Just as open source success is about more than great code, building a successful business on OSS relies on more than pricing. This talk explores how ecosystems thrive when maintainers, vendors, and users build on shared values and trust. We'll unpack why timing matters when open sourcing a project or contributing it to a foundation, how vendors can grow real businesses by adding value around open source rather than trying to control it, and why vendor success matters to the projects themselves.

Drawing on Liz’s experience with the Cilium project and as former Chair of the TOC, she’ll look at examples from the CNCF and beyond, to show how shared values can lead to collective success, and draw out the relationships between project health and vendor viability. Expect thoughtful metaphors, practical takeaways, and a reminder that open source isn’t a zero-sum game, and commercial success can amplify community impact.