Playbook: Brownfield vs Greenfield

Before you compare a single vendor, a lot of the decision is already made. The systems you run today rule some platforms out, and the choices you make now decide whether a requirement three years from now means adding a license or replacing something the business runs on. In this Playbook, Max Clark, CEO of ITBroker.com, answers a question he was asked directly: which is harder, brownfield or greenfield? Brownfield means building on systems you already have. Greenfield means starting from nothing. Max walks through why your existing setup narrows your options more than any feature comparison or RFP, what to plan for when you're starting fresh, and why each situation needs its own approach. **What You'll Learn** - How to tell if a new platform will work with the systems you already run - How your existing technology narrows your vendor options before you compare them - What to plan for when you're choosing IT infrastructure from scratch - How to plan infrastructure for the next three to five years of business growth - How to avoid buying technology you'll have to replace later - Why brownfield and greenfield projects need different buying approaches **Answer These Before You Compare Vendors** 1. What does a new system have to work with? List the hardware you plan to keep and the platforms it has to connect to, like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and your CRM. A vendor that can't support something on that list is either out or carrying a replacement cost. 2. Which of those are you willing to replace? Some older equipment is worth replacing anyway. Decide that before the demo, so it's in the vendor's price instead of showing up during the rollout. 3. What does your business plan say about the next three years? New locations and new compliance requirements change what your platform has to support. Write them down while they're still plans. 4. If one of those happens, is it a license or a rebuild? Ask this about every platform you're considering. A feature you can turn on is a line item. A core system you have to replace is a project. If you can't answer two of these in writing, you're not ready to compare vendors yet. Max walks through both sides in the episode. **The Playbook** - (00:00) - The three year test: add a license or replace a core system - (00:32) - Why existing systems make vendor selection easier - (01:32) - Why your current setup matters more than the RFP - (02:31) - Starting from scratch: decisions that last five to seven years - (02:59) - How your industry shapes what you'll need next - (03:55) - Why neither approach is easier **Resources Mentioned** - Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, Max's first example of a decision that already limits which platforms fit - Salesforce and HubSpot, the CRM choice that shapes what you can layer on top of it - Unified communications (UCaaS), the phone system category in Max's example of checking a new platform against the hardware you already own **About Signed** Signed is the podcast for buyers in a market built for sellers. Playbooks are the solo format: one trigger, one specific play. New episodes weekly at itbroker.com/podcast. If the trigger in today's Playbook is one you're facing right now, book an intro call at itbroker.com. We help buyers make the right call the first time. Buy tech without regret. Follow: @itbrokerdotcom **Full Transcript** [Click here to view the episode transcript.](https://share.transistor.fm/s/5182f7ee/transcript "Click here to view the episode transcript.")