Good Vibes in Tech Are Back

The vibes in tech have been way off the past few years…and I’ve never been more optimistic that they’re changing for the better.

We’ve been on a rollercoaster and not always in a good way. I’m willing to bet you’ve felt a few drops that were so steep it didn’t feel like we’d level out again. 

Here are just a few that stick out for me:

• COVID and figuring out how to do things remotely

• Economic uncertainty and having to make hard choices

• The Silicon Valley Bank collapse and the heart-dropping reminder that nothing is as firm as it seems

• The chaotic recalibration thanks to AI and rethinking how we do and staff everything

• Rising privacy and security concerns

My Co-founder Brendan and I are intrinsically optimistic people, but these challenges were very much real.

They stretched us as leaders. They challenged us to make hard decisions. They left us wondering if we were making the right decisions – for our team, for our business, and for ourselves. Most importantly, they pushed Brendan and me more than ever to stay true to the principles that have served us since 2006, solidified why we’re in the game and committed to this journey for the long haul. 

Hubspot’s INBOUND 24 was a refreshing reminder that when the road gets bumpy, it will always smooth out again. The energy in Boston last week on the convention floor was electric. The sustained enthusiasm among tech, marketing, and sales leaders was catchy. 

Even more encouraging? Even though we’re all more separated than ever in so many ways thanks to remote work, many of us couldn’t be more on the same page about what we deeply care about. 

I heard consistent themes when I talked to folks at the Wistia Booth and for my podcast Talking Too Loud. Here are just a few:

1. It pays to be authentic. It pays to be vulnerable. It pays to be you. With trust at an all-time low, relationships with a good vibe are more valuable than ever. Sharing who you really are is what people crave. Ditch the formalities – it’s more important to be real.

2. There are no hacks. There are no shortcuts.  If you want to be good at something, you need to keep at it for a really long time...as in years. You need to grind, and you need to be continually open to feedback. Among entrepreneurs, game respects game. If you’re down to work hard, improve, and keep at it, you will find like-minded people who will become friends along the way. 

3. Marketers need to rely on their instincts. We all leaned in hard on quantitative data but basing strategies and plans for the future based solely on performance metrics works only to a point.

Qualitative feedback matters. The energy you’re generating matters. What you’re making people feel matters. When it comes to measuring marketing performance, what’s old is new again. I left INBOUND with a strong feeling that it might be time to bring back a relic of the past –  focus groups – to reconnect with our customers.

What goes around comes around again.

Times have been tough, but nothing is ever as bad as it seems. Tough times build character, and boy, do they make good times sweeter.

If you stick to what you love for the long haul and keep riding the wave, it will pay off, and you’ll encounter fellow travelers who will make the ride all the more fun.

There’s exciting stuff on the horizon, and I’m here for it.