Maximizing for Enjoyment Not Profits

Last week the New York Times featured an article on how we have used our retail strategy to keep us in demand.
Traditionally, business models are optimized for profits.  But that does not have to be the case.  But MB&F is different.  Max has chosen to optimize for creativity and quality of life.  When we make decisions, instead of focusing on how it impacts our financials today, we think how to make the brand strongest in the long run and ENJOY ourselves along the way.  Obviously the watches are incredible, but I think this single fact is what makes MB&F the most special and what Max deserves the most credit for.  It certainly makes it a pleasure to be involved in this adventure.

The goal is to have a company that can remain very small, continue constantly making one amazing product after another, and achieve an awareness and trust level with consumers that the watches more or less sell themselves on their own merits.  This is not to say that we don’t all want to make money, just that it is not the primary driver of our actions.  Not only does that maximize our enjoyment, but it provides the greatest level of value for all of our partners and customers.

As an aside, optimizing anything other than profits is a concept that simply does not register for some people.  Occasionally when explaining this, we just get a blank stare and some sort of cynical statement like, “Cut the b.s.  When are you really going to grow and start pumping out watches?”  I can’t help but think that they are missing the point.