"Work Less, Give Your Customers Less... and Succeed ..."

What?  You know this article caught my eye - anything with "work less" in the title catches my eye!  But, give your customers less?

Check out this great article on the Harvard Business school online publishing site about a company, 37Signals, that produces software products with fewer features, employs fewer employees who work fewer hours and is led by owners who reject growth for growth’s sake:

http://discussionleader.hbsp.com/taylor/2008/06/why_37signals_works_to_one_dow.html

37Signals' key performance metric is profit per employee which is a metric I think all business owners should track. 

Another bit of great advice:  “Don't hire people,” they implore in Getting Real, their Web-based book that is chock-a-block with great advice. “Look for another way. Is the work that's burdening you really necessary? What if you just don't do it? Can you solve the problem with a slice of software or a change of practice instead?”

I haven't downloaded their book yet but if anyone does, please let us know what you think of it.

Remember, we are not in pursuit of perfection.  We are in pursuit of excellence.  Your Thoughts?