April 28th, 2025

read and listen at isaacjfrench.com​

read time 2.5 minutes

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Today’s newsletter at a glance: What we can learn from restaurant menus, why the best builders prune their dreams before they grow them, and how excellence comes through subtraction.

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less, but better

This is my rallying cry.

In my opinion, t's the single most important principle that could transform the long-term success of your project or property.

Ever been to a restaurant with a menu a mile long? Immediate red flag. Usually not a single dish that’s actually good, let alone great. The best places pick just a few things—and master them (Humble Burger, a small establishment in Moscow, Idaho with about 3 things on the menu, is one of my favorite examples of this).

Business (and life) works the same way.

Excellence is rare. There's so much mediocrity out in the world. Drive down the road, walk the aisles of your grocery store, browse the shelves of your favorite bookstore, scroll through Airbnb. How often does something truly stand out, stop you in your tracks, and command your attention? Even for the most curious among us, not often.

For hospitality developers, home designers, and human beings in general, there’s a lesson here.

You have this big dream. You saw it in your sleep, in a book, or on Instagram. You want to do something new and exciting: let’s say it’s to plant a garden, landscape the front yard, or build a micro-resort.

So you go all in. You spend the money. You might even blow your budget hiring premium contractors to do the best work. But it just doesn't hit like you want it to. It's a bit "meh." Or perhaps it looks beautiful, but you can't keep up with it!

The dream isn't the problem—I love big dreams and big dreamers.

The problem is not what you did.

The problem what you did not do.

You were so stretched thin executing “the thing” in all its bigness and glory that you missed the small, subtle opportunities to make it sing. The intricate trim details. The gentle curve in the pathway through the trees. The stone drinking fountain nestled inside the small, walled garden. Scaling back the vision, even radically, could’ve allowed you to create far more “wow” and fulfillment.

be like nordlys

Whenever I think about this truth (and I do a lot), I always think of my friends Bruce & Ann McPheeters. Together with their son Jeff, they own and operate one of my favorite properties—Nordlys up in Wisconsin. Having admired their place since the early days of building Live Oak Lake, I had the privilege of staying there myself last October.

They told me a story.

When they built MetalLark, their first cabin, they splurged—spending over $500k. Then, a couple years later, Ann got cancer. Facing a sobering prognosis, the family spent every possible day at the property. They decided to build a second cabin, LongHouse, this one wheelchair accessible so they could all be together. They splurged even more, and the entire budget originally intended for five cabins was all used up on just two.

Then, miraculously, Ann defeated cancer and fully recovered. They rented both spectacular cabins and almost immediately began receiving a chorus of architectural, travel, and hospitality accolades. Their Instagram following took off. Articles published, TV features aired. People all over took notice. The brand they built around just these two cabins has become legendary. They’re booked out months/years in advance at premium rates.

Now, the McPheeters are planning more cabins, including eventually a 15-unit landscape hotel with more affordable (though still elevated) accommodations. This expansion is only possible because of the exceptional brand they built around their first two. By concentrating their resources and creating the absolute best experience possible, they generated exponential value—both for guests and for themselves.

prune, prune, prune

Please don’t fall for the trap that “more (or bigger) is better.” Focus your limited resources—gifts, ideas, inspiration, money, and ultimately, time—on doing the right things, deeply and beautifully.

Prune relentlessly—so you can be excellent.

Fewer units, fewer amenities, fewer options. Deeper thought, higher quality, extraordinary results. One unforgettable experience beats ten forgettable ones. Cut the clutter.

Excellence comes from subtraction, not addition.

As someone else once said:

May your week be wonderful, and may your efforts to create more beauty be blessed!

—Isaac

P.S. On Friday, I gave a talk on creating hospitality destinations from farmsteads to a few hundred enthusiastic attendees. I worked really hard on this presentation (farm hospitality is a personal passion), and if enough folks are interested, I’d love to offer a webinar version soon. If you're one of them, just reply and let me know!

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Many thanks to Hostaway for sponsoring this newsletter! After researching and testing a ton of property management softwares, this one takes the cake. Use code FrenchHost3 during your demo call for 30% off AND free onboarding!

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