Avoiding Complexity That Doesn't Matter

In my early attempts at side ventures, I insisted on coding every piece myself—user authentication, email systems, analytics—because I thought being "full stack" meant doing it all. But the deeper I got, the more it felt like pushing a boulder uphill. Customer feedback forms? Email queues? They weren't my app's core value, yet they ate major chunks of time.

Eventually, I realized I could outsource or automate most non-critical systems. Using managed services for payments, sign-in, and even user feedback freed up my time to focus on the features that truly made my offering unique. Suddenly, I was shipping updates in days, not weeks, and my burnout risk dropped dramatically.

Learning point: Pick your battles. Invest your energy where you add distinct value. Offload or defer everything else—your sanity and timeline will thank you.