The Context Behind the "Do Everything" Approach

A recent report from TechCrunch has highlighted a defense startup founder who is deliberately running six weapons programs at once. Ethan Thornton, the young leader of Mach Industries, believes that spreading resources across many projects is the only way to succeed in modern defense. This story matters because it challenges a core business principle that most of us take for granted: focus on one thing and do it well.

For Australian small and mid-sized businesses, this raises an important question. Is the "do everything" model a bold new strategy or a dangerous distraction? The answer depends heavily on your industry, your team size, and your tolerance for risk. Most SMB owners I speak with already feel stretched thin. Adding more projects rarely solves that problem.

Why Spreading Too Thin Can Backfire

Running multiple large initiatives at once demands enormous capital, deep expertise, and a very long runway. The company in the TechCrunch report has raised nearly half a billion dollars to support its spread-out strategy. Few Australian businesses have that kind of financial buffer. Without it, trying to chase six goals simultaneously often means none of them gets the attention they deserve.

There is also a hidden cost: complexity. Every new program adds overhead in management, compliance, and quality control. For a ten-person team in Melbourne or a thirty-person shop in Brisbane, that overhead can crush productivity. The startups that succeed in competitive markets usually nail one core product first. Only then do they expand into adjacent areas.

What This Means for Australian SMBs

Australian businesses operate in a very different environment from a well-funded US defense startup. Our local market rewards efficiency and clear value propositions. Customers here want to know exactly what you deliver and why you do it better than anyone else. When you try to be everything to everyone, you often end up being nothing special to anyone.

This is especially true during digital transformation journeys. Many Australian SMBs are upgrading their systems for the first time in years. Trying to overhaul your CRM, supply chain, payroll, and customer portal all at once is a recipe for burnout and mistakes. A phased approach—fixing one piece, then moving to the next—consistently produces better outcomes.

What You Can Do Now

  • Audit your current projects and rank them by revenue impact. Drop the bottom two that aren't directly tied to your core offering.
  • Set a clear six-month goal for your top initiative. Write down what "done" looks like and what resources you need to get there.
  • Create a simple rule: no new projects until your current lead project reaches a defined milestone. Share this rule with your team.
  • Review your budget for hidden costs in managing too many moving parts. Often, stopping a small project frees up more time than you expect.
  • Talk to a technology partner about breaking your digital transformation into manageable phases. A clear roadmap reduces decision fatigue.

At MS&VG, we help Australian SMBs build practical technology strategies that match their actual capacity. A focused plan beats a scattered one every time, and we can help you find the right starting point.