Many technology companies are currently focused on optimizing their cloud and tech expenditures due to economic pressures, leading them to reconsider the "Build vs. Buy" approach for software solutions. This shift comes after a decade of rapid expansion and high compensation in tech industries, driven by the need to develop competitive data and infrastructure capabilities akin to Google's model from 2010. However, this growth resulted in inefficiencies, such as underutilized servers and high operational costs. Confluent argues that managing Kafka clusters internally is not a core competency for most businesses and that their fully managed cloud service can offer significant cost savings and efficiency improvements. They assert their service is not only more affordable but also more reliable and complete, capable of freeing up valuable engineering resources for critical projects, and they encourage potential clients to compare costs through their estimator, offering a financial incentive if they fail to demonstrate savings.