Day 130 - We Eat Our Own Filet Mignon

February 15, 2026

Episode Theme:
Why language shapes product culture—and why pride beats obligation.

Key Topics:

A Valentine’s dinner that sparked a realization
The meaning behind “eat your own dog food”
Why metaphors shape how people feel about their work
Dog food as a symbol of duty and suffering
Food as a symbol of craft and enjoyment
Building products you actually want to use
Pride versus tolerance in product quality
How language influences morale and identity
Reframing internal culture through better metaphors
“Eating what we build” as an act of confidence

Notable Takeaways:

The phrase may be right, but the picture is wrong.
Words shape mood, and mood shapes behavior.
Teams should enjoy what they build, not just endure it.
Pride creates higher standards than obligation.
Product quality should be felt internally first.

Suggested Reflections:

What language do you use to describe your work?
Does it inspire pride—or just compliance?
Would you enjoy using what you’re building?
What metaphor would better represent your craft?

Memorable Line (Paraphrase):

“We’re not here to eat dog food — we’re here to enjoy what we build.”

Episode Transcript

Guy Reams (00:00.782)
This is day 130. We eat our own filet mignon. Last night my wife and I ate dinner at a fancy restaurant. I couldn't get reservations for Valentine's Day so we went the 15th instead. Perhaps this is a good practice overall. Celebrate all holidays the day after. The place was decorated with some flamboyance and I was expecting the food to be horrible. Usually that is the case but I was pleasantly surprised. The food was amazing.

While I sat there, I started thinking about a phrase we often use in the company. We need to eat our own dog food. I get that what that saying is trying to do. It is supposed to keep us honest, use what we build, feel what our customers feel, fix what breaks because it breaks on us first. But sitting there eating a really delicious meal, I realized something simple. I like sitting there eating wonderful food. Sure, there are some things I don't like about the restaurant.

but the food makes up for it. And that is when it hit me. I need to stop telling customers that we eat our own dog food. I need to stop telling employees that they need to eat their own dog food. I am not changing the point. I'm changing the picture in people's heads. Dog food is a duty. Sounds like suffering you sign up for. It does not sound like pride. It does not sound like craft. does not sound like something you want to wake up and do.

So I want a new saying, something that keeps the same meaning but feels like the kind of work we want to do. Maybe we need to eat our own filet mignon, or if you're a vegetarian, we have our own samosas, or maybe tamales. I'm still deciding, but you get the point. We need to eat our own samosas. That is the sentence you can live with. That is the sentence that says the product should be good enough that we enjoy using it, not just tolerate it.

It says we build something we are glad to sit down with, even if the room has a few things we do not like. And yes, I'm leaning into that. I want people to start saying that we eat our own. We are on a filet and champagne budget, or they're living the tasting menu life, or they're in their Michelin era. Not because we are pretending, because words shape mood and mood shapes how we show up. We are not here to eat dog food. We are here to eat what we built and actually enjoy it.

Guy Reams (02:30.936)
By the end of the meal, I felt clear about one small step forward. Starting today, I'm changing the phrase. Same expectation, use what we ship. I want it to sound like something we are proud to serve, starting with ourselves.