Kill Overkill

Amass what you need, but ignore even more.

Business is about growth. Acquire, build, and expand. Gather talent, customers, and wealth. Turn little into much. Growth is key, but so is restraint. Avoid what hurts: waste, debt, bad deals. Lasting success means knowing what to avoid.

Avoid what drains your business. This includes unpredictable costs, non-core activities, and time-wasting endeavors. Also, steer clear of bad investments, unproductive relationships, and customers who are not a good fit. By avoiding these pitfalls, you can focus on what drives growth and success.

There's something more basic to avoid. It's not just complexity, which can be necessary and even beautiful. Think of intricate patterns, like Moorish mosaics. Or the Fibonacci sequence, everywhere in nature. The golden ratio, the spiral of a nautilus shell, the petals of a flower. The way a tree branches out, the way a river flows, the way a galaxy spins. The way a snowflake forms, the way a crystal grows. They're complex, yet stunning. The real issue is unnecessary complexity — clutter.

Complexity isn’t the problem. Overkill is the issue.

Avoid overkill. It's the secret to success. Do less, achieve more. Cut the noise, focus on what matters. Effortless progress is the goal.

Overkill is excess. Unused, unneeded, and wasted. The over-engineered. The over-designed. The unnecessary. It suffocates progress. Cut it out.

• Unused policies
• Unneeded technology
• Extra steps
• Too many people
• Excess space

It's a burden. Cut the fat. Simplify.

Overkill is excess:

• Too many tools
• Too many steps
• Too much mimicry
• Too much waste
• Pay for value, not hype
• Don't buy what you don't need
• Simplicity wins

In our 18 years, there’s nothing we’ve tried to avoid more at Startr than overkill — in the things we do, in the way we work, in the things we buy, in the things we use. And, especially, in the solutions we make for ourselves and with partners. Sage and Startr.Space are built to do what they need to do, in the most straightforward, elegant, and enjoyable way, and nothing more.

So you can avoid overkill too.

Each day, simplify. Toss what's in the way. Slim down, sharpen up. Cut unnecessary work. Clear the clutter. See things clearly again.

Amass what you need, but ignore even more. Kill Overkill.

Thanks for reading, and when you are ready join one of our programs. You can always contact me directly if you have any questions at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.

— Izzy Plante
Co-founder & CEO