The whole article is interesting, of course, but a couple points make a surprisingly counterintuitive case: It seems that plenty of startups are doing all their code in-house. The age-old “build vs buy” problem is tipping too far towards “build.” Not only that, but it’s happening at the expense of a faster, streamlined company.
Why Startups Should Outsource
78 percent of the 673 respondents to the question “Has all the software been coded in-house?” answered “Yes, expect for open source/APIs.” It’s a pretty overwhelmingly cohesive answer as far as polls go, but it appears to go against a couple common-sense observations about how a modern-day startup should work, Martinez says:
In-House Building Slows Development
Many companies built their own invoicing and monitoring software. 50 percent even ran their own payment systems. These issues, which could be solved by small B2B partnerships, drag down development speeds: [Second] It’s easier than ever before to access freelancers, and it’s harder than ever before to hire developers.” The number of companies who opted for building over buying was a “surprise,” Martinez added. The takeaway for your own early stage team? When you’re making that build vs buy decision, maybe weigh the buy part a tiny bit higher. And don’t build your own payment system. Come on, guys.
