Not all failures are dead ends—some are just the beginning of something bigger. Stewart Butterfield, a name now synonymous with workplace productivity, once sold his startup for just $1. But what followed is nothing short of remarkable.
In the early 2010s, Butterfield launched an online game called Glitch, under his company Tiny Speck. Despite high hopes, the game didn’t take off. Rather than let the entire project die, he sold the company for a symbolic dollar. But here’s where the twist begins.
Glitch had an internal messaging tool—something the team used to collaborate. Stewart saw potential in it. So, he bought it back, refined it, and launched Slack in 2013. What began as a side tool for communication quickly became a global collaboration powerhouse, replacing long email threads in workplaces worldwide.
By 2021, Slack had grown so much that Salesforce acquired it for $27.7 billion, cementing its place in tech history.
This isn’t just a story about redemption; it’s a masterclass in spotting hidden value and knowing when to pivot. Stewart didn’t cling to a failing product—he adapted. And in doing so, he created something that changed how teams communicate around the world.
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