5 Seats or 7? Average or Peak?
On optimizing for the norm vs the exception
Almost a year ago, my parents bought their first car. Our first family car. When buying a car, there are various features that one needs to consider. One of them for us was the ground clearance. Indian roads demand it. Sometimes the road conditions are so bad that the car can easily get damaged.
That ruled out sedans and hatchbacks immediately. We narrowed it down to SUVs and MPVs (7-seaters).
SUVs are the most popular segment in India right now. Especially compact SUVs. Under 4 meters, good ground clearance, perfect for a family of four.
When we started looking, my Mom was inclined towards MPVs. Her logic was simple: we’re a joint family. If we (our family + my uncle’s family) ever wanted to go somewhere together, we would need the space. Six people, one car. It made sense on paper.
But then we did the math. How many times a year do all six of us actually go out together? Once a year, at most. And my uncle already owns a car. Even on that rare day, we could just take two cars.
The peak day load was manageable for us. So we didn’t need to spend more money on a larger car. After realising this, we bought a 5-seater SUV.
I see this same calculation playing out in corporate hiring.
Big companies, often, optimize for the average day. They’re happy hiring people who can handle the job 90% of the time, like our SUV. For peak loads, they either pay a premium for a few exceptional hires or engage vendors. It works because they have the buffer.
Startups and lean teams don’t have that luxury. Hiring someone who performs well 80% of the time isn’t enough. They need people who can handle peak loads when (not if) they come. They’re not optimizing for the average day. They’re building for the exceptions. That’s why the workload is brutal. That’s also why they often pay well above market rates.
Most families don’t need 7 seats. Most companies don’t need peak performers for every role. But knowing which you’re building for? That’s the decision.
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Ordinary thoughts, shared with hope. Pass it along if it resonated.