My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
“a value is useless without acknowledging the trade-off”
What It Means
Company values only provide decision-making guidance when they specify what you're willing to sacrifice
Why It Matters
Most company values are meaningless because they don't help resolve conflicts between competing priorities
When It's True
When teams need actual guidance for making difficult decisions between competing goods
When It's Risky
In external marketing where explicit trade-offs might confuse customers
How to Apply
Identify what negative consequence you'll accept for each value
Frame values as opinionated choices rather than universal goods
Test if values help resolve real conflicts your team faces
Example Scenario
“Startup defines value as 'Quality over speed, even if we miss some deadlines' instead of generic 'We value quality,' giving teams clear guidance when features and deadlines conflict.”