Your Tech Stack Is Not Your Strategy (How To Stop Hiding Behind Tools)

Too many people and organizations fall into the trap of thinking that buying the newest, flashiest technology will solve all their problems (I definitely did in the past). I see it constantly in the e-learning world. Leaders are convinced that if they just purchase the latest AI platform or expensive LMS, their revenue will skyrocket and their training challenges will disappear. But the truth is much simpler and far less glamorous: your tech stack is not your strategy.

I’ve worked with companies that have overspent by five to 200 times what they actually needed to pay for technology. I’ve seen organizations shell out half a million dollars a year on e-learning platforms that could have been replaced by a $5,000 solution. It’s not just wasteful; it’s a distraction. When technology becomes a substitute for strategy, businesses lose sight of what truly drives results. And that is exactly why I wrote this blog post (and recorded this YouTube video linked here and podcast episode linked here).

The Technology Trap: When Tools Replace Thinking

Technology should empower strategy, not define it. Yet, many leaders hide behind their tools because it feels safe. Buying software looks like progress, even when it isn’t. The irony is that most of the companies that overspend on technology are the ones struggling to prove return on investment.

In e-learning alone, there’s an alphabet soup of systems: LMS, CMS, BMS, CRM, LXP, authoring tools, and countless integrations. Each has its purpose, but none of them can replace a clear, well-defined business strategy. If you don’t know who your learners are, what results you want to achieve, and how you’ll measure success, no piece of technology will save you.

When I work with clients, the first step is not to choose a platform—it’s to define the strategy. That means identifying what success looks like and how we’ll get there. Technology comes second, always.

Defining ROI: The Foundation of Every Strategy

Step one of any great strategy is defining ROI—Return on Investment. For some businesses, ROI means revenue growth from selling courses or certifications. For others, it’s efficiency gains from training employees better. Either way, if you don’t know how to measure your return, you’re operating blind.

One of my favorite tools for defining ROI is the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle. Research shows that 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of actions. In e-learning, that means 80 percent of your profits or performance improvements will come from a small fraction of your programs.

If you can identify those top-performing programs and double down on them, you’ll see exponential results. Take it a step further with the 64/4 rule—4 percent of what you do generates 64 percent of your results. The key is focus. Stop trying to build ten different courses or systems at once. Start with the one or two that have the greatest impact, and scale from there.

A Case Study: CoStar Group’s E-Learning Success

When I partnered with CoStar Group starting back in 2023—a leading real estate data and analytics company—they wanted to create an e-learning system to certify professionals in one specific vertical. Instead of spreading our efforts thin, we focused on one program: the CHIA certification, which teaches hospitality analytics.

By concentrating on this single course, CoStar transformed what could have been an expensive, scattered project into a powerful profit center. The result was more than half a million dollars in annual profit, generated from one learning experience.

Once that foundation was built, we expanded strategically to a second program, CAHTA, adding another six figures in revenue while also increasing overall profit margins. Even today, we still dedicate the majority of our energy to improving and expanding those two certifications. This focus is what creates real ROI.

Knowing Your Learners: The Heart of eLearning Strategy

Every successful learning program starts with understanding your learners. I call this defining your Perfect Learner Profiles (PLPs). These profiles go beyond demographics—they focus on challenges, motivations, and the tangible return your learners expect from the experience.

For example, if you’re training employees, their ROI might be increased efficiency, confidence, or earnings potential. If you’re selling to customers, their ROI might be a certification that helps them land a new job or promotion.

When CoStar built its programs, we identified three types of learners: students, professors, and industry professionals. Each group needed something slightly different from the experience, but all of them shared a common ROI—better job opportunities. That alignment created a learning ecosystem that served everyone involved.

The Three Pillars of E-Learning

After defining ROI for both your business and your learners, it’s time to structure your program around the three pillars of e-learning: content, technology, and distribution.

Content is your learning experience—the videos, workshops, exercises, and assessments that deliver real transformation. Technology is what enables that content to reach learners seamlessly. But the third pillar, distribution, is where most organizations stumble.

Distribution is how your program reaches the right people and motivates them to engage. It’s your sales, marketing, and internal communication strategy rolled into one. Without strong distribution, even the best content and technology won’t generate ROI.

When technology comes after strategy, these three pillars work in harmony. When technology comes first, they fall apart.

Distribution: The Secret to Scaling Impact

Many organizations focus all their energy on creating content, but few think strategically about how to deliver it. A strong distribution plan connects your content to the learners who need it most and inspires them to act.

For CoStar, distribution meant building partnerships with top universities and hospitality companies like Cornell and Marriott. By selling certifications in bulk and integrating them into existing academic programs, CoStar achieved massive reach and consistent revenue.

Another client of mine, Mario McDonagh, built a learning experience called Support Over Suicide with the goal of halving the global suicide rate. We shifted from one-on-one sales to organizational partnerships, selling one to many learners all at once. By integrating his program into large companies with thousands of employees, he is increasing his potential impact.

Distribution done right transforms good programs into global movements.

Your Tech Stack Is a Tool, Not a Crutch

The most successful organizations understand that technology should serve strategy—not replace it. The best platform in the world won’t fix a lack of clarity, focus, or alignment. Your e-learning strategy must start with ROI, your learners, and your mission. Once those are in place, technology becomes the amplifier, not the architect.

If you’re unsure where to begin, I created the eLearning Platform Finder™ to help you match with the right platform in seconds and save up to 200 times what most companies overspend. You’ll also get access to a free course and a Platform-to-Profit Strategy Session to make sure you’re building for success, not complexity.

And if your organization generates over $50 million annually, my Enterprise Learning Accelerator™ partnership might be the perfect fit. We’ve helped clients like CoStar save six figures per year on their programs while increasing revenue and engagement across the board.

The bottom line? Stop hiding behind your tools. Build your strategy first, then let technology follow. That’s how you turn learning into lasting ROI.