Missionaries, Managers, Masters - by Christian Eggert

In the 1980s, every ambitious restaurant hired more cooks, bought bigger spaces, opened multiple locations. Then something curious happened: three-star Michelin restaurants started getting smaller. Fewer tables. Tiny kitchens. The chef back on the line. Why? Because at the frontier of taste, coordination costs more than the coordination buys you. Every hand that touches the dish dilutes the vision. One question I’m wondering these days: Are technology startups having their Michelin moment? Tldr; in this essay I will argue that: New startups are bifurcating between large upfront bets and momentum companies; ‘growing into quality’ is a luxury that only few founders can afford now. What’s required in most categories is a combination of momentum + excellence; mission and money alone often fails in today’s environment. There is a new founder generation that I call ‘masters’: they are neither missionaries or mercenaries but rather treat company-building as a craft. Thanks for reading. Subscr

In the 1980s, every ambitious restaurant hired more cooks, bought bigger spaces, opened multiple locations. Then something curious happened: three-star Michelin restaurants started getting smaller. Fewer tables. Tiny kitchens. The chef back on the line. Why? Because at the frontier of taste, coordination costs more than the coordination buys you. Every hand that touches the dish dilutes the vision. One question I’m wondering these days: Are technology startups having their Michelin moment? Tldr; in this essay I will argue that: New startups are bifurcating between large upfront bets and moment