At first, it seemed like a genius move. But today, "going meta" over and over again is baked into the business plan almost from the beginning. And quite often, that means extractive relationships and self-objectification are baked in, too. The values behind the genius of our invention turn into the kind of values that drive the impulse to go meta.

I can't tell you how many small business owners I've talked to who seem to have internalized this "meta growth." First, they'll offer a service. Then they'll turn it into a group program. And finally, they'll teach other people how to do what they do. I ask if that's what they want to do. I'm not sure anyone has ever said, "yes." Instead, they'll explain that while they love actually doing the work, they know they can't "scale" it or that to really build something that "works," they need to follow that tried and true plan.

They're not wrong. But it's also not the only option.