One of the biggest mistakes I see — in products and in life — is mistaking quality as the reason for success.

We like to believe: if you build the best product, you win. But it’s just not true. Success comes from many factors, and quality is only one of them.

In the product lifecycle, this shows up all the time. You can have an excellent offering and still lose. Why?

• Someone else got there first, and the cost of switching feels too high.
• They liked the salesperson more than the product.
• Or maybe their uncle already works with the competitor.

You just don’t know.

Remember: people don’t always buy for rational reasons. They make decisions in ways that are messy, emotional, relational — and then explain them rationally afterward.

And this isn’t just about products. It’s also true in our personal lives. We shine in our own ways, but that doesn’t mean everyone will “buy” what we’re offering. Other factors are always at play. The important thing is: don’t take it personally.

Especially in enterprise sales, people aren’t just buying products. They’re buying partnerships.

They want to know that who they’re working with has integrity, is trustworthy, and won’t abandon them the moment the contract is signed. They want a partner who will make sure the product actually works in their world, not just in the demo.

And that’s where the human piece comes in.

We’re tribal by nature. We look for connection, for trust. Integrity isn’t a sales tactic — it’s the basis for long-term partnership. Think of it like any close relationship. If you made a promise to a friend or a partner and then disappeared the moment you got what you wanted, the betrayal would sting far more than if you had never engaged at all.

So when you’re selling — whether it’s software, art, or yourself — don’t confuse product quality with guaranteed success. Don’t assume rationality will carry the day.

What people remember is trust. Trust is the fruit of integrity.

Carry that integrity with you. Treat the people you sell to as partners, even as members of your extended tribe. Sometimes you’ll win the deal, sometimes you won’t.

But either way, you’ll leave behind something more powerful than quality alone — you’ll leave behind trust.