Why 1 team member is better than 3: Small Team? No Problem. Accomplish More.

If you’re like me, we can agree that quality is almost always infinitely better than quantity in all aspects of life. I’d much rather have:

  • One loyal friend who’s there for you in times of need, than a hundred acquaintances who disappear when sh*t hits the fan.
  • One highly engaged employee who believes in our mission, vision, and values, than a team of ten who clock in and out without passion and alignment towards our values.

Why?

Because at the heart of any success—Be it personal, professional, or spiritual—Lies the essence of genuine commitment and excellence.

Quality, not quantity, symbolizes depth and value. It’s about investing in relationships that enrich, work that fulfills, and actions that make a lasting impact.

Consider the biblical story of Gideon’s Army, for example. 👇

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During the seven-year oppression of Israel by the Midianites, G-d chose Gideon to free the people. Initially, Gideon gathered a large force of 32,000 men to confront the Midianite army. However, G-d instructed Gideon to reduce his army significantly, first by sending home those who were afraid, and then by selecting men based on how they drank water. Of all the men, only a small handful drank the water by bringing it up to their mouths with their hands. He sent the rest home, leaving Gideon with only 300 men (~1% remaining).

With this small army, he set out to wage war against an army of 135,000!

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This drastic reduction emphasized that strength is NOT based upon numbers…But in quality, unity of purpose, and true faith. This internal strength among Gideons’ chosen 300 ultimately led them to victory.

This same principle holds true for us Entrepreneurs.

It’s not the size of the team that counts, but the passion, dedication, and alignment with the company’s mission, vision, and values that truly make the difference. Add in a bit of faith and you are moving in the right direction.

Think about it…

Would you rather:

  1. Hire three team members who each submit “meh” quality work, show minimal initiative, are not passionate about the company mission and values, and do just enough to get by?

OR…

2. Invest in one superstar who not only does a better job than all three of them combined, but does so because they’re focused, determined, and passionately aligned with your company’s mission, vision, and goals?

The choice seems clear, yes?

When Elon Musk took over Twitter—(Now X)—He decided to take a similar approach.

Musk recognized that for X to not just survive but thrive, it needed not just employees but contributors—Individuals actively engaged in and passionate about the company’s future.

So when he stepped in as the new owner, he began evaluating how he could streamline operations and cut costs to maximize profits.

Then, he realized something…

It was discovered that a significant portion of the team contributed very little to the company’s daily operations or long-term goals.

When Musk began asking employees, “What do you do all day?” many couldn’t provide a clear, direct answer.

This led him to make one of the most controversial (yet profitable) moves in the company’s history: He laid off about 80% of X’s staff.

This decision was not taken lightly, nor was it done without facing a wave of backlash and negative headlines from the media. Critics questioned the morality and long-term sustainability of such drastic cuts. In fact, many analysts believed that this decision would force X to eventually go out of business.

But—Yet again—Elon Musk somehow managed to prove his critics wrong. Fast forward to today, and X is operating the same with 1,500 employees as it did with 8,000 (if not BETTER!)

At Business Nitrogen, we operate on a similar belief. When people learn that we’re the only 7-time Two-Comma Club and 8-Figure Award-Winning ClickFunnels Certified Agency that is also a Marketer of the Year, they automatically assume we must have HUNDREDS of employees.

They’re often surprised when I tell them, “Nope…There’s under 30 of us!”

How are we able to accomplish so much with such a small team? Simple: We prioritize quality over quantity and focus on small levers that move big doors in every aspect of our operations.

Each member of our team is not a cog in a machine, but someone who is deeply committed to helping achieve one of our biggest, hairiest, most audacious goals:

Positively impacting 1 billion people worldwide through clients implementing our ethical marketing and sales strategic solutions by December 31, 2030.

So, this week I want you to think about how the principle of quality over quantity applies to your own life and business. Ask yourself:

  • How can I apply the lesson of Gideon’s Army to make my team or network stronger, even if it means being smaller?
  • Who are the “300 soldiers” in my life or business—Those few who bring the most value, commitment, and alignment with my goals—And how can I better engage and support them?

To your success,

David

Funnel Marketing Expert