With almost every batch, homebrewers chart their way between the two ideals of structure and anarchy. If you're brewing to win medals or to hone your skills, you probably pick a particular beer style and brew within its constraints. By contrast, there's always the siren call of originality, whether it's a case of tossing in unexpected ingredients, cross-pollinating between styles (Belgian stout, anyone?), or just turning things up to 11.
One challenge that we seldom take is to aim for something with mass appeal. Most hobbyists never consider it or they might see it as selling out. The irony is that some of those same brewers dream of opening their own place someday, and if they do, part of their success will likely hang on having at least one flagship beer that lots of people enjoy drinking.
If you need a concrete example, just look to New Belgium's Fat Tire Amber Ale, which took the brewery from its homegrown roots to the giant it is today. Some of that was savvy branding, but it's significant that Fat Tire has been a gateway beer, whose flavor profile has introduced many unschooled palates to craft beer.