Topped with plastic elephants and monkeys, this mountain of joy sported 8.5 pounds of ice cream lathered in whipped cream, bananas, nuts, and cherries. The “Zoo” sundae was escorted to our table by a cadre of Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour team members. There was no better joy on earth for a 7-year-old’s birthday party.

Then it started to melt. What was once a beautiful display of diverse flavors, colors, and textures quickly turned into a gray soup with floating zoo animals. Our joy turned to something else—a blend of disgust, sorrow, and shock. And something that was definitely no longer edible.

We have been chasing “more” for generations. The demand for more connectivity has seen the rise of social media, texting, chat, email, mobile phones. Yet many of us feel less connected than ever before. Just ask my neighbors, whom I barely know.

The demand for more productivity has led to being “on” 24/7: checking emails, phones, texts when we wake up, before bed, and all weekend. Yet median U.S. household income is 4% less than 10 years ago.

The demand for more house led to McMansions and to the housing bubble that exploded in 2008. More is better—until it isn’t. When more becomes too excessive, it turns joy into a gray, disgusting soup.

But there is a shift afoot. A migration to “better is better.” And small businesses are helping to lead this change, with a focus on quality, caring, and taking care of employees. Businesses that care about the physical and emotional health of their team members. Businesses that are committed to proactive and honest communication. Leaders who hold themselves and their teams accountable to fulfilling promises and to doing what is right.

There is a lot going on in the world: terrorism, hatred, oppression, drug use, and greed, to name a few. Each of us has the opportunity to create an oasis for ourselves and for our team members. We can make a difference.

Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour was founded in 1963 by Bob Farrell and Ken McCarthy in Portland, Ore. In 1972, the Farrell's chain was purchased by the Marriott Corporation. Marriott saw the potential for “more,” growing Farrell’s to 120 locations nationwide. Thereafter, sales dropped and most of the parlors were closed or sold off within 10 years. Bigger isn’t always best. We have the opportunity to avoid chasing more to the detriment of doing better.