Chris Handy

“Agent” is the most buzzy word in tech right now. That usually means it won’t age well. The term, not the idea. When marketing AI products or features. I think it’s ok to talk about things as an agent, but I wouldn’t name the whole product around that any more than I would call something “Blank AI”.

What are some other good words that normal people would recognize?

• Assistant
• Sidekick
• Copilot (although Microsoft really ran with this)

What are other words like this you’ve seen?

I believe there is a shift happening in software. For years, the promise was customizability—vendors built flexible tools, and customers spent time and money tailoring them to fit their workflows.

But things are changing. It’s getting easier and cheaper to build personalized software, and we’re seeing a growing demand for what I’d call “opinionated software.”

Here’s what I mean by that…

Opinionated software doesn’t just give you tools; it gives you a process to adopt right out of the box.

Why does this matter? Because the old model—buy a tool, hire a team to customize and implement it, and hope your team adopts it—just isn’t sustainable anymore. Too many companies invest in tools they never fully use.

Instead, more users want ready-made solutions. Tools that ship with templates, playbooks, or best-practice workflows baked in. They want to get value on Day 1, not after a six-month implementation and an expensive consultant to implement it. (I’ve been one of those consultants, so I don’t take this lightly.)

I’ve been thinking a lot about this as I build my own nightstand and weekends software project for product marketers (I posted about this on Monday). The feedback is clear: people don’t just want tools—they want guidance on how to use them.

In many ways, I think we’re entering the golden age of opinionated software. It’s what companies like Basecamp have been doing for years—offering strong opinions about how work should get done, not just handing users a blank slate.

I’m curious to explore more of these workflows. What other examples of opinionated software do you love? Let’s keep the conversation going.

Prediction: in 2025, we’ll see more B2B websites implement a behavior based collection of relevant materials for the visitor on a “For You” page.

Progress is slow, but steady if you keep at it.

Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.

My favorite quote by Bill Gates.

Today is the biggest day of the year for Apple software. It’s called #WWDC and they are about to lay out all the updates. I have some thoughts on how they handle the AI story.

Apple had a great brand for “Intelligence” that they’ve let flounder a bit. GENIUS.

Remember “Genius Playlists”? They were an early version of machine learning and was described this way:

“You can use Genius to have iTunes play songs from your library that sound great together. “

I wouldn’t be surprise if they just use Siri for the brand, but I could also see them using “Genius” to inject into different areas of the products.

I have a lot of thoughts on exactly HOW they’ll integrate LLMs practically for helping a user navigate their day faster. But I wonder that you think? What are we going to hear?

#WWDC24

Hey there. I want to share some thoughts I’ve had this week on change. These are based on things I’m seeing in the market and how quickly the world is changing due to AI.

You can view the video below.

I actually used a tool to help me summarize the thoughts I share in this video for your notes as well below.

Recent Events

OpenAI Event

• OpenAI had an event showcasing their updated ChatGPT model.
• They demonstrated live demos and took questions from the audience.
• The event was not highly produced but felt very tangible and immediate.
• Some features are not yet live to the public but were demoed live.

Google I/O

• Google discussed future updates to their AI and large language models.
• The keynote was more about forecasting and imagining future possibilities.
• The contrast between the two events was stark; OpenAI felt more immediate and actionable.

Key Takeaways

Tangibility of OpenAI vs. Google’s Forecasting

• OpenAI’s event felt more tangible and actionable.
• Google’s keynote was more about future possibilities and less about immediate changes.

Implications for Business Models

• Google’s upcoming changes to search results will impact business models significantly.
• AI-generated content will be more prominent at the top of search results.
• This shift will affect businesses that rely on Google for traffic.

Need for Change

• Businesses will need to adapt to the new search dynamics.
• Building direct relationships with the audience will become crucial.
• It’s not just about collecting emails but delivering real value and building a positive brand image.

Challenges Ahead

• Websites that rely on traffic from Google will face challenges.
• Direct relationships with the audience will be more important than ever.
• Traditional channels like Google Ads and SEO will still be relevant but will require new strategies.

Personal Reflection

• These changes have me thinking about how I need to adapt my work, products, and personal projects.
• It’s important to stay ahead of these changes and think about new approaches.

Final Thoughts

• Change is coming, and it’s essential to be prepared.
• I’m curious about what others think will change with these new updates and changes to large language models and search results.

I saw a debate on LinkedIn over whether or not it’s “dated” for the sales rep dress up for sales calls. Most people who chimed in are sales reps that choose to not dress up and tend to wear hoodies and hats on calls.

I personally keep a collared shirt on a hanger and a hairbrush right by my desk so I can get ready for a customer facing call in 10 seconds if needed.

On days where I have a lot of calls, I stay dressed up with proper shoes. Why shoes? No one will see them in Zoom call, right? Sometimes it’s about feeling the part as much as it is displaying the part.

If you have terrible sound, or a feedback echo, even a three piece suit won’t save you. The experience for the other side is just too painful.

If you aren’t going to dress up, good lighting can still make you look 10x better and more prepared.

In order of importance:

1. Sound
2. Lighting
3. Wardrobe

There’s a real difference in mindset and results between those folks who see Closed Won as the destination vs. those that see it for what it is. A point in time.

Incentives matter… and there’s an “incentive paradox” at play when product-led meets sales-led.

When you are doing a great job with product education, have transparent pricing, and make it easy for anyone to get started, you will have inherently less meetings as a percentage of traffic.

If you are measured on short term performance on meeting volume, it can be tempting to start to add friction back into the process.

This is often a mistake. Product-led companies with a sales-led component will often do far better in the long run; as an eays to use, helpful, easy to learn product often attracts more champions, awareness, and funnily enough… demo meetings.

You have to work transparently with other teams and to align on the goals and have the tough conversations with the stakeholders ahad of time so you don’t find yourself scambling and making rash decisions.

The first instinct for some sales reps is to reduce prices to close deals. People aren’t always asking because they can’t afford it.

• Prospect: Discount?

• Me: Hey there. Are you looking for a discount on our product? We do offer a team plan with a lower cost per seat.

• Prospect: Is there a discount code?

• Me: is the current pricing outside your budget? We think it’s a pretty fair deal.

• Customer: No just bought it.

Sometimes I step into a sales role to stay close to the customer and what they really want. Which isn’t always as it seems. Asking follow up questions is the only way to get cut through the noise.

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