition structures and earn-out approach

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