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Only Build Core Product
Product / Advice
Spend your team's time on what makes your product yours. Buy everything else.
The Idea
Your team is small. Your time is finite. Every hour spent on generic infrastructure is an hour not spent on what differentiates you. Core = the reason customers pay you. Everything else is supporting cast.
Why It Matters
- Building non-core tooling feels like progress but isn't.
- Commodity tooling is cheap to buy and expensive to build.
- Your team's judgement belongs on the thing only you can build.
How to Apply
- Ruthlessly define "core." Write it down.
- For every new initiative, ask: is this core?
- Use boring, proven vendors for non-core problems.
- Migrate non-core systems off yourself whenever you can.
The Trap
Gradually expanding what counts as core until everything qualifies. Core should be smaller than feels comfortable.
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