What Is A Zebra Company (And What Does It Have To Do With Marketing)?

I often remind people that true marketing goes a lot deeper than Social Media and even general content creation, and “Zebra Companies” are a big part of that.

First, what is a “Zebra Company”?

We’ve pretty much all heard of a “Unicorn” - those companies that come in to disrupt an industry, wiping out all competition, or at least doing everything they can to hit a billion dollar valuation at any cost. With how much I love unicorns, I don’t love that they have become representative of something so destructive to society. Uber and Lyft knocking out the Taxi industry (and resulting in waves of laws and employment issues for freelancers, problems with corporate accountability, benefits, job stability, and fair payments such as taking as much as 60% of the fare charged to the rider and paying the driver 40% or less per ride), AirBnB and VRBO coming in and smashing the hotel industry (while blowing up real estate, causing housing issues in communities and holding perfectly livable properties as short-term rentals affecting the supply of available housing and contributing to rising housing costs), etc.

But this isn’t a blog on economics and industry. And don’t get me wrong, I love innovation and I know there are truly a lot of benefits of those companies as well. Personally, I’m a capitalist who runs a Zebra Company.

So what is that??

First, zebras are common. They are not a random outlier that is mostly viewed as mythical and impossible. They also are herd animals, traveling in a pack and sticking together to make sure if one is thriving, all are thriving in a co-existence between each other.

Sounds nice and idealistic, but if you compare that to society, humanity as a whole is symbiotic. I know that there are some people who live completely reclusive and even ones who are homesteaders and maybe will say “I make my own clothing from wool I cut from the sheep I raised that I dyed with plants I cultivated” and that’s fine, but even those usually have at least a minimal engagement with other people.

We drive on roads that need to be repaired (or built in the first place), we turn on our faucets and expect water to come out of them (ideally non-toxic water), we wear clothing, we go to the doctor, we watch movies and listen to music, and then there are niche things like if we run a business we might need signs or fliers printed, we use our cell phones to make calls, we use computers and access the internet, we flip a switch at our house and we expect the lights to come on, we send packages and letters and pick up our own mail that gets delivered by the government or a private company like UPS or FedEx, we live in a house that we usually didn’t build, we eat at restaurants, we do 100 different things a day that we’re able to do because someone else did something. And our work is (supposed to be) a part of one of those 100 different things experienced by someone else.

I’ve actually seen a rise in posts on Social Media asking why people should have jobs in the first place, and it’s funny but having a job is one of the most communal things you can do as a human. Your job is your contribution to society, where you do the little piece of whatever it is you do that then ties into something that other people can then access and have a better life because you did the thing. You get paid because we figured out a long time ago that the barter system only works if you have something the person who has what you need actually wants. Money was invented to give people access to something they can always trade for goods and services with a predefined value, and which can be collected by someone contributing to society in some way and who is being part of the fabric of civilization so they can then trade it for things they need or want in return.

Even if the world is eventually run by robots, until we end up with a full matrix-level society, there will always be a piece that humans contribute to each other.

Now, this is obviously a VERY reductionist overview, and I’m boiling large parts of economics and society down to very simple concepts, but that’s because for this purpose, it is simple.

A Zebra Company is one that understands that it is a part of that fabric. It knows that the reason it exists is to provide some sort of good or service back to its community, to provide fair employment to the people working for it and helping it reach that goal, and that if the society around it gets destroyed, there won’t be a world to be a part of in the first place.

What does this have to do with marketing?

A key part of marketing is networking, and connecting with people. And the best way to do that is to be part of building a Zebra Company.

A true herd animal goes back to the herd when it finds water and makes sure everyone can drink. It understands that there is a value to community and it isn’t just about taking as much as it could. If a single zebra stood in front of a lake and attacked any other animal trying to drink, or horded all the food in a pile and fought off anyone else who wanted any, we would think it was a pretty sick zebra.

At the same time, if a zebra was never drinking water themselves, or never eating food and letting the other animals push it around and trample it, we would think that was a pretty sick zebra as well.

Caring about your community doesn’t mean becoming a doormat. It means being part of the living and breathing fabric of the world we all live in.

As a company, or a business, or a brand, you have the opportunity to be a part of a community that isn’t just about you (and if you’re an “if I don’t look out for me, someone is going to get me!” type person, I highly recommend professionally unpacking that, because that is not a healthy mentality).

We’re all part of the same community. When networking and connecting with other businesses and brands, remember that you’re part of that community and the ideal world is one where everyone thrives (and yes, that actually is possible)!

So when you network, when you’re connecting and promoting your business or brand, you’re sharing the piece of society that you are a part of, either from a place of life or death or vital function such as medicine, housing, sewage treatment, electricity, roads, food, or water, or just a nice part like a florist, or hair stylist, or clothing designer, or service provider, or entertainer, or travel agent, or make up artist, or house cleaner, or dog groomer, or lawyer, or bookkeeper, or any other industry or service - you are a part of what makes the world go round.

And when you network, you should also be learning more about your community and seeing what people and things you can support so that everyone can grow and thrive.

Remember, as a Zebra Company:

• Your network doesn’t just serve you, and you have things you can offer your network beyond just them becoming a sale.

• Being a zebra doesn’t mean you aren’t also thriving.

• There are 8 billion people in this world - your clients, collaborators, customers, investors, etc are out there and you can connect with them.

• When you put forth an ask, be sure to also include an offer.

• Your offer can include the services or products you provide in a way that supports others.

• Be genuinely interested in other people and what they do.

• You never know when an introduction or connection can grow into something amazing, either for you, or for another.

• If everyone in the world came to you tomorrow and wanted your services, you couldn’t possibly deliver to them. It is OK to have a network of people who also work in the same field as you and pass work back and forth to each other. And for this to work, you have to be genuinely supporting each other and working for everyone to grow.

I know this is super idealistic, but what is life without dreams? And what are goals without ideals to go along with them?

Happy connecting and growing!