"We'll build it ourselves." Three words that killed more startups than running out of money. Until last week.
Why do we build instead of buy?
Control. "We need to own every piece."
Uniqueness. "Our needs are special."
Pride. "We can do it better."
All lies we tell ourselves.
Or at least they used to be.
At Rocket, we had an ISM: "Obsessed with finding a better way."
Not a harder way. A BETTER way.
For the last decade, "better" meant buying instead of building.
Speed to market.
Speed to learn.
Speed to fail.
Speed to pivot.
That was the gospel.
Then AI entered the chat.
And everything we knew about build vs. buy just got flipped on its head.
Here's what just changed:
Yesterday's math:
Custom solution: 6 months, $150K, 3 developers
Off-the-shelf: 2 weeks, $20K/year, works today
Easy choice, right?
Today's math:
AI-assisted custom build: 2 weeks, $5K, 1 person who can "vibe code"
Off-the-shelf: Still 2 weeks, still $20K/year, still generic
Wait. What?
I watched a team member build an entire CRM, Analytics Platform and web conversion form in days.
Not a prototype. Not a demo.
A working PLATFORM. Tailored to their exact workflow.
Cost: Cursor subscription and some energy.
Three. Days.
The new reality: You don't need to know how to code.
You need to know what you want.
Describe it clearly.
Iterate rapidly.
Ship immediately.
"Vibe coding" isn't just a meme. It's the new competitive advantage.
But here's the twist: This doesn't mean build everything.
It means the calculation changed.
Still buy when:
Problems have already been solved (payment processing, email)
Compliance/Security is complicated (healthcare, finance)
Network effects matter (scheduling, messaging)
Now build when:
Your workflow really IS unique
Speed of iteration beats speed to market
You can maintain it with AI, not engineers
The hidden cost isn't building anymore.
It's not knowing when the rules changed.
While you're still buying expensive solutions that "almost" fit, someone with ChatGPT and courage is building exactly what they need.
In days, not months.|For thousands, not hundreds of thousands.
Pride used to be expensive.
Now ignorance is.
Your turn: What could you build in a weekend that you're paying $500/month for?
Embracing the flip,
Jeff
P.S. I'm not saying abandon all your tools tomorrow. I'm saying the build vs. buy equation just fundamentally changed. And most people haven't noticed yet.
P.P.S. I realize that "vibe coding" isn't perfect. Security and compliance are still serious concerns. Due diligence is required.