[taneq]

> I'm sure there's a careful business calculus for not bringing people up from the bottom

Not defending the practice (it's always seemed a no-brainer to me that investing in your team is better in the long run than to outsource) but I think I see the logic. Outsourcing, like renting equipment, lets you scale faster with less capital and reduces your exposure to sudden downturns in sales. It's a superior strategy if you have only an extremely limited ability to predict your market (whether because your market is highly volatile, or because you're bad at forecasting.)

Back when we used to see those results and happier co-workers, it was accepted that it would take 10-20 years to properly establish and build a business. There was none of this crazy pressure to gravely over-extend from day 1 in an attempt to unicorn out before you turn 40.