In a culture obsessed with hyperbolic "best of" lists, David Chang advises consumers to focus on supporting local businesses that are simply "good." He argues that "good's pretty goddamn amazing" and that the survival of these neighborhood establishments is more important than constantly chasing elite experiences.
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Instead of using traditional celebrity endorsements, Square's 'See You in the Neighborhood' campaign heroes its actual customers. This approach treats local business owners as influential figures in their own right, lending unparalleled authenticity and relevance to the campaign's storytelling.
Guy Kawasaki identifies successful founders like Steve Jobs and David Chang as being both "plumbers" (handling the messy, operational details like cleaning up literal shit) and "poets" (driving the grand, artistic vision). Excelling at only one without the other is insufficient for building a remarkable company.
The drive for hyper-efficiency, seen in targeted ads or ghost kitchens, eliminates the valuable "slosh" that funds culture and journalism. This friction and inefficiency are essential for creating vibrant cities and healthy economic ecosystems, as they provide the space for creativity and community to flourish.
Square strategically shifted its core customer definition from the generic 'small business' to the more specific 'local business.' This subtle change allows the brand to anchor its identity in the community fabric its customers create, moving beyond simple company size to a shared ethos.
The modern consumer mindset is endless—always seeking newer, better, more. Adopting the 17th-century proverb "Enough is as good as a feast" shifts focus from material accumulation to non-material abundance like joy and peace. This moderation isn't just about personal well-being; it recognizes that our excess directly impacts whether others have enough.
The relentless pursuit of extraordinary moments and public success often causes one to miss the profound joy in the mundane. True wealth is found in the 'weeds'—the everyday, average experiences that constitute the fabric of a fulfilling life.
Jane Wurwand advises a premium food startup to avoid large supermarkets early on. Big chains demand high volume and have long payment cycles that can crush a new business. Instead, focus on small, high-end local grocers where the brand story can shine and payment terms are more manageable.
Chang believes two Michelin stars is the ideal rating for a restaurant. Unlike the immense pressure of maintaining a perfect three-star rating where "you can only go down," a two-star rating keeps the team hungry and motivated to innovate in pursuit of the third.
David Chang explains that while food service is inherently unscalable, high-end, exclusive dining experiences are scaling. The scarcity, amplified by social media, creates massive demand and "cultural currency," allowing these unique businesses to expand and increase prices, creating a barbell effect in the market.
Chang views the Greek myth of Sisyphus—endlessly rolling a boulder uphill—not as a punishment but as an inspirational story. He argues that in any difficult situation, you have a choice: complain about it, or decide you are going to perform the task better than anyone else has.