Playbook Media · Essays7 essays
Writing
Essays on owning and improving software.
Notes on how we think about buying, valuing and improving small software businesses. Opinion and explanation, written to be useful before you ever talk to us.
- Read the offer, not the headlineAn offer for a software business is a list of payments with different certainty. How to value each part.20 October 2026
- Own the customer relationshipWhy a software business that owns its customer relationships is worth more than one that rents them from a platform.20 October 2026
- Platform risk is a line itemDependence on one platform is a real cost. How to measure it, and how we treat it when we review a business.20 October 2026
- Our anti-goalsThe things Playbook Media has decided not to do, and why a list of refusals says more than a list of ambitions.20 October 2026
- Ownership needs craftWhy Playbook Media combines patient, long-term ownership with hands-on product improvement.20 October 2026
- Activation is the quiet half of growthWhy helping new customers reach a product’s useful outcome is often the best growth work for a small software business.20 October 2026
- Small is a complete sentenceA profitable software business that serves its customers well is a success. Why these businesses deserve good owners.20 October 2026
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