Don't be the generalist, be the specialist.

Everybody says:

"Don't be the generalist, be the specialist. Specialists get paid a lot more than generalists."

And...there's a reason why.

Here's what my old sales manager taught me:

When you've got an expensive problem, you only have three variables to solve it:

Variable #1: Fix It Quickly

Variable #2: Fix It Right

Variable #3: Fix It Cheaply

But you only get to choose two out of the three. 

If the problem is big enough and expensive enough, most people will choose to fix it quickly and fix it right and are willing to sacrifice by spending more.

Question to ponder:

👉 What's the expensive problem we fix for our vertical buyer?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do specialists tend to get paid more than generalists?

Because they're often the ones equipped to solve genuinely expensive problems, problems where buyers are willing to pay a premium rather than risk a slower, lower-quality, or incomplete fix.

What are the three variables involved in solving an expensive problem?

Fixing it quickly, fixing it right, and fixing it cheaply, according to this framework. The key constraint is that only two of the three can realistically be chosen at once.

Why do buyers with a big, expensive problem usually sacrifice "cheap"?

Because when the problem is significant enough, speed and quality matter more than cost. Buyers facing real stakes are typically willing to spend more in exchange for a fast, correctly executed solution.

How does this pick-two framework connect to why specialists command premium pricing?

Because specialists are more likely to be trusted to deliver both speed and quality, which is exactly the combination buyers are willing to pay more for when facing a genuinely expensive problem.

What's the practical question worth asking to apply this framework?

What the actual expensive problem is that gets solved for the vertical buyer being served, a direct prompt to identify where the business fits into this pick-two dynamic and why buyers would be willing to pay a premium.