💻 As AI accelerates software development, more cleaning industry leaders are asking: Should we build our own software or buy off the shelf? In this episode, co-hosts Karina Neff and Caden Hutchens sit down with Ryan Ferons, Software Architect at Pioneer and the mind behind their proprietary platform Cora, to unpack the real pros and cons of building in-house.

Whether you’re drowning in spreadsheets, dreaming of custom tools, or struggling to get your team to use the tech you already have—this conversation will ground your thinking.

In This Episode:

🔹 Quick Control:

• Recap of Roasted by AI and More Software, More Problems with George Boutsalis

• Upcoming: Funded or Fumbled with Brian Snow

• CLX Virtual Series returns June 24 (Topic: Robotics 🤖)

• 🧠 Don’t miss our live podcast + workshop at the ISSA Business Growth Strategies event in Chicago – June 10–11

👉 Register here

💥 Use code BGS10! for 10% off

🔹 Clear Cache:

• The Build vs. Buy dilemma: cost, timeline, team dynamics, and cultural readiness

• Lessons from 8+ years and over $1M invested into Pioneer’s internal software journey

• What AI can (and can’t) do for software builders today• Why most companies should exhaust off-the-shelf options before going custom

• How to think about software ROI: acquisition, retention, and expansion

🎯 Whether you're a tech tinkerer, scaling operator, or just software-curious, this episode will give you a sobering but strategic lens to evaluate your next big tech move.

🎧 Subscribe & Follow Hard Refresh on Spotify, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platform to stay ahead of the curve.

Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-ferons-92a04516/
Connect with Karina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karina-neff-01b0782a/
Connect with Caden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caden-hutchens/