> Regarding the 'buy vs build' I think buying software is one of the most risky things that you can do. Since it cost money you cannot then say 'o well, i guess it just did not pan out, let us just not use it'. Now you are kind of married to the software.

It is usually way more costly and risky to develop your own. It's many hours spent on what is a separate product to your actual product, and you're way more married to it: you've just spent money, time and energy developping a custom homegrown solution. What are the chances you'll go "o well, i guess it just did not pan out, let us just not use it"? Very, very low

So you end up spending more money and a significant amount of time/energy for a product that's probably subpar because there's no reason you'd do better than companies that are focused on this product.

I think buying software is one of the least risky things you can do, you know exactly how much money you have at risk and you usually know pretty well what you're buying. You don't know how much money/time/energy it will take to make your own solution, and you don't know what result you'll get.