Great point. I think a lot of times the belief that we cannot please everyone really does become a cop-out for true, in depth listening to the needs of our customers, readers, friends, spouses, etc. I’m glad you brought it up because it caused me to reflect on the times I have simply pushed people aside or given up on certain groups, simply writing them off as “unpleasable.” Thanks for sharing your insights on this as it pertains to your software business. I can imagine it’s very easy to fall into the details trap and lose site of the relationship. However, I know that you and the rest of Elias are so relational and really thrive at taking care of the needs of those around you. So, I am confident that this line of thought will be a seemingly natural transition for you guys. It’s like implementing what you love to do with what you do.

I would take great confidence in a company willing to place me as an individual above me as a software consumer, and I have that confidence in Elias because I know these guys and why they work so hard for their clients.

You can’t please everyone on earth, but you should be able to please your customers. I think a lot of companies (admittedly even Elias) have used the mindset “you can’t please everyone” as a cop-out for really listening and responding to clients on a business need level. Ok, you want WordPress or Magento or a red progress bar (inside joke). Why? What impact are you looking for within your company. What happens if you don’t change anything? How will this impact sales, your product, customer relationships, competitive advantage?

People don’t buy software. They buy the ability to sell online or raise awareness for a worthwhile cause (like you do so well) or attract new potential customers.