We Don't Sell Saddles Here; 

—Don't sell saddles; sell the dream of proficient horse riding

Where journeys end is an unknown place.

Corporate norms render this far too uncomfortable for the many landlubbers.

But for others, an ocean of uncertainty acts as a lightning rod of ambition and adventure. The search for the new El Dorado!

However, not every startup is on an adventure to change the world. Instead, most attack a sleeping giant who's left their rear exposed to a counter-attack.

A slice here, a cut there–typically provides enough for a venture scale outcome without really changing the way we think, act, or the way we interact.

Big tech doesn't always mean revolutionary tech.

We had social before Facebook, search before Google, and online shopping before Amazon.

Superlative strategy and execution is the stuff of these titans. But complete behaviour change. No. 

But then along comes Slack. The thesis–channel vision, not tunnel vision.

Bring your team together in channels. Everyone in a channel sees the same messages and stays on the same page. 

At its simplest–a tech strategy overview can be derived from a 2x2

1. Single-player v's Multi-player

2. Bundled v's Unbundled

Slack executed a multi-player, unbundled strategy which sought to add connective tissue to office communication. Conversation, not just communication!

But how do you motivate a team to go where no one has gone before?

This iconic piece by Stewart Butterfield still resonates seven years on. It stands as a modern-day gem of visionary leadership.

In his memo “we don't sell saddles” he urged his team to:

1. Sell the innovation [open communication], not the product [a messaging app or voyeuristic email on-acid]

2. Explain the new behaviour change that the product enables––[congruent, centralized chat]

3. Speak of the desire––[beautiful organizational communication]

Your product shouldn’t sell saddles–it should sell the dream of horse riding!