Why Your Tech Investment Needs a Profit Strategy | Don Gregori

Visit https://www.pamjordan.com to work with Pam’s team.

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What if the technology you’re investing in to grow your business is actually costing you more than you realize?

In this episode of Pivot to Profit, Pam Jordan sits down with Don Gregori, Chief Operating Officer of First Factory, a custom nearshore software solutions provider. With more than 25 years of experience in product development, digital transformation, operations, and AI adoption, Don brings a unique perspective on how business owners can make smarter technology decisions without losing sight of profitability.

Pam and Don dive into one of the biggest mistakes businesses make when investing in software: focusing only on the upfront cost. From ongoing maintenance and security to updates, scalability, and costly rework, they discuss why the cheapest option today can become the most expensive decision tomorrow—especially as AI accelerates how quickly software can be built.

They also explore why building a great product isn’t enough to build a successful business. Don explains why startups should prioritize generating customer revenue early, why every dollar of funding shouldn’t go toward product development, and why sales, marketing, customer experience, and profitability need to be part of the strategy from the beginning.

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Inside this episode, Pam and Don discuss:

• Why choosing the cheapest software solution can cost significantly more long term

• The ongoing maintenance costs business owners often overlook when budgeting for technology

• Why businesses should consider budgeting 20–25% of a software project’s cost annually for maintenance

• How AI is changing software development—and making strong strategy and guardrails even more important

• Why scalability, security, and future growth should influence technology decisions from day one

• Why startups should focus on generating customer revenue instead of only chasing funding

• Why your product isn’t the same thing as your business

• How to balance spending across product development, marketing, sales, customer service, and design

• Why profitability gives business owners greater control over the future of their companies

• How running lean can help businesses weather downturns and continue investing when competitors pull back

• Why strong leadership and the human element remain competitive advantages in the age of AI

Technology can create incredible opportunities for growth, but investing in technology without considering the complete financial picture can quickly drain cash and profitability.

This episode challenges business owners to think beyond what a new platform, AI tool, or software project costs today—and consider what it will take to maintain, scale, and generate a return from that investment tomorrow.

Because your tech strategy shouldn’t just help you build more. It should help you build a stronger, more profitable business.

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Connect with Don:

His Book: https://www.emergentleader.co

First Factory: https://www.firstfactory.com

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Connect with Pam:

Website: https://www.pamjordan.com/