Frequently Asked Questions
I'm not a procurement professional. Is this course for me?
Yes — and it was built specifically for you. The Accidental Buyer is not a procurement training. It's a practical guide for professionals who have been handed a software purchasing project without a formal background in buying. HR Directors, Operations leads, Marketing Managers, Project Champions at nonprofits and mid-size companies — if someone gave you a software project and said "figure it out," this course was made for you.
I am a procurement professional. Is this still relevant to me?
Possibly — it depends on your experience. If you work in a formal procurement function and regularly manage competitive vendor processes, you may already know much of what this course covers. Where it's likely to add value is in the vendor-side dynamics: understanding what sellers are actually doing and why, how to decode commercial behavior, what's genuinely negotiable and what isn't, and how to run a reference call that produces real signal rather than a polished endorsement. If that sounds useful, it probably is. If you're already confident in those areas, this course is probably better suited to the colleagues you're supporting than to you directly.
I'm not the final decision maker. Does this course still apply to me?
Absolutely — and it may be even more valuable for you than for the person who holds the budget. The Project Champion — the person driving the evaluation without final sign-off authority — is the person who does the most work, has the most vendor conversations, and has the most to gain from understanding the process deeply. Your ability to navigate this well directly determines the quality of the outcome, regardless of who signs the contract.
I've already started my evaluation. Is it too late for this course to help me?
Not even close. Some of the most immediately valuable modules in the course apply to the middle and end of an evaluation — understanding vendor behavior, navigating contracts, negotiating effectively, managing the handoff after signature. The course is designed to be modular. Go directly to whatever is most relevant to where you are right now. Wherever you are in your evaluation, you are not too late.
I work in [healthcare / financial services / education / government]. Does this apply to my industry?
Yes. The mechanics of how enterprise software gets bought and sold are remarkably consistent across industries. The players are the same. The process is the same. The contracts are the same. The pressures are the same. The instructor's background is primarily in the nonprofit sector, and that context is present throughout the course — but the frameworks are deliberately industry-agnostic. Where industry-specific dynamics are relevant, they are flagged. Otherwise, trust that what you're learning translates.
I work at a small organization. Isn't this built for enterprise buyers?
The course covers the full spectrum — from mid-market to enterprise purchases. Smaller organizations often face the same dynamics as larger ones, with fewer internal resources to navigate them. If anything, a first-time buyer at a smaller organization has more to gain from this course, because there's typically no procurement department, no in-house legal team, and no experienced colleague to ask.
I'm a seller, not a buyer. Is there value here for me?
Yes — and this comes up often enough that it's worth addressing directly. Understanding how your buyers actually think, what they're experiencing on their side of the process, and why they behave the way they do is genuinely valuable for anyone in sales. New AEs, BDRs, and SDRs in particular have found this perspective clarifying in ways that formal sales training doesn't typically cover. The course was built for buyers — but the buyer's perspective is exactly what makes it useful for sellers too.
Can't I just Google this stuff?
You can Google definitions and frameworks. What you can't Google is the perspective of someone who has spent years on the other side of the table — inside quota conversations, deal dynamics, and the specific mechanics of how software gets bought and sold. The difference between scattered information and a synthesized insider perspective is the difference between knowing that discovery exists and understanding exactly why it happens, what the seller is trying to accomplish, and how to use it in your favor. Google gives you the former. This course gives you the latter.
Can't I just use ChatGPT for this?
You could get a general overview from an AI tool — some frameworks, a glossary, a list of things to consider. What you won't get is the perspective of someone who has lived this process from both sides. The insider view — the translation guide for what sellers are actually saying, the understanding of what drives vendor behavior, the commercial dynamics that determine what's negotiable — comes from real professional experience, not synthesis. AI is a research tool. This course is a perspective. They are different things.
I only buy software once every few years. Is this worth it for a one-time purchase?
Two answers. First — the cost of getting a single purchase wrong, at the scale most Accidental Buyers are operating at, is measured in tens of thousands of dollars. Unfavorable contract terms, a vendor who overpromised, an implementation that failed because the wrong stakeholders were involved at the wrong time — these are expensive mistakes. The course costs a fraction of that. Second — the skills in this course transfer well beyond software. Building a business case, navigating a vendor relationship, reading a contract, negotiating effectively — these are professional skills with wide application.
My organization has a procurement team. Do I still need this?
Yes — and here's the distinction. Procurement handles your organization's process — approval thresholds, required documentation, preferred vendor lists. What they typically don't provide is strategic guidance on how to evaluate vendors, decode seller behavior, manage a buying committee, run a reference call, or build a CFO-ready business case. This course fills the knowledge gap that procurement doesn't cover. Think of it as making you a better partner to your own procurement team.
I feel like I've been managing just fine without this.
You might be right. Some buyers do navigate this process successfully through a combination of good instincts, helpful colleagues, and a forgiving vendor. But "managing fine" and "getting the best possible outcome" are different things. The buyers who understand the process — who know what's negotiable, who understand why sellers behave the way they do, who show up to vendor conversations as credible and prepared — consistently get better deals, better relationships, and better implementations than the ones who are figuring it out as they go.
Why does the course cost what it does?
The knowledge in this course took years to develop — from real experience inside hundreds of sales cycles, across multiple industries, watching deals succeed and fail for reasons that had everything to do with buyer preparation. Packaging that into a structured, immediately applicable course required significant time and care. More practically: the cost of a single bad software decision — a vendor who doesn't deliver, a contract with unfavorable terms, an implementation that fails — almost always runs to tens of thousands of dollars. This course costs a fraction of that. If it helps you avoid one significant mistake, it pays for itself many times over.
Can I expense this?
In many organizations, yes. This course falls squarely within professional development and business skills training. It is directly applicable to your current work responsibilities. Many organizations allow employees to expense learning and development investments — particularly those that fall under a discretionary threshold. The course is priced specifically with that threshold in mind. Check your organization's L&D policy. There's a reasonable chance someone else is paying for this.
Is there a refund policy?
Yes. If you complete the course and feel it didn't deliver real value, reach out within 14 days and we'll make it right. The goal of this course is to genuinely help you navigate one of the more complicated professional challenges most people encounter without a guide. If it doesn't do that for you, you shouldn't pay for it.
I've spent money on courses before and never finished them. What makes this different?
That's a legitimate concern and worth taking seriously. A few things that distinguish this course. First, the content is immediately applicable — if you're in an active evaluation right now, almost every lesson connects directly to something you're about to do or have already done. Second, the modules are short and focused — most are between seven and ten minutes — which means you can learn something meaningful in the time between two meetings. Third, the course is designed to be referenced, not just completed. Come back to the negotiation module before a contract conversation. Rewatch the vendor dynamics lessons before a difficult call. It's a reference guide as much as it is a course.
I'm in the middle of an evaluation right now. Should I wait until my next one to enroll?
No — enroll now. The most valuable thing about this course for someone in an active evaluation is that it applies immediately. You can go directly to the modules that are most relevant to where you are today. If you're heading into contract negotiations, go straight to Module 5. If you're still in the evaluation phase, start with Module 3. The course meets you wherever you are.
I don't have time to watch a full course right now.
You don't have to watch it all at once. Most lessons are seven to ten minutes long and are designed to stand independently. Watch one lesson on your commute. Watch two the night before an important vendor call. The course is structured for busy professionals with real jobs — not people who can block off a week to study. Engaging with even a handful of the most relevant lessons before a key moment in your evaluation will make a measurable difference.
My evaluation is almost over. Is there still value?
Yes — particularly in Modules 5 and 6. If you haven't signed yet, the contract, negotiation, and pre-commitment checklist content is exactly where you are right now. If you've already signed, Module 6 on the handoff and the renewal cycle will serve you well for the duration of your contract. And next time you're in an evaluation — which will arrive sooner than you expect — you'll have the full course ready to use from the start.
Does this course cover my specific software category?
The course is deliberately category-agnostic. It does not cover specific software products, vendors, or platforms — because doing so would date the course, create potential conflicts of interest, and undermine its evergreen value. The frameworks apply whether you're buying an HRIS, a CRM, a project management tool, a financial platform, or any other category of enterprise SaaS. What changes across categories are the specific features and vendors. What doesn't change is how the process works — and that's what this course teaches.
Does this course give legal or financial advice?
No — and it's explicit about this. The contracts module explains what each document is and what to look for in plain language. The business case and CFO modules help you think through financial framing. But the course consistently defers to your internal legal and finance teams for all substantive decisions in those areas. It is designed to make you a more informed partner to your own experts — not to replace them.
Will this course go out of date as the software industry evolves?
The specific tools and vendors change constantly. The fundamentals of how enterprise software gets bought and sold are remarkably stable. The sales process, the roles, the commercial pressures, the contract structures, the negotiation dynamics — these have been consistent for years. The course is designed to give you a durable framework for thinking, not a set of static facts to memorize. Where specific details are subject to change, the course teaches you how to evaluate and navigate rather than what to conclude.
Does the course cover AI-specific software procurement?
Not in its current form. The course covers enterprise SaaS procurement broadly, and many of the frameworks apply to AI tool evaluation as well. A dedicated lesson or module on AI-specific procurement considerations — model training and data ownership provisions, AI compliance considerations, evaluating rapidly evolving vendor landscapes — has been identified as a meaningful future addition. It is not covered in the current version.
Can I share the course with colleagues or my team?
Standard enrollment is for individual access. If you're interested in team or organizational access — for a buying committee, a department, or an organization that regularly navigates software purchases — reach out directly and we'll find an arrangement that works. Team pricing is available.
Is this course available in formats other than video?
The course is delivered through video lessons on Kajabi. Written summaries and supplementary materials accompany relevant lessons. A template bundle — six practical tools in Google Docs and Sheets format — is available as an add-on and maps directly to key lessons in the course.
Will I get a certificate when I complete the course?
Yes. Completing the course generates a shareable LinkedIn certificate of completion. For professionals navigating vendor relationships regularly, or those building a track record in operations, procurement, or project management, it's a meaningful credential to have on your profile.
How do I get in touch if I have a question not answered here?
Reach out directly via the Contact Form. The instructor reads every message and responds personally. If your question is one that other buyers are likely to have, it may end up in a future version of this FAQ.
