Fix the incentives, fix the future

Most systems work exactly as designed. The design is just broken.

Everything feels broken because we're rewarding the wrong things.

Dating apps monetize your swiping, not your success. Social platforms reward outrage, not insight. Companies reward politics over performance. Streaming services optimize for binge-watching, not satisfaction.

These outcomes are predictable. The systems are working exactly as designed.

Most of these systems prioritize the business over the customer. Sometimes that works for a while, but it usually loses over the long run. It's why there are so few companies with real staying power.

Think about it:

• What if dating apps got paid when you deleted them because you found someone?

• What if platforms rewarded posts that started meaningful conversations, not just reactions?

• What if your subscription price went down as you got better results?

• What if services got bonuses for shows you finished and genuinely loved?

• And something that's been top-of-mind for me lately: What if consultants got paid for outcomes, not deliverables?

That last one hits close to home. I see this broken incentive in my own industry all the time. Agencies are rewarded for checking boxes, not delivering results. Clients pay for creative campaigns, not for clarity or growth or the thing they actually need.

Most of our systems are working exactly as designed. The design is just broken. You want better outcomes? Change what gets rewarded.

So how do you fix it? You build a system where the only way to win is by helping your customers win. When business goals and customer outcomes are aligned, the truth speaks for itself.

Take tipping. Servers get paid by customers, but restaurants control the food and timing. The result? Servers rush, restaurants offload risk, and diners feel it. When Union Square Hospitality Group eliminated tipping and raised wages, the restaurant became accountable for the entire experience, not just the food. And it worked in a big way.

Brand strategy is alignment work at three levels:

• Aligning your team around a clear path forward

• Aligning what you promise with what you actually deliver

• And aligning customer goals with business outcomes

The right starting point isn't "what can we sell?" It's "what problems can we solve for our customers?"

When you build around that, the entire system shifts. Your product evolves to serve a real need. Your pricing model rewards real progress. Your brand story becomes obvious—it's just the truth, clearly told. You just need to deliver.

This is the kind of work I want to do more of. Branding as systems change, not surface change. Because when incentives line up properly, customers get what they actually need, businesses build real value, and fewer people get screwed by broken systems.

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Elan is the founder of Off-Menu, a brand studio that aligns what you say with how you grow.