Why “Perfect” Is Keeping You Poor

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

Editor’s Note

Most entrepreneurs fail for the same reason.

They think: More features = More value.

They are wrong.

Complexity creates friction.

Here is a $100M lesson on why you need to stop adding and start subtracting.

The Story

There’s a guy named Curtis Matsko.

He spent years reviewing backpacks on YouTube. Not just looking at them. Creating volume.

He reviewed hundreds of bags, tested every zipper, every strap, every pocket.

He found the same problem every time:

• Fancy pockets that took 10 seconds to open (Time cost).

• Materials that looked cool but ripped in a month (Quality cost).

• "Innovation" that nobody actually used (Opportunity cost).

People told him to make his own.

So he did. But he did something smart.

He didn't call it "The Perfect Bag." He called it "The Almost Perfect Bag."

This is genius for two reasons:

1. It sets expectations: He isn't promising a lie.

2. It acknowledges the trade-off: You cannot have everything.

The Lesson

Every time you add a feature, you create a point of failure.

Curtis didn't try to build a bag that did everything. He built a bag that did the important things without breaking.

From Behind the Books

Boring Scales. Fancy Fails.

The best businesses in the world aren’t built by adding more. They are built by removing the stuff that sucks.

• Amazon removed the drive to the store.

• Uber removed the wait for a taxi.

• Netflix removed the late fees.

Subtraction is the ultimate leverage.

Your Weekly Prompt

If you want to double your product's value, don't add a new feature.

Do this instead:

1. Look at your product or service.

2. Ask: "What can I remove that won't hurt the outcome?"

3. Cut it.

That’s how you win.