My wife and I recently spent a delightful day at Greenfield Village, a wonderful new SMZ client. One of the highlights of our visit was an extended stop at the glassblowing exhibit. Watching glassblowers skillfully merge art and science never gets tiresome. On this particular morning, glasses with vibrant colored stripes were being crafted.

I was reminded of a past tasting session at a bar/restaurant. There was an impressive array of 14 different glasses, each designed to enhance the drinking experience of spirits, wine, coffee, water, and more. Some were chilled, some frosted—you’d need to be a math whiz to keep track of it all. Beyond the numbers, the drinkmaster firmly believed that the right glass can significantly elevate the beverage’s appearance, aroma, and taste.

Despite my previous musings on coffee mugs, I realized I didn’t know much about the history of glass vessels. So, with a tap on my gorilla glass phone screen, I jumped back 5,000 years to the origins of glass. Early glass vessels were opaque and designed to mimic precious stones.

Fast forward to around the eighth century BCE, glassmakers discovered the magic of transparency. This innovation allowed people to enjoy the sight of their drink, and soon glass vessels began to replace those made of metal or clay.

Princess Bride fans know how much simpler “the battle of wits” would have been if they’d had transparent glasses.

Let’s bring this back to modern business. We have clients who maintain a team of specialists for PR, events, media, creative, strategy, and more—much like having 14 different glasses to care for. These clients believe in having the perfect vessel for each specific need.

Conversely, some clients prefer a one-glass-fits-all approach, using a full-service agency to handle a wide range of tasks. They understand the effort it takes to find a versatile glass that can cater to various requirements.

Both approaches are valid and are ultimately a matter of taste.

In full transparency, I wrote this post while sipping from a trusty (and unbreakable) metal water bottle. There’s a time and place for everything, even in the world of drinkware (and business solutions). So, raise a glass (or mug, or water bottle) to an enjoyable weekend.