I've been following Zapier from the sidelines for a while, and from early on I was fascinated about the way they managed to leverage the network effect to grow.

I've been following Zapier from the sidelines for a while, and from early on I was fascinated about the way they managed to leverage the network effect to grow. In retrospect it seems obvious, but they probably would't be where they are today if they hadn't built it as an open platform (for partners developing their own zaps) from the beginning. Actually met two of the founders (Wade and Bryan) in mountain view when they were based in the YC offices (5+ years ago). Sometimes it's easy to think someone's just lucky, but in this case I think it's pure focus, talent, and a great understanding of the acquisition sources that got them here. Looking forward to see where they'll be in another 5 years.