The 3-Month Rule: A Pragmatic Approach to Unscalable Solutions

In the world of startups, navigating the complexities of building and scaling a new product can be daunting. While many entrepreneurs have heard Paul Graham’s iconic advice to “do things that don’t scale,” implementing this principle effectively, particularly in technical development, is often overlooked. After eight months of developing my AI podcast platform, I’ve established a framework I like to call the “3-Month Rule” that has served me well in this regard.

The essence of my approach is simple: every unscalable solution is allowed a lifespan of three months. After this period, it must either demonstrate its value and merit further investment or be discarded. This process enables a more agile and pragmatic development strategy, allowing for rapid learning and adaptation based on actual user needs.

A Shift in Perspective

As engineers, we’re often trained to architect solutions with scalability in mind from the outset—thinking about design patterns and systems that can handle enormous user volumes. However, this mindset can lead to unnecessary complexity, especially in a startup environment where demand is uncertain. In my experience, chasing scalability too early can result in expensive delays and wasted resources. By focusing on simple, straightforward solutions, I can better understand my users’ true requirements.

My Tactical Infrastructure Decisions

Here are some of the unconventional methods I’ve employed and the valuable insights they’ve provided:

1. Consolidated Operations on a Single VM

Instead of distributing my database, web server, and processing tasks across several nodes, I opted to run everything on a single $40/month virtual machine. This decision has allowed me to pinpoint my actual resource needs far more efficiently than traditional capacity planning methods. The result? A frugal setup that provides critical, real-time data on system performance without the overhead of unnecessary infrastructure.

2. Embracing Hardcoded Configurations

My configuration is kept straightforward, with constants explicitly written in the code. This approach may seem less sophisticated, but it remarkably enhances my ability to track changes. By using version control, every modification is documented meticulously, and I find it completely sufficient—only a handful of adjustments have been made in the past three months. The upfront time saved by avoiding complex configuration management is invaluable.

3. Utilizing SQLite for Simplicity

While many would argue against using SQLite for a web application with multiple users, my experience tells a different story. With a compact 47MB database that comfortably handles up to 50 users at once,