Growth by Subtraction: Less But Better

Oct 10, 2025

Success can sometimes reveal hidden complexities that stifle growth. The podcast discusses the power of pruning through a tomato-plant metaphor, emphasizing that doing less can lead to better results. Insights from Katelyn Bourgoin highlight the importance of identifying what to stop doing. Listeners will learn a 7-step process for simplifying their work, including making a 'Don't List' to eliminate distractions and creating personal rules to maintain focus. Ultimately, courageous subtraction is framed as the key to sustainable success.

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ANECDOTE

Record Year Revealed Hidden Problems

Austin grossed over $330,000 in 2023 but found the year exhausting and unsustainable.
The income solved debts but exposed business complexity that he couldn't repeat comfortably.

INSIGHT

Complexity Becomes A Growth Bottleneck

Complexity grows with revenue and becomes a hidden bottleneck to further growth.
It reduces focus, measurement, and the ability to iterate effectively.

ANECDOTE

Grandmother's Garden Lesson

Austin learned 'addition by subtraction' from his grandmother Martha's tomato-garden pruning lessons.
Pinching off suckers redirected nutrients to main vines and produced far more tomatoes.

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Hitting ~$330K should've felt like a win. Instead, it revealed the real bottleneck: complexity.

In this episode, Austin talks about how pruning services, projects, and obligations—less, but better—created the space for saner, more sustainable growth. You’ll get the tomato-plant metaphor (shoutout to Grandmother Martha), insights from Katelyn Bourgoin (“What should you stop doing?”), and even an Apple-style reset moment.

Plus, Austin walks through a practical 7-step Subtraction List to help you focus on the work that actually moves the needle.

(Feel free to grab the free worksheet under Resources)

What You’ll Learn

Why “more” often makes things worse
A simple metaphor to decide what to cut
How world-class companies used subtraction to win
The exact 7-step process to simplify your business now

The 7 Practical Steps

Take inventory
Find keepers (money, freedom, satisfaction, impact)
Compare results (what to double down on / stop)
Cut fluff (Do / Defer / Delegate / Delete + first actions)
Make a Don’t List (keep distractions from creeping back)
Create rules (avoid default yes—protect your best work)
Record decisions (build confidence and course-correct faster)

Resources & Links

Grab the Subtraction List Worksheet: https://bit.ly/SubtractionListWorksheet
Apply to the Freelance Cake Community: https://freelancecake.com/community
Katelyn Bourgoin’s Twitter thread on subtraction: https://x.com/KateBour/status/1620795412641718318

If this helped you, follow for more systems, strategy, and sanity for advanced freelancers and creators.

Chapters

00:00 Hook — when “more” stops working

01:28 The $330K year (and why it didn’t feel like success)

04:22 Complexity: the sneaky saboteur

06:19 Grandma’s garden: prune for higher yield

09:11 What “growth by subtraction” really means

10:33 Focus beats variety (how to choose)

10:59 Example: Katelyn Bourgoin and “do less, better”

13:27 Example: Apple’s 2×2 and 97% cut

15:54 The 7 Steps: Take inventory → Record decisions

24:39 Summary & next steps

26:04 Invitation to the Freelance Cake Community