When I worked a corporate job, I was often in charge of purchasing decisions. At one company, my team had inherited a lot of homegrown solutions. I saw the limitations of these products and was quick to replace them if the budget allowed.
In corporate settings, “build vs. buy” is a well-known decision framework. Companies weigh the cost of developing something in-house against purchasing an outside solution. It’s often simple math: how much time and resources does it take to maintain this internally versus what does it cost to buy or outsource?
Solopreneurs face the same decision constantly. However, the stakes are a lot higher when it’s your own time and own money as decision factors.
Knowing when to DIY and when to hire out is one of the most important operational decisions a solopreneur makes — and one that’s hard to figure out until you’ve been through it a few times.
