# Intercom on Product: Accelerating your strategy after COVID-19

In this episode of Intercom on Product, Des Traynor and Paul Adams discuss how you can accelerate your strategy after COVID-19. Going forward, what exactly should your strategy look like, and where should you invest your resources?

Not too long ago, we were buckling up to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and all of the tough, unparalleled challenges it forced us to face. We had to adapt overnight, reevaluate our priorities, and make some particularly rough decisions – for many of us, it’s been over a year in survival mode.

But as vaccination gears up, lockdowns ease, and people slowly get back to their lives, countries around the world are finally looking at what could be an inflection point of economic growth. And now’s the time to start thinking about accelerating our business strategies and grabbing the opportunities it brings.

### Key Takeaways
- You can’t balance short-term and long-term investments without considering the existing product strategy. If the product isn’t in good shape, R&D needs to prioritize getting it up to speed before focusing on the next thing.
- Beware of falling into the trap of exclusively going for easy money, snacking-type opportunities. You can’t sacrifice innovation and sustainability for short-term revenue.
- Choosing the right investment is a balancing act of art and science. What resources do you need to put in, and at what timeframe? 
- When it comes to making your business case, try not to overthink it. Be fast and agile.
- In times of extreme change, whether it’s a pandemic or a new round of capital, keep an eye on your existing strategy.

## Stepping on the gas

**Des Traynor:** Welcome to Intercom on Product, episode 14. I’m joined, as always, by Mr. Paul Adams. Hello Paul.

**Paul Adams:** Hi, Des.

**Des:** Today’s topic is about accelerating growth. There have been two seminal memos that have rocked the tech industry during the pandemic. One was sent last March by Sequoia, outlining the impending challenges the industry would face. The most recent memo stated, “COVID Accelerated the Future, Now Seize It.” If you feel confident about your business post-vaccine, now is the time to carefully step on the gas.

### How can we accelerate our current strategy?

**Paul:** It’s a fascinating time. Scarcity of resources can help with focus. Having an abundance of capital can lead teams to pick things they wouldn’t normally pick. We’ve been focused on our current strategy and ways to accelerate it.

One area of acceleration could be dedicating more resources to existing successful projects. Another might involve expanding the team and capabilities of the products we already have.

### A matter of time horizons

**Des:** The goal of this conversation is to explore how to accelerate investment in businesses. It’s essential to consider time horizons. For instance, when you have a choice between short-term revenue and longer-term strategic significance, it often takes guts to choose the latter.

**Paul:** Absolutely. The easy answer when told to accelerate is to increase headcount, but that’s not always the best solution. It’s crucial to ask if we’re doing well in the short term. If we are, it might be time to pivot towards future investments.

### Making the right bets

**Des:** The important piece of advice is to articulate your needs clearly. It’s essential to demonstrate how investments can translate into revenue. Building software is an ongoing endeavor; thus, businesses need a robust strategy, not just a reaction to short-term pressures.

**Paul:** To succeed, we need to guide investments by evidence rather than impulse. This entails understanding the customer feedback and market context provided by your product strategy.

In conclusion, if your strategy was valid before the fundraising, it’s crucial to stay the course and not get distracted by the pressing changes around us.

### Final Thoughts

If you’re in a position to invest, ensure your investments are rooted in substantial market opportunities rather than reactive measures to initial pressures. Focus on long-term sustainability and the building of robust market positioning.