My old boss wasted thousands on gear that just slowed us down.

Yeah that "locked into the technical details" thing is so real. I read this article once about how experts can miss obvious stuff because their brain is in the weeds. Mary_foster92 is right, you have to step back and see the actual space, not just the plan. It's like your eyes are following the tape measure instead of looking at what the whole thing is for. Good on you for hearing the client out, that's how you avoid doing a technically perfect job that still feels wrong.

The burger place near me still uses local beef.