[bbulkow]

There is a critical element the post doesn't state: a successful small project has (has) very limited scope of customers and use patterns. That is where complexity in writing databases arises: limited scope databases are far easier.

[vincnetas]

Its on the list :

  [2] Be careful to have the right number of customers (in the beginning, just one) and the right customers (whose requirements allow you to build out key technology); and grow that number carefully.