Big vs. Good

“Tell me something about your company.”

“Well, we are a construction company with over 6000 employees.”

 “Wow! nice!”

Compare the above with this.

“Well, I am a one-man-band working out of my home.” There is a pause, a smile, and maybe, “nice.”

Why is “big” more impressive? Why is expansion always the goal? 

Many giant corporations began as small, no-rules startups. Original team members are mostly gone. Working there now is the same routine every day. Often these large companies want to operate as small businesses for agility and flexibility.

“How big is your company?” It is a question that gets in the way of “How good?”

Walmart sells groceries at the lowest prices. It is vast, and it is everywhere. Customer service is nonexistent, and stores are cluttered.

Publix has superior quality, excellent customer service, and a pleasing store environment. It markets only in the Southeast states of the U.S. Should it also try to become huge? Will that make it great?

Are Princeton or MIT not excellent institutes? Will expanding worldwide and hiring thousands of teachers make them great? Nope. Not really.

So why is it that we are more impressed with “big”? Maybe the right size for your company is four people, forty people, or perhaps four hundred. It could also be just you and your laptop!

Growth involves people, expenses, rent, IT,  furniture, infrastructure, etc. These are long-term commitments that make business complex and risky. Grow step-by-step. For many, small is not just the beginning or stepping stone. It is a destination in itself, as long as it is sustainable and profitable for a comfortable lifestyle.