1. Have you tried Slack? If so, think about your experience. If not, take a few minutes to install Slack and check it out for yourself. (At a minimum, take a few minutes to browse the Slack website.) In either case, consider why it has become so popular. Be ready to share your thoughts with the class.
2. Despite its wild success and growing demand, Slack continues to offer a freemium model (i.e., people can use the software for free and then pay if they want advanced features, extended access, or enterprise functionality). With an extensive customer base, why wouldnt Slack do away with this model and charge everyone who wants to use the platform?
3. Why would a company want to spend money on Slack when users likely already have access to Microsoft Office solutions and/or Google Docs? Wouldnt these provide enough collaboration opportunities?
4. Most tech companies choose to follow a conventional initial public offering (IPO) process; Slack chose a direct listing. Do some research about the differences between these two processeswhy do you think Slack chose the route that it did?
5. In light of the challenges that may lie ahead for Slack, what recommendations would you give executives on how to continue the companys success?