Human Scale is Just Fine

There's this thirst for insane growth. Investors have done the math — they're betting on a few outliers hitting 1,000x or 10,000x returns. They'd rather push for sky-high valuations, even if it means most companies crash and burn trying.

We're drowning in companies and products that operate on a scale we can't even fathom. How big is Meta? Do you even know? The reach, the data, and the sheer size of their operations is mind-boggling.

These near-monopolies have an outsized influence on the economy and how we interact with products and services. The government isn't stepping in to curb their scale, so they keep growing unchecked. That's creating a landscape where smaller-scale efforts seem insignificant and, worse, are being de-incentivized.

Take Y Combinator. They just doubled the number of companies they're bringing in for their next batch. Why? It's a numbers game. They're buying more lottery tickets because lottery tickets are more valuable. They're not interested in companies with modest, steady growth.

This obsession with massive scale and outsized returns pushes everyone to think bigger, faster, and crazier—but not smarter. It's de-incentivizing the creation of businesses that are sustainable, human-sized, and profitable in a manageable and meaningful way. I just hope it's not too late; the incentives for scale are not too enticing.

Steve Berry
Principal, Thought Merchants