It's Not Bigger, Better, Faster, More

The Online Business World Punts Growth, But a Measured Approach is What's Needed.

I’ve encountered no service business that didn’t start out with big dreams about doing it differently. IT companies, SaaS founders, productised services, dev studios, video production services, agencies – name it.

They start with idealistic dreams.

Beautiful brands are created.

Promises made.

To clients. The hires. To investors. 

Everything is terribly predictable. Deals are made, projects are won, people are hired, and systems are cobbled together. Everyone sweats delivering on those promises. It goes okay at first. 

Then there is business, more hires, more growth. Delivery slowly slips. Tiny lies seep in, but tiny lies keep things working. 

Eventually, mediocrity ensues.

It’s hard to tell if there are more products or red tape – the red tape is ultimately the duct tape that holds it all together. Any change? Only the size of the clients, the client base, and the risks. Growth takes precedence over everything, even profitability. 

A distinct culture of unrealistic expectations and impossible deadlines permeates each human interaction in the business. Job hunting? You will recognise these businesses because you are family, and the company is your life. You will be expected to be available and always on. After hours? There’s no such thing. It’s all hours. 

The ambitious and the new accept the challenge. They are loyal employees who revel in it. It’s only under pressure that they can do their best work. Eventually, they, too, will tire and give in to the unspoken feeling of dread that hangs over everyone’s head. It’s implied that whatever project is the priority at that moment is do or die. 

Stakes get bigger. 

Instead of focusing on developing human potential and retaining hard-won talent, managers dump their anxiety on their teams. Everyone goes home drained, overwhelmed, and incapable of being a good spouse or parent. At the helm of these companies are people who believe that pushing harder and working longer hours will lead to success. Or perhaps the only view that matters is the seven- or eight-figure exit. 

No one in these companies will admit that the heart of the problem is the blind pursuit of more. More clients. More projects. More growth. More money. More exits. More headlines. More applause. 

Often, the unintended side effects of more are awful business structures, terrible fundamentals, a bad business model, poor margins, and unchecked spending. Only speed and growth matter. 

Just remember that the entrepreneur’s early choices initially created this. Eventually, we call those early choices the company culture. 

So what’s the antidote?

Not grow? That is a terrible idea, too. 

Perhaps the answer lies in design. Design thinking for business. I can simplify, of course. Because genuinely great design understands one thing. 

Constraint.

Constraints are clues. They force a methodical analysis of people and their problems, implying that you are solving problems with intent and limiting endless options and opportunities, hopefully for the good of the team and the customer. 

Anti-capitalist, you shout.

I disagree. Pro-business. Have many of them.

Constraints are not restraints. 

Constraints are parameters within which one operates, guiding actions toward optimal outcomes, while restraints imply limitations that hinder progress. Embracing constraints should foster creativity and efficiency and should help transform potential obstacles into catalysts for innovation.

Go find new markets. Start new brands or new businesses. Set constraints for them. Let them focus. Let them do their jobs well. Let them serve the customers. Stop at the total addressable market. Do you want more? New teams, new brands, new businesses.

For instance:

• A boutique software studio only takes on a set number of projects every year. It custom-makes solutions precisely to client needs in a particular niche, surpassing larger agencies with its focused approach. 

• A SaaS product optimises features for customer satisfaction in a specific market segment and outperforms competitors with bloated offerings. 

• A bank caters to 150,000 small businesses, creating a vocal fan base while building loyalty and trust among its clients. Other banks cannot compete in this segment. 

• A subscription-based digital magazine platform curates content for niche hobbies, offering a specialised reading experience unmatched by broader publications.

• An ISP for tech enthusiasts delivers superior service, avoiding generic offerings and ineffective support systems.

• An online tutoring platform teaches children coding skills, standing out in the crowded online education market with targeted learning experiences.

• A digital agency specialising in social media marketing for eco-friendly brands connects businesses with their audience through sustainability, setting itself apart from generalist agencies.

In each of these examples, you have to commit and ultimately say no to things that don’t closely align with the goals.

Do it. 

Constraints build robust businesses.

Constraints build a fan base.

Constraints build loyal customers. 

Constraints help build amazing products.

Constraints mean our work is intentional and has meaning. 

Constraints forge exceptional businesses.