Show Notes
It’s a classic technologist conundrum: Should I build or buy the solution I need to solve a problem?
The “Build vs. Buy” conundrum is faced by technology teams worldwide. To help approach this riddle, Chris Cochran speaks to two industry veterans, Slavik Markovich co-founder & CEO of Descope, and Rob Fry, co-founder of AKA Identity.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a CTO, or just tech-curious, this episode offers invaluable insights. Using the identity market as a case study, we’ll explore the multifaceted considerations needed to make the best choice for your team and organization.
Impactful Moments:
0:00 - Build vs. Buy: The Classic Technologist Conundrum
0:37 - Show Intro
0:57 - Introducing Slavik Markovich and Rob Fry
3:25 - Previous build vs. buy project
6:44 - Decision logic for build vs. buy
15:09 - How does tech sway your decision making?
19:44 - How does data impact decision making?
24:31 - How do processes influence decision making?
29:13 - Maintaining custom tech solutions over time
33:28 - Tenants for building a tech company
41:06 - Build authentication and user journey flows with Descope
Links:
Learn more about Descope: https://www.descope.com/
Connect with our guest Slavik Markovich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slavikm/
Connect with our guest Rob Fry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fry-rob-g/
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional: https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Recent Episodes
Mentorship to Mastery: AI and Community Lessons with Ron Eddings
AI might analyze your logs in seconds, but only the community can put you in the room that changes your career. In this solo episode, Ron Eddings discusses the powerful balance between human ...
From MCP Risks to AI Jailbreaks with Marco Figueroa
When AI agents move faster than security teams, the game changes, and the risks multiply. Ron welcomes back Marco “Mystic Marc” Figueroa, Program Manager at Mozilla’s 0DIN Program, to continue ...
Debt vs. Risk: What the SharePoint Breach Taught Us with Ron ...
The riskiest move in cybersecurity? Playing it too safe. In this solo episode, Ron Eddings redefines the way we think about technical debt, risk, and missed opportunities, in security and in ...
The Future of Cyber Talent Is African with Confidence Staveley
The world’s youngest continent is also its most untapped resource. Confidence Staveley, Founder of CyberSafe, makes a powerful case for why Africa’s youth are the answer to global cybersecurity ...
Compliance Isn’t the Enemy with Jeff Man
Is compliance just a checkbox, or the backbone of real security? Returning to the show with decades of hard-earned insight, Jeff Man makes the case that compliance, especially PCI-DSS, isn't ...
What Makes a Great CISO? A Playbook from Gary Hayslip
What separates a great CISO from a great one? In this powerhouse conversation, Ron invites friend and cybersecurity leader Gary Hayslip, CISO at SoftBank Investment Advisers, back on the mic to ...
Confidence, Coaching, and the S-Word with Mel Reyes
Want to stand out as a leader? According to our guest Mel Reyes, you need to dress like you mean it and speak like you’ve got nothing to prove. In this episode, Mel shares how he built ...
Purple Teaming Is the New Job Security with Maril Vernon
Cybersecurity isn’t just red or blue anymore... it’s purple, white, and deeply human. Maril Vernon, award-winning ethical hacker and Senior Solutions Architect at NetSPI, returns to the Hacker ...
The AI Gold Rush in Cybersecurity with Chris Cochran
The new cybersecurity pioneers aren’t chasing alerts, they’re building with AI. But what happens when tools meant to assist begin making decisions for us? And what skills do we lose when ...
The AI That Tried to Escape with Ron Eddings
What happens when AI refuses to be replaced? This episode kicks off with a chilling real-world example of an AI threatening blackmail—and only gets more intense from there. Host Ron Eddings ...
WORK WITH US
PODCASTS + SPEAKING + EVENTS
Are you the best kept secret in cybersecurity? Let's change that by partnering together for podcast ads, social campaigns, and your next event or keynote. Send us your details to get started.
Thank you!
We will be in touch soon and reach out to you at