Build vs. Buy

Rowland Hobbs, Founder & CEO, Stake

services@useanvil.com (Mang-Git Ng, Rowland Hobbs) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 23:51:32 +0000

Rowland Hobbs, founder and CEO of Stake, joins the show to talk about his startup background and Stake’s mission to help renters build wealth amid rising rents. Stake offers cash-back and financial services across a network of about 550,000 homes, including free checking that rewards rent payments and credit building by reporting on-time rent to the three bureaus, benefiting renters while reducing landlord delinquencies. Rowland explains Stake’s model, funded by landlords for leasing plus banking, brand, property, and government partners, including Colorado Renter Rewards. For a build-vs-buy decision, Stake tested distributing renter incentives through rental brokers, saw higher lease conversions, and acquired the largest Texas rental brokerage, Yu Move Free, to accelerate go-to-market and onboard renters into Stake’s broader platform.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

01:02 Roland’s Startup Journey

02:13 Photo Startup Lessons

03:56 What Stake Does

05:06 Business Model and Network

08:24 Build Versus Buy Setup

08:49 Testing Brokers Then Buying

10:49 Rental Brokers Explained

14:01 Why Acquire Not Build

19:08 Costco Model for Renters

22:07 Deposits and Trust

24:05 Favorite Recent Purchases

26:46 Personal Growth and Yoga

28:18 Closing and Farewell

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Michael Grinich, Founder, WorkOS

services@useanvil.com (Mang-Git Ng, Michael Grinich) — Thu, 5 Feb 2026 22:15:23 +0000

Michael Grinich, founder of WorkOS, joins Mang-Git to discuss challenges and insights from his career, including his journey from founding Nylas to creating WorkOS. They delve into the critical considerations for build versus buy decisions, the impact of AI on software development, and the importance of leveraging stable infrastructure. The episode highlights how modern AI tools are accelerating enterprise readiness and shaping the future of software development.

00:00 Introduction

01:51 Michael's Early Career

02:59 Challenges with Enterprise Adoption

04:23 Founding WorkOS

04:59 The Shift in Enterprise Software

08:03 The Rise of AI and Enterprise Adoption

08:38 The Importance of Enterprise Capabilities

09:40 Build vs. Buy: The Time Machine Argument

14:06 AI's Role in Modern Development

16:15 The Future of Development and Infrastructure

24:58 The Hidden Infrastructure of New York City

25:38 Frameworks for Build vs. Buy Decisions

26:28 The Value of Time in Business Decisions

28:31 Challenges with Vendor Lock-In

29:10 The Future of Internal Tools and AI

34:18 Personalized Software and Its Implications

40:18 Exciting Projects and Personal Favorites

44:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Alex Klarfeld, Founder, Supergood

services@useanvil.com (Alex Klarfeld, Mang-Git Ng) — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 23:47:34 +0000

In this episode of Build vs. Buy, Mang-Git hosts Alex Klarfeld, founder and CEO of Supergood, previously co-founder of Divvy Homes. They discuss Alex's career journey, the business model of Supergood, which creates unofficial APIs for enterprise portals using automated reverse engineering, and the company's growth strategy. The conversation highlights a build versus buy decision Alex faced with integrating Temporal for job execution monitoring, ultimately leading them to inadvertently develop their own solution.

00:00 Introduction

01:38 Alex's Background and Supergood Overview

02:36 Supergood's Unique Approach to APIs

04:07 Challenges and Solutions in API Integration

06:42 Technical Insights into Supergood's Operations

10:53 The Evolution of Supergood

13:43 Build Versus Buy: A Deep Dive

21:25 Challenges with Temporal

23:39 Exploring Alternative Vendors

24:51 Choosing Masra for Better Support

28:30 Building In-House Solutions

30:58 Reflections on Vendor Relationships

33:51 Exciting Projects and Future Plans

37:07 Product Recommendations and Closing Remarks

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Chris Dean, Co-founder & CEO, Treasury Prime

services@useanvil.com (Chris Dean, Mang-Git Ng) — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 23:09:58 +0000

In episode 23, Mang-Git chats with Chris Dean, Co-Founder and CEO of Treasury Prime. Chris shares his journey from machine learning researcher to serial entrepreneur, culminating in the founding of Treasury Prime. The discussion covers Treasury Prime's unique business model, which focuses on providing APIs to banks for managing FinTech relationships safely. They delve into the complexities of the American banking system, the challenges of ensuring safe money management, and the merits of building versus buying solutions. The conversation also touches on the use of AI in enhancing productivity and the future of FinTech integrations.

00:00 Introduction

02:03 Chris Dean's Background and Journey

05:17 Founding Treasury Prime

07:37 Treasury Prime's Unique Business Model

15:18 Challenges and Decisions in FinTech

20:39 Building a Robust Workflow System

23:45 Handling System Failures and Retries

25:32 Reconciling Financial Discrepancies

26:03 AI in Banking Operations

28:22 Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities

32:09 The Importance of Optionality

32:42 Personal Insights and AI Tools

38:50 Conclusion and Future Outlook

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Jean-Denis Greze, CEO, Town (former CTO at Plaid, Dropbox)

services@useanvil.com (Jean-Denis Greze, Mang-Git Ng) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 22:54:37 +0000

John-Denis Greze joins Mang-Git Ng to dive into JDG's extensive career in tech, including his tenure as CTO at Plaid. JDG shares his decision-making process on build vs. buy, highlighting examples from his time at Plaid. He also discusses his current venture, Town AI, which aims to automate small business tax prep through AI. The conversation touches on the challenges and joys of being a founder, including management philosophies and leveraging modern AI tools.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:33 JD's Background and Career Journey

02:25 Joining Dropbox and Career Growth

04:59 Transition to Plaid and Leadership Roles

06:51 Challenges and Reflections on Management

08:52 Networking and Fairness in Tech

14:20 Management Lessons and CTO vs VP of Engineering

23:18 Starting Town and the SMB Tax Space

26:32 Building Products in Existing Markets

28:26 The Build vs. Buy Dilemma

30:58 Strategic Decisions in Product Development

38:17 AI and Rapid Prototyping

43:53 Personal Projects and Tools

47:14 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Tom Elliot, Founder, Ocuroot (former VMware, Yext)

services@useanvil.com (Tom Elliot, Mang-Git Ng) — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 23:16:16 +0000

Tom Elliot, founder of Ocuroot, joins Mang-Git to discuss Tom's background in the tech industry, his experiences at companies like VMware and Yext, and the inception of Ocuroot. The conversation digs into build vs buy decisions, emphasizing the case study of monitoring tool Checkly. Tom shares insights on the complexities of self-built solutions versus external services and how to present these decisions to senior leadership. They also explore the benefits and challenges of various AI development tools.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:33 Tom Elliot's Career Journey

02:50 Challenges and Innovations at Yext

03:55 The Concept and Benefits of OccuRoot

11:27 Build vs. Buy: A Real-World Example

15:04 The Decision-Making Process

21:12 Reflections on Build vs. Buy

28:42 Fun Questions and Closing Remarks

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Pulkit Agrawal, Co-founder and CEO, Chameleon.io

services@useanvil.com (Pulkit Agrawal, Mang-Git Ng) — Wed, 28 May 2025 22:58:03 +0000

Pulkit Agrawal, co-founder and CEO of Chameleon, joins Mang-Git Ng to discuss Pulkit's journey founding Chameleon, a tool that simplifies user onboarding and adoption for software applications. Pulkit shares insights into the importance of personalized user experiences and the intricacies of build versus buy decisions. He elaborates on his company's switch from custom-built UI components to using Radix UI, the role of trust in choosing software, and the tension between self-service growth and sales-assisted models.

00:00 Introduction

02:06 Pulkit's Background and Chameleon Origin

03:35 Challenges in User Onboarding

05:57 The Impact of AI on UI Development

09:45 Build vs Buy: A Personal Experience

13:00 Choosing Radix UI for Speed and Trust

16:15 Factors Influencing Build vs Buy Decisions

22:04 Chameleon's Go-to-Market Strategy

26:07 Personalization in Onboarding and Campaigns

31:31 Reflecting on the Entrepreneurial Journey

32:56 Exciting New Projects and Personal Updates

34:11 Product Recommendations and Closing Remarks

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Sumeet Vaidya, Co-Founder & CEO, Crafting (former Facebook, Uber, Discord)

services@useanvil.com (Sumeet Vaidya, Mang-Git Ng) — Thu, 8 May 2025 21:25:43 +0000

On this episode of the Build vs. Buy podcast, Mang-Git talks with Sumeet Vaidya, the founder and CEO of Crafting. Sumeet shares his career journey, which includes roles at Facebook, Uber, and Discord, and his current company, Crafting, which focuses on developing enterprise-ready cloud dev environments. They discuss the evolution of software development from local applications to complex cloud-based environments, the challenges of developer collaboration, and the costs associated with running multiple services. They also explore the importance of trust and reliability in enterprise products, particularly in the context of building vs. buying internal tools. The conversation wraps up with a discussion on the future potential of AI tools and personal anecdotes from both Mang-Git and Sumeet.

00:00 Introduction

01:30 Sumeet's Background

02:59 The Evolution of Development Environments

04:51 Challenges in Scaling Development

08:46 The Future of Crafting

11:42 In-House Solutions vs. Off-the-Shelf

17:29 Trust in Internal Tools

19:41 Challenging 'Move Fast and Break Things' in Enterprise

21:21 Building Trust in Enterprise Applications

24:03 Addressing Developer Control and Customization

26:14 Deploying in Customer Clouds

28:27 Reflections on Internal Chat Applications

30:40 Excitement for AI and Personal Life Updates

33:03 Fun Questions and Product Recommendations

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Matt Robben, Co-Founder & CTO, Serif Health (former One Medical, Dropbox)

services@useanvil.com (Matt Robben, Mang-Git Ng) — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 21:02:00 +0000

Matt Robben, Co-Founder and CTO at Serif Health, joins Mang-Git to share his career journey, detailing experiences in building complex systems like the EHR at One Medical and his current role as CTO at Serif Health. They dive deep into the complexities and strategic decisions involved in the build versus buy debate, using specific examples from Matt's career. The discussion includes the challenges of building an in-house electronic health record (EHR) system, the importance of focusing on core competencies, and how these decisions impact long-term business strategy.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:59 Matt's Career Journey

04:53 Engineering Leadership Insights

07:08 The Build vs. Buy Dilemma

07:37 One Medical's EHR Decision

12:26 Challenges of Building an EHR System

16:14 Integration and Compliance

23:11 Strategic Decisions and Future Outlook

24:35 Market Share and EHR Systems

25:28 Pivoting to Data Analytics

26:38 Building a Data-Driven Company

28:56 Customer Insights and Product Evolution

31:45 Challenges and Strategies in Health Data

37:03 Reflections on EHR Systems

43:50 Personal Insights and Final Thoughts

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

David Snitkof, SVP of Growth, Ocrolus (former Citi, Amex, Orchard Platform)

services@useanvil.com (David Snitkof, Mang-Git Ng) — Mon, 7 Apr 2025 20:35:53 +0000

David Snitkof, SVP of Growth at Ocrolus, joins Mang-Git as they discuss David's extensive background in FinTech, his experience making build vs. buy decisions at Citi, and the evolution of document automation in financial services. The conversation also explores Ocrolus' solutions for various types of lenders and the impact of new AI-driven tools on product development. They wrap up by discussing personal projects, including the use of AI coding assistants like Cursor.

00:00 Introduction

01:48 David's Career Journey

04:34 Building and Selling Orchard Platform

10:35 Transition to Ocrolus

18:58 Build vs Buy Decision at Citi

29:24 Modern Build vs Buy Considerations

36:19 Exciting Projects and Personal Interests

41:12 Conclusion and Farewell

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Andrew Hoh, Co-Founder & CPO, Last Mile AI (ex-Meta, Airbnb, Microsoft)

services@useanvil.com (Andrew Hoh, Mang-Git Ng) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 21:05:59 +0000

Andrew Ho, co-founder and CPO at Last Mile AI, joins Mang-Git to discuss his journey from Microsoft, Airbnb, & Facebook to founding Last Mile AI, the world of product management, especially in AI, and the intricacies of build versus buy. Andrew shares insights on AI labeling, the evolution of technology, and the potential of AI tools to boost productivity for builders. The episode also explores practical examples like the hybrid approach at Airbnb and concludes with a discussion on future trends.

00:00 Intro

01:39 Andrew's Journey into Product Management

03:47 The Last Mile AI Problem

05:54 Challenges in Productionizing ML

09:48 Build vs Buy: A Deep Dive

15:19 Case Study: Build vs Buy at Airbnb

25:58 Challenges of Building and Maintaining PDF Tools

27:34 Build vs Buy dilemma

28:05 The Complexity of Labeling Systems

31:28 Combining Build and Buy Strategies

32:16 The Cost of SaaS and Long-Term Considerations

36:04 Vendor Relationships and Custom Solutions

42:45 Encouraging the Next Generation of Builders

46:09 Product Recommendations and Personal Experiences

49:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Evan Goldin, Co-Founder and CEO, Parkade (ex-Lyft)

services@useanvil.com (Evan Goldin, Mang-Git Ng) — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 21:53:07 +0000

From ride-shares to ATS systems Evan Goldin, co-founder and CEO of Parkade, discusses his career trajectory in the transportation tech sector, including his experiences at Zimride, Lyft, and Chariot. The conversation dives deep into his work at Lyft, specifically focusing on the decision to build an internal ATS for driver onboarding to scale operations efficiently. Evan also reflects on the broader implications of balancing supply and demand, and how innovative solutions like the ATS significantly accelerated Lyft’s growth.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:13 Evan's Background and Career Journey

03:15 The Birth of Parkade

05:39 Challenges and Solutions in the Ride-Sharing Industry

09:55 Building an Internal ATS at Lyft

16:59 The Impact of the Custom ATS on Lyft's Growth

20:24 Reflections on Build vs. Buy Decisions

24:59 Lyft's Expansion and Future Directions

32:44 Conclusion and Fun Questions

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

JJ Tang, Co-Founder and CEO, Rootly (ex-Instacart, Strava)

services@useanvil.com (JJ Tang, Mang-Git Ng) — Fri, 7 Feb 2025 20:04:30 +0000

Mang-Git interviews JJ Tang, co-founder and CEO of Rootly. They discuss Rootly's journey as an incident response management system, frameworks around building vs. buying software, and the challenges of differentiating internal tools from market solutions. JJ shares insights from his career, including his time at IBM and Instacart, and delves into Rootly’s unique approach to managing and learning from incidents. They also touch upon personal experiences, like cycling goals and technological inspirations, and highlight the significance of building strong business fundamentals.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:29 JJ's Background and Journey

03:19 The Birth of Rootly

07:43 Understanding Incidents and Rootly's Unique Approach

14:28 Build vs Buy Decision at Instacart

20:50 Convincing Enterprises to Adopt Rootly

32:09 Personal Insights and Closing Remarks

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Karen French, SVP of Product, LendKey

services@useanvil.com (Karen French, Mang-Git Ng) — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:26:16 +0000

Karen French, SVP of Product at LendKey Technologies, joins Mang-Git to discuss her journey from banking to product management, the complexities of loan products, and the build versus buy decision-making process. Karen shares insights on how LendKey connects borrowers with credit unions, the importance of quick-to-market solutions, and balancing innovation with technology integration.

00:00 Teaser + Introduction

01:46 Karen Background and Role at LendKey

02:36 Understanding LendKey's Digital Platform

04:01 Karen's Career Journey to Product Management

08:03 LendKey's Customer and Partner Experience

16:30 The Build vs. Buy Decision

27:03 Challenges and Considerations in Building vs. Buying

45:15 Exciting Projects and Personal Insights

51:26 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Graham McNicoll, Co-Founder & CEO at Growthbook

services@useanvil.com (Graham McNicoll, Mang-Git Ng) — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:09:06 +0000

analysis in product development, and how GrowthBook addresses these needs. The conversation also highlights the role of open source in GrowthBook's growth and their innovative product WebLens.ai, which leverages AI for A/B testing suggestions.

00:00 Introductions

01:06 Guest Introduction: Graham McNichol

01:33 The Genesis of GrowthBook

03:45 Challenges in Building AB Testing Platforms

05:10 GrowthBook's Open Source Journey

15:36 The Impact of Open Source on Business

17:15 Open Source Tools and Paid Features

18:33 Community Contributions and SDKs

20:00 Build vs Buy: The Decision Process

22:41 Targeting and Organizational Structure

24:34 Engineering Culture and Product Development

30:16 Reflections on Building In-House Solutions

32:39 Exciting New Developments at GrowthBook

35:17 Fun Question and Final Thoughts

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Aakash Gupta, Founder at Product Growth Newsletter (ex-Apollo.io, Affirm)

services@useanvil.com (Aakash Gupta, Mang-Git Ng) — Wed, 4 Dec 2024 00:54:52 +0000

This week, Mang-Git hosts content creator and former VP of Product at Apollo.io and Head of Product Growth at Affirm, Aakash Gupta. Aakash shares his journey from operator to content creator on LinkedIn, building a vast follower base, and transitioning to an entrepreneurial role. The episode dives into the build vs. buy decision-making process at Affirm for developing a location-based push notification feature, the importance of accurate data, and considering user experience and frequency challenges to drive product growth effectively.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

02:03 Building a Personal Brand on LinkedIn

04:41 Content Strategy and Marketing Concepts

06:56 Deciding to Go Full-Time as a Content Creator

08:01 LinkedIn's Unique Opportunities for Growth

10:52 Exploring the Build vs. Buy Decision

20:40 Understanding Data Architecture for Location Accuracy

21:40 Challenges in Location-Based Services

23:39 Affirm's Product Evolution and Trade-offs

24:22 Impact of Location-Based Push Notifications

24:59 User Experience and Technical Trade-offs

27:04 Frequency and Timing of Push Notifications

30:07 Managing Credit and Customer Engagement

34:36 Insights on Growth and Saturation

35:48 Current Projects and Professional Insights

38:42 Product Recommendations and Final Thoughts

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Scott Woody, Founder and CEO at Metronome

services@useanvil.com (Scott Woody, Mang-Git Ng) — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 00:33:38 +0000

In this episode of Build vs. Buy, host Mang-Git is joined by Scott Woody, founder and CEO of Metronome. They discuss the complexities of the build versus buy decision-making process, drawing from Scott's experiences at Dropbox and Metronome. Scott shares insights on prioritizing user needs, internal software development, and the challenges of maintaining custom-built systems (like the time he helped build Dropbox' internal ATS). The conversation also touches on the impact of company culture on innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as Scott's personal journey in balancing professional growth with family life.

00:00: Introduction and Podcast Overview

00:58: Meet Scott Woody: CEO of Metronome

01:36: Scott's Journey: From Dropbox to Metronome

03:58: Imposter Syndrome and Early Career Challenges

06:24: Build vs Buy: A Personal Experience

11:55: Technical Evaluation and Decision Making

21:44: Cultural Impact and Reflections

24:47: Wrapping Up

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Sameh El-Ansary, Founder and CTO at Treyd.io

services@useanvil.com (Sameh El-Ansary, Mang-Git Ng) — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 21:48:26 +0000

Sameh El Ansary, Founder and CTO of Treyd.io, joins Mang-Git to discuss challenges and decisions in the build versus buy debate. They explore issues related to global scaling, fintech integrations, and AI adaptation. Sameh shares insights on the importance of in-house, core value components, leveraging third-party APIs, and the impact of generative AI on improving data accuracy. The episode also highlights the development of custom financial tech solutions, compliance with ESG policies, and recommendations for innovative tech products.

00:00 Introduction

01:52 Sameh's Background and Treyd's Mission

06:05 Challenges of Going Global

10:00 Buy vs Build: Real-World Examples

21:32 Cost-Effective Outsourcing Decisions

22:47 Challenges in Invoice Processing

25:15 Building vs. Buying AI Solutions

32:34 Exciting Personal Projects and Product Recommendations

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Matan-Paul Shetrit, Director of Product at Writer AI

services@useanvil.com (Matan-Paul Shetrit, Mang-Git Ng) — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:24:01 +0000

Matan-Paul Shetrit, Director of Product at Writer (www.writer.com), joins Mang-Git to discuss the evolving AI landscape. Matan shares insights from his career in tech, highlighting his time at Flexport, Brex, and A-Team, and delves deep into Writer's offerings including AI Studio, no-code applications, and developer APIs. They explore the build vs. buy dilemma and the real costs and benefits of fine-tuning AI models versus using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Matan also touches on the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into large enterprises, and the importance of tailoring solutions to both technical and non-technical users.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:43 Guest Background and Experience

04:14 Writer AI's Evolution and Offerings

06:48 Enterprise Solutions and Custom Applications

13:03 Build vs. Buy: Personal Insights

15:06 Challenges and Lessons from Flexport

22:51 Brex and Marqeta: Strategic Decisions

26:21 Navigating Spend Management Tools

26:35 AI Models: Build In-House or Use Vendors?

29:15 The Debate on Fine-Tuning AI Models

32:49 Cost Implications of Training AI Models

36:41 Balancing Simplicity and Usefulness in AI

41:52 Personal and Professional Reflections

45:04 Product Recommendations and Final Thoughts

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Jenn Knight, Co-Founder & CTO at AgentSync

services@useanvil.com (Mang-Git Ng, Jenn Knight) — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Jenn Knight, Co-Founder and CTO of AgentSync (www.agentsync.io), joins host Mang-Git to dive into the dynamics of the build vs. buy decision many businesses face. This episode covers the intricacies of building business applications, such as within the Salesforce ecosystem, and explores real-world examples, including the implementation of CPQ solutions at Dropbox. Jenn shares her wealth of experience from working with numerous tech giants and highlights her passion for understanding evolving business needs in the insurance space.

00:00 Introduction

01:02 Jenn's Background and Career Journey

01:37 Understanding AgentSync and the Insurance Ecosystem

02:52 Salesforce as a Platform for Business Applications

04:08 Building on Salesforce: Challenges and Advantages

06:21 The Build vs. Buy Dilemma

08:19 Real-World Examples and Decision-Making

11:28 Continuous Evaluation and Adaptation

18:23 Digital Transformation in Legacy Industries

23:37 Preparing for the Main Discussion

24:04 Reflecting on Dropbox's Sales Strategy

25:17 Challenges in Configuring Price Quotes

26:07 Building vs. Buying: A Strategic Decision

27:18 The Evolution of Dropbox's CPQ System

35:00 Personal and Professional Excitements

41:12 The Joy of Craftsmanship

44:32 Conclusion and Farewell

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Luke Thomas, Director of New Products at Zapier

services@useanvil.com (Luke Thomas, Mang-Git Ng) — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 18:08:22 +0000

0:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:39 Luke Thomas's Background and Role at Zapier

03:23 Exploring Zapier's New Products

03:48 Deep Dive into Zapier's Product Features

08:37 Challenges and Strategies in Build vs. Buy Decisions

15:35 Real-World Example: AI Chatbots Product

21:57 Implementing a Simple Solution

22:15 Navigating Procurement Challenges

22:53 Building a Business Case

23:55 Legal and Compliance Hurdles

25:21 Vendor Collaboration Success

28:20 Insights on Sales and Procurement

35:44 Personalized AI in Education

38:38 Favorite Product Purchase

40:38 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Kshitij Grover, Co-Founder and CTO at Orb

services@useanvil.com (Kshitij Grover, Mang-Git Ng) — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:50:13 +0000

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:15 Shitesh Grover's Professional Journey

01:37 Understanding Orb's Usage-Based Billing

03:03 Challenges and Opportunities in Monetization

06:47 Comparing Orb with Stripe

12:26 Building vs. Buying: A Deep Dive

24:34 Evaluating Vendors and Making Decisions

30:00 Exciting Projects and Personal Insights

31:56 Conclusion and Farewell

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Vincent Paquet, Chief Product Officer at Dialpad

services@useanvil.com (Vincent Paquet, Mang-Git Ng) — Thu, 1 Aug 2024 18:29:29 +0000

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:24 Vincent Paquet's Background and Dialpad Overview

03:33 Evolution of Dialpad and AI Integration

04:26 Build vs. Buy Decision-Making

12:54 Case Study: Acquiring Talk IQ

19:08 Impact of AI on User Experience

22:29 Future of AI and Communication

36:13 Wrap-Up and Personal Insights

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Josh Lewis, Co-Founder and CEO at Sensible

services@useanvil.com (Josh Lewis, Mang-Git Ng) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 23:33:12 +0000

00:00 Introduction to Non-Core Value Proposition

19:30 The Importance of Buying Dev Tools

19:49 First Principles and Engineering Constraints

20:55 Challenges in Building a Company

22:26 Open Source and Engineering Mindsets

24:03 Email and Customer Support Systems

25:08 Build vs. Buy: A Case Study

26:20 Revenue Generating vs. Margin Increasing Projects

30:10 Engineering Decisions and Integration Challenges

33:25 Exciting Projects and Future Work

35:37 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Cameron Nordholm, Head of Product at Covered Insurance

services@useanvil.com (Cameron Nordholm, Mang-Git Ng) — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 19:16:11 +0000

In this episode of Build vs. Buy, Cameron Nordholm, Head of Product at Covered Insurance joins Mang-Git to reflect on a pivotal decision he faced at his company regarding whether to build a custom solution or buy off-the-shelf software for embedded analytics. The discussion dives deep into Cameron's journey, highlighting key moments and insights that shaped his decision-making process.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

00:32 Cameron's Journey in Insurance

01:18 Covered Insurance: Business Model and Role

03:16 Embedded Insurance and Innovation

03:49 Build vs Buy: Setting the Stage

06:37 Gainfully's Pivot to Enterprise

10:28 Challenges and Decisions in Build vs Buy

17:51 Team Alignment and Final Decision

21:10 The SWOT Analysis Debate

22:12 The Big Reveal: Build or Buy?

22:49 Flexibility and Customer Needs

25:39 Enterprise Focus and Reporting Challenges

26:49 Reflections on Decision Making

33:55 Exploring Professional Interests

35:50 Product Management Evolution

40:02 The Sonos Experience: Pros and Cons

42:48 Final Thoughts and Reflections

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].

Joshua Jensen, Co-Founder and CEO at Inspectify

services@useanvil.com (Mang-Git Ng, Joshua Jensen) — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 06:19:10 +0000

[Pilot episode]

In this episode of the Build vs. Buy podcast, host Mang-Git talks with Joshua Jensen, co-founder and CEO of Inspectify. Inspectify makes it easier to complete home inspections with their national network of licensed home inspectors and common software / data platform.

Joshua shares his journey in tech and real estate, the evolution of Inspectify, and their decision-making process for building versus buying software solutions. The discussion highlights the importance of capturing structured data and how Inspectify balances internal development with external partnerships to enhance their inspection platform.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:31 Guest Introduction: Joshua Jensen

02:25 Inspectify: Revolutionizing Property Inspections

04:27 The Build vs Buy Dilemma

07:21 Case Study: OCR Implementation at Inspectify

17:56 Decision Making and Team Dynamics

21:51 Future Prospects and Exciting Projects

25:19 Lighthearted Wrap-Up and Recommendations

28:45 Conclusion and Farewell

This episode was brought to you by Anvil [https://useanvil.com].