I have learned that the role of inventory is to protect the line from variation. With startup, cash is critical, so inventory is a major enemy to all that needs to be done. This is why an investment in a robust problem solving culture is critical. If you must maintain low inventory, then you must be able to solve problems rapidly to reduce variation in the process.

1. Optimize algorithms: Improve code efficiency and reduce computational complexity. 2. Load balancing: Distribute traffic across multiple servers to prevent overloading. 3. Database indexing: Speed up queries by optimizing database structure and indexes. 4. Caching mechanisms: Store frequently accessed data in memory for faster retrieval.

One at a time... There is never just one bottleneck, and as a start up, you likely don't have the resources to deeply solve several complex performance problems at once without creating bigger quality issues. So, one at a time is key. 1. Identify a leader that the team trusts and respects. 2. Lay out all the bottlenecks the team can think of. 3. Debate and discuss which will have the biggest impact once solved (use data available to you, but don't waste too much time collecting new data) 4. Respect the final decision of your team leader, and go all in on that problem. With each fix, implement monitoring tools to continuously validate system performance indefinitely so the problem does not recur. Rinse and repeat...