Educate

Des Traynor traces how Intercom grew from a design agency and a small developer tool into software for communicating with customers. He explains how to reach buyers through useful content, understand the different problems that lead people to a product, and keep product, marketing, and brand aligned. He argues that products should solve problems that are important, frequent, or both, and that small, rare problems are hard to turn into sustainable businesses. He also discusses scaling teams, hiring in unfamiliar functions, and building a company around a clear vision.