Build Vs. Buy

About this episode

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

• It shows up in every product org, at every stage
• AI makes building feel easier — but doesn’t eliminate the real tradeoffs

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

• Cheaper prototyping and “vibe coding” lower the cost of building
• Smaller, more targeted tools become viable alternatives to big SaaS platforms
• Pressure on vendors to improve data portability

Vendor lock-in and data portability

• Why exports aren’t always enough
• What to look for when evaluating tools like CRMs or course platforms
• When buying still makes sense — and when it doesn’t

Build vs. buy as a discovery problem

• Treating options as assumptions to test
• Feasibility testing on the build side
• Actually trialing vendors instead of trusting marketing claims

A caution on complexity

• Why “we can build anything” isn’t the same as “we should build this”
• How long-lived products accumulate hidden complexity over time
• Being honest about engineering capabilities and maintenance costs

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:

• Follow Teresa Torres: https://ProductTalk.org
• Follow Petra Wille: https://Petra-Wille.com

Mentioned in this episode:

• Wordpress
• Ghost
• Vibe code
• Claude Code
• Obsidian
• Stripe
• Teachable
• Melissa Perri and her Product Institute
• Trello
• Evernote
• OmniFocus
• Dropbox
• OpenAI
• Salesforce
• HubSpot
• DocuSign