Luke Thomas, Director of New Products at Zapier, joins Mang-Git for a discussion of pivotal moments in Luke's career where build vs. buy decisions were crucial, focusing on the recent implementation of a web scraping solution. They cover topics like procurement processes, product lifecycle, and the importance of core competencies in decision-making, with Luke sharing insights from his varied experiences, including the integration of AI into personal projects.
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