Having had the privilege of being a (small) part of the wonderful world of software development, one of the most important things that I have learned is that in the long run it is NOT technology which is the limiting factor.
The possibilities of technology are pretty much limitless, meaning that in general one can achieve anything that is required. Given enough sweat and tears, creative thinking, time and labor. However, it is "human nature" which is the limiting factor, and if left unchecked it is humans and not machines which usually cause a new project or enthusiastic startup to fail.
People relate to one another in a very unpredictable way. Not only within an organization or the chaotic dynamics of the team. External relationships with the market, ever-changing government rules and regulations, public fickleness or an unexpected dip in the economy. The products are usually pretty good, but it is the brand which must be developed and the potential customers which have to be convinced that they really need what we are building.
To make matters even worse, the endless possibilities of technology can confuse us and lead to indecision and uncertainty. Choosing to pivot in one direction and then switching to the other is only too easy. One needs to be flexible and have the ability to switch but not too easily. Hesitation makes us miss the window of opportunity, while forcing premature decisions doesn't usually work either.
Buddha spoke of always taking the middle path, and wavering ever so slightly is not a bad thing either as long as you do not veer off of the road, e.g. at those sharp turns.
I am not pretending to be a wise person, because I do not know the right answers either. Every startup and new project is different, the constraints and people forming a unique mix of variables. Keep focused, prefer the long run to the short, and tackle the future challenges in a positive and confident manner.
If I had to guess the perfect mix of technology versus the human factor, I'd give it a twenty-to-seventy percent. The last ten percent needs to be reserved for good old serendipity.
