How to Future-Proof Your Business Like Shopify’s Millennial CEO

Tobi Lütke’s Simple Rule for Smarter Decisions

March 19, 2025

What if every decision you made had to pay off 10 years from now?

Most business advice today is focused on immediate results — how to scale fast, maximize short-term revenue, or chase the latest trend.

But Tobi Lütke, CEO of Shopify, has taken a different approach, one that millennial leaders should pay attention to.

His strategy? Make decisions that compound over time rather than chasing instant gratification.

Why This Matters for Millennial Leaders

Millennials came of age in a time of rapid disruption. Many of us built careers or businesses in an era where speed was everything—launch fast, pivot quickly, chase the next opportunity. But as many millennial founders are now running more mature businesses, a key question emerges:

What actually lasts?

Lütke has built Shopify into a multi-billion-dollar company by resisting the pressure to optimize for short-term wins. Instead, he focused on building an ecosystem that would support entrepreneurs for decades.

The Shopify Example

Early on, investors wanted Shopify to focus on maximizing profits. Instead, Lütke made decisions that prioritized longevity:

  • He invested in third-party developers, allowing them to build apps for Shopify rather than controlling the entire ecosystem.

  • He built tools that made it easier for small businesses to start and scale, even if they weren’t immediately profitable.

  • He focused on infrastructure rather than marketing hacks, ensuring Shopify could handle long-term growth.

These choices took years to fully pay off, but when they did, Shopify became a dominant force in e-commerce.

How Millennial Leaders Can Apply This Mindset

  1. Ask: Will this decision still matter in 10 years?

    • If not, it may be a distraction.

  2. Think beyond short-term trends.

    • The best businesses are built on foundations, not fads.

  3. Be patient with growth.

    • Many millennial founders feel pressure to scale fast. But sometimes, saying no to quick wins is what creates lasting success.