Many custom software development firms provide boutique services to customers. They’re often smaller firms and that’s a good thing. They’re a small group of highly talented individuals working to produce valuable results for customers.
Unfortunately, many boutique firms aspire to grow their business by scaling personnel. This is like trying to move bigger boulders by hiring more people to push.
Why get more people to push when you can move bigger boulders with a longer lever?
If you’re a part of a boutique firm, don’t fall into the trap of growth through human capacity. You’ll quickly find it’s challenging to ensure quality while scaling capacity. Don’t jeopardize quality.
Instead, increase your leverage. Don’t try to serve more customers, try to tackle more valuable projects for existing customers. Find new customers with opportunities to do more valuable work. Leverage the quality of a small group of people to move mountains of value for your customers.