Hey, Amber
I probably mentioned this before, but a year or so ago I started riding a bike again. It’s something I’ve really grown to love, and as I got more and more into the hobby I started watching this YouTube channel where this very “normal” Midwestern guy fixes up old bikes.
I say “normal” because I’ve come to realize this industry considers a $2,000 - $4,000 bike “entry-level”.
It’s refreshing to hear his perspective, as it’s more applicable to my experience cruising around the neighborhood for a little exercise — not trying to win the Tour de France.
He has this phrase he uses all the time when he’s fixing stuff up; “Good enough for who it’s for”.
At first, it really made me cringe. Like, as a fellow craftsman (of sorts), he was saying it was fine to cut corners, or that his customers weren’t good enough for the best solutions.
But the more I’ve listened to him say it, the more I’ve realized what he actually means…
Like, for example, I don’t need to spend $1,000 on a carbon bike part that will shave off a few ounces when I’m double-digit pounds overweight — that won’t make any difference for me.
Our industry is just as guilty of this over-engineering mindset too.
You don’t have to look very hard to find someone telling you if you’re not using the right builder, or framework, or HTML structure, or process, that you’re not a real professional (usually someone who’s also selling said solutions).
And, yeah, I don’t think Airbnb should be using a free booking plugin from the repo — but my local home-service provider who just wants to book consultation calls? An off-the-shelf solution is absolutely good enough for who it’s for.
I don’t know your business from the inside out, but I’m willing to bet your clients aren’t hiring you to build the next Stripe alternative. What would help them most is to provide them with a practical solution that matches their needs and helps them achieve their goals.
Chances are, that extra <div> your page builder adds isn’t going to make or break their business — no matter how loudly our industry experts yell about it.
I’m not trying to suggest that you should start building things half-assed… but you’re not a hack for using what works.
Flexing your muscles and showing everyone just how smart you are by over-engineering every solution isn’t impressive — it’s a sign of low self-esteem or a sales tactic (maybe both).
Real professionals understand that the “best solution” isn’t universal — it’s contextual. “Good enough for who it’s for” is about context, not compromise.
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