The business models in enterprise have changed pretty

Hear now the words of Aaron Levie, founder and builder in the age of the cloud, who declared: “The business models in enterprise have changed pretty dramatically. A huge problem with enterprise software traditionally has been usually you sell to the customer and then they adopt the technology. The great thing about freemium and the new way enterprise software is being sold is you get to try it first and then buy it.” In this teaching lies the wisdom of adaptation, of the changing rhythm of commerce, and of how trust is forged in the exchange between maker and user.

For in the old way, the enterprise world demanded faith without proof. The merchant of software would arrive with promises, gilded words, and heavy contracts. The customer, bound by obligation, would purchase first and only afterward discover whether the technology was friend or foe. Many were shackled to tools they could not master or systems they did not need. The old path was one of risk, a gamble where too often the buyer bore the burden of loss.

But Levie reveals a new covenant: the freemium model, where the maker first offers a taste of the creation, a glimpse of its power, a chance to walk within its halls before laying down treasure. This is no small change—it is the reversal of centuries of practice. No longer does the buyer leap blindfolded into the unknown; instead, he tries, he tests, he decides. And in that freedom lies the birth of trust. The technology proves itself before it demands loyalty.

The ancients knew the power of this principle. In the marketplaces of Athens, a craftsman would often let a buyer test the sharpness of a blade or the quality of a garment before purchase. In Rome, merchants of grain would allow a taste to prove freshness. In the East, tea sellers offered samples to wandering travelers, letting the tongue be convinced before the coin was given. The freemium model is but a modern echo of these timeless traditions—proof before payment, experience before exchange.

History too shows its power. Consider how Gutenberg’s press spread across Europe: printers often distributed small pamphlets or pages to show the power of movable type before demanding patronage for entire books. Or recall how early telephone companies offered demonstrations in crowded halls, letting the public hear voices carried across wires before selling the service. These were, in essence, acts of freemium—offering a glimpse of the marvel before demanding commitment. Levie’s words remind us that what is ancient has returned, clothed now in the garments of enterprise software.

The lesson, O seekers, is this: do not demand faith without evidence, and do not build business on promises alone. Whether you are a creator of tools, a seller of ideas, or a leader of men, show the worth of your gift before asking others to give themselves to it. The freemium way teaches humility—it asks the maker to prove himself, to let the creation stand in the light of trial. And it gives dignity to the user, who may now choose with clarity rather than compulsion.

Practical counsel is this: if you build, let others touch your work freely, so that they may see its worth. If you buy, seek first to experience before you bind yourself with contracts. In this way, trust grows on both sides, and the bond between creator and customer becomes not one of risk, but of shared confidence.

So let Levie’s words endure as a beacon in this digital age: “The great thing about freemium… is you get to try it first and then buy it.” It is a call to fairness, to transparency, to the ancient wisdom that value must be seen, not merely spoken. Let us embrace this spirit in business and in life, proving our worth through action, and choosing only that which has already shown itself to be true.