Zac Smith

You kind of, everybody knows that you do it. Like that's where it's all working. Then you write kind of like below it, you have the stuff that's like starting to work. And I think they call them like horizon one and horizon two, something like. It's right here or it's like a future opportunity. And then they're over on the bottom left. And I'm totally bastardizing this.

You kind of, everybody knows that you do it. Like that's where it's all working. Then you write kind of like below it, you have the stuff that's like starting to work. And I think they call them like horizon one and horizon two, something like. It's right here or it's like a future opportunity. And then they're over on the bottom left. And I'm totally bastardizing this.

So please, like somebody Google it and it will make a lot of sense. But on the bottom left, you have like innovation, which is this kind of like incubation zone.

So please, like somebody Google it and it will make a lot of sense. But on the bottom left, you have like innovation, which is this kind of like incubation zone.

uh which is not even a thing yet we don't even know right it's super weird it's super scary we might fail probably will fail we're not sure and then you kind of got this like adoption zone where it's like oh it's starting to work what i realize is that you know these the zone up in the right hand side where it's winning you know it's that way because it actually focuses you know it figures out what works for example with equinix interconnected co-location works

uh which is not even a thing yet we don't even know right it's super weird it's super scary we might fail probably will fail we're not sure and then you kind of got this like adoption zone where it's like oh it's starting to work what i realize is that you know these the zone up in the right hand side where it's winning you know it's that way because it actually focuses you know it figures out what works for example with equinix interconnected co-location works

They dominate the market. They've been doing that for a while. Everybody knows that that's what they do. And they then build processes that keep that market leading around it. And so internally at the company, and I'm sure that this is at other market leading companies like, say, Google right now with their ad business. there's a very protectionist approach.

They dominate the market. They've been doing that for a while. Everybody knows that that's what they do. And they then build processes that keep that market leading around it. And so internally at the company, and I'm sure that this is at other market leading companies like, say, Google right now with their ad business. there's a very protectionist approach.

Like don't distract from winning at the thing that is working. Like don't get us off track because we're nailing it every quarter. The customers love it. We're dominating the market. Keep doing that. But what that can do is that can obviously take something that looks not working yet, e.g. incubation or some sort of innovation and kill it. Right.

Like don't distract from winning at the thing that is working. Like don't get us off track because we're nailing it every quarter. The customers love it. We're dominating the market. Keep doing that. But what that can do is that can obviously take something that looks not working yet, e.g. incubation or some sort of innovation and kill it. Right.

Cause it's a distraction to the market leading component of the business. And so, um, that was definitely one of the challenges we had at Equinix was they were trying to figure out how this 20 years of market leadership they had around a single thing, you know, well, what happens to the next thing?

Cause it's a distraction to the market leading component of the business. And so, um, that was definitely one of the challenges we had at Equinix was they were trying to figure out how this 20 years of market leadership they had around a single thing, you know, well, what happens to the next thing?

You know, what did they say about like, there's this, a funny phrase, you know, it's like, I went broke slowly and then all at once, you know, it's like, it's like it was working and I was the number one until, I mean, look at Intel right now until I wasn't. I think that there was a good self-awareness at Equinix. Like, Hey, how are we going to upgrade our,

You know, what did they say about like, there's this, a funny phrase, you know, it's like, I went broke slowly and then all at once, you know, it's like, it's like it was working and I was the number one until, I mean, look at Intel right now until I wasn't. I think that there was a good self-awareness at Equinix. Like, Hey, how are we going to upgrade our,

products and our experiences for the next thing. And so acquisition is part of that. And I think startups play a great role because there is no past. all they have is future. So there is no, you know, zone that is swapping away innovation. Everybody's like all hand, all ideas are good because we need to figure out how to survive or, you know, make the next wave.

products and our experiences for the next thing. And so acquisition is part of that. And I think startups play a great role because there is no past. all they have is future. So there is no, you know, zone that is swapping away innovation. Everybody's like all hand, all ideas are good because we need to figure out how to survive or, you know, make the next wave.

And so I think that's like super interesting. The companies who have figured out how to do that over and over and over again. And like, whether they figure out how to incubate, like what, you know, maybe certain companies do with labs divisions or open source or side projects or through MNA. Like I, I had a, very much, you know, a renewed appreciation for that, for that cycle.

And so I think that's like super interesting. The companies who have figured out how to do that over and over and over again. And like, whether they figure out how to incubate, like what, you know, maybe certain companies do with labs divisions or open source or side projects or through MNA. Like I, I had a, very much, you know, a renewed appreciation for that, for that cycle.

Yeah, they're not in the performance zone. That's what it was called. You got the performance zone.

Yeah, they're not in the performance zone. That's what it was called. You got the performance zone.