In the early days of enterprise software, buying a new tool was a heavy, top-down affair. Sales representatives spent months courting senior executives over expensive dinners, pitching abstract promises of efficiency. This classic Sales-Led Growth model meant that software decisions were made in boardrooms, far away from the employees who actually had to use the software.

As busy professionals grew impatient with endless sales pitches, the buying journey underwent a massive shift. Buyers started opting for self-service models where they could instantly try a product on their own terms. This sparked the rise of Product-Led Growth, a strategy where the product itself acts as the primary vehicle to acquire, activate, and retain customers.