In a conversation shared by a16z, Alex Rampell argues that even a much better product can struggle against an entrenched software vendor. His line: “The best companies have hostages, not customers.” He points to the shift from on-premises software to the cloud as one way to redefine the problem. Another route is selling to new companies that aren’t tied to existing software. The discussion features Lightfield co-founder and CEO Keith Peiris. a16z says he shut down an AI presentation tool with two million monthly users to build customer relationship management software. His bet is to reconcile scattered, often contradictory customer data into one coherent source of truth—what Lightfield calls a “business world model.”