My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Knowing when to stop growing is more important than knowing how to grow - proportion determines whether something becomes art or becomes mediocre
The Reasoning
Most creators and entrepreneurs optimize for 'more' (more seasons, more revenue, more features) but the best work comes from restraint and knowing the perfect amount. Too much of anything changes the fundamental feeling and quality.
What Needs to Be True
- Quality matters more than quantity to your audience
- You have enough success to choose constraint over growth
- Your work has artistic/cultural value beyond pure economics
- You can recognize when you're at peak quality
Counterargument
In business, markets punish companies that don't grow. Shareholders expect continuous expansion. Stopping growth voluntarily seems irrational and financially irresponsible.
What Would Change This View
If markets consistently rewarded companies that chose quality constraints over growth, or if there were more examples of profitable businesses thriving with intentional limits
Implications for Builders
Build in stopping points or quality gates, not just growth metrics
Consider your work's artistic legacy alongside financial returns
Resist investor/market pressure if you've achieved the right proportion
Study examples of great work that knew when to end
Example Application
“Jerry Seinfeld turned down $110 million for one more season because he felt the show had reached perfect proportion. Adding more would have made it mediocre instead of legendary. The restraint preserved the show's cultural impact and his artistic reputation.”