[joshuak]

There is no need to use Kubernetes if it slows down your velocity, just use docker or direct drive some VMs. If you NEED Kubernetes then you simply won't get most of the benefits it provides by learning some short cut tools. Tools like helm are easy to use, but do so at the cost of breaking core design elements and a massive increase in complexity just below the surface.

Here's the rule of thumb for Kubernetes use tools to manage the files not the cluster, the cluster description is the source of truth not the cluster.