Menachot 37 · Startup voice, On-ramp

Hook

You're scaling fast. Your initial policies, product designs, and even your company culture were built around the "average" user, the "typical" employee, the "standard" market condition. But now, you're encountering edge cases. The left-handed user struggling with your UI. The employee with an unconventional work style. The market segment that doesn't quite fit your ideal customer profile.

Do you bend the rules? Do you redefine "standard"? Do you invest in bespoke solutions for every outlier, or do you stick to your guns, optimizing for the 80% and accepting that some will be left out? This isn't just about customer service; it's about your core values. Is your product truly inclusive? Is your team culture fair to everyone, not just the "norm"? The temptation is to ignore the outliers, to assume they'll adapt or that their numbers are too small to matter. But ignoring these cases can lead to alienated users, disengaged employees, and missed market opportunities. It erodes trust and, ultimately, your brand's long-term equity. This text from Menachot challenges us to look beyond the obvious, to deeply understand the intent behind a rule, and to apply it with both rigor and empathy, even when facing the most unusual circumstances.