This session was presented at BLUEPRINT 4D 2026.
OH WAIT… SHOULD I HAVE GOTTEN A PRENUP? Navigating Vendor Relationships, Contracts, and the Moments Nobody Warned You About Every vendor relationship follows the same arc as a personal one. The sales cycle feels like dating — charming, exciting, full of promises. Negotiations are the engagement. Go-live is the honeymoon. And then life gets complicated. What happens when your vendor gets acquired and you're suddenly in a relationship with a company you never chose? When support erodes, pricing resets, and the people who knew your environment are gone? When your vendor announces they're retiring your product and pushing you to SaaS — whether you're ready or not? This session walks through every stage of the vendor relationship arc — from first date to divorce court — with equal parts humor and hard-won practical insight. You'll leave with a clear picture of where your contracts are exposed, what language actually protects you, and what to do before the next surprise hits. The prenup isn't about distrust. It's about clarity. The best time to negotiate it was before the honeymoon. The second best time is right now.
This session is eligible for the following CPE Credit: NASBA, IIBA
Speaker: Shannon Alred, Brown & Root Industrial Services