Every single product including the ones that go hockey-stick start out as prototypes that don't need to be prematurely optimized for scaling. That doesn't mean you shouldn't plan ahead with best practices for performance / etc, but the bulk majority of startups will not reach product-market-fit with the first version of their product. It takes months and years of iteration to be able to put up a hockey-stick growth curve.

Offering up a refined, live version of the product is non-negotiable and completely achievable with the tools mentioned in the post, but adopting services that simplify your infrastructure processes gives you the focus that an early stage product needs.

I'm 100% with that you should control your infrastructure if you're an established company, brand, or product, but we're coming at this from a startup's standpoint where speed of iteration & shipping features make a huge difference in the eventual outcome of the startup.