In 1995, Jim Barksdale was wrapping up Netscape's IPO roadshow when a banker asked the question on everyone’s mind: "How do you know that Microsoft isn't just going to bundle a browser into their product?" Jim responded:
"Gentlemen, there's only two ways I know of to make money: bundling and unbundling."
With that single sentence, he captured the rhythm of the tech industry perfectly. For three decades, we've watched this cycle play out: incumbents expand by bundling more products into their ecosystems, startups break through by unbundling with sharper, more focused products.
But right now, we're witnessing something unprecedented: the fastest, most aggressive rebundling wave in tech history.
I recently joined Brian Balfour and Fareed Mosavat on the Unsolicited Feedback podcast to discuss why everyone seems to be building everything—at ludicrous speed.
