The Pursuit of Big Excellence

The infinite scalability of the internet means the "pursuit of excellence" and the "pursuit of bigness" are now overlapping.

In the past it was a choice.

The artists and artisans pursued excellence that satisfied fewer people more deeply. They refined their craft their whole lives. They were personal, knowing their customers and respecting that relationship. They told stories – both in person and through their products – and people listened. Their work was designed and redesigned. Built, destroyed, and built again, but better this time.

The businesses chose the pursuit of bigness. Mass-produced products that filled the needs of society, but not the wants. Their work didn't touch people. They didn't excite or delight. These companies created to fill, not nourishing. A bag of pretzels in the airport, not a peach in the park last Summer.

Virtual services and products scale to the hundreds of millions nearly instantly. You can iterate at mass-scale for free. A better product replaces a predecessor far more quickly than before. The focus isn't on maximizing profits from the supply chain, but on creating delightful experiences. And loyalty is won through excellence, not size.