Sidebar to that small vs big thing
...I forgot to mention that there are plenty of small companies that behave like big companies . Plenty of them. You've probably never heard of them and probably won't ever.
[or...they may be that company that you are watching today that two years from now someone will be, "Hey, whatever happened to [insert 'Web2.0' company here]?"]
:: hint: see the previous post. This is not a good thing. Sticking with what is safe and only shooting for what is already known and proven can be a bad thing. Everytime I hear a small company say, "This is a proven market/business practice/etc." I cringe. Acting big slows you down and waters down what you are doing. And...why would you want to do what everyone else is already doing anyway? What's the purpose for a new venture based on the same old?
[or...they may be that company that you are watching today that two years from now someone will be, "Hey, whatever happened to [insert 'Web2.0' company here]?"]
:: hint: see the previous post. This is not a good thing. Sticking with what is safe and only shooting for what is already known and proven can be a bad thing. Everytime I hear a small company say, "This is a proven market/business practice/etc." I cringe. Acting big slows you down and waters down what you are doing. And...why would you want to do what everyone else is already doing anyway? What's the purpose for a new venture based on the same old?
5 Comments:
That's one of my clients. Software Unlimited in Tupelo, MS. Started by one person, June Geddie, years ago, and now only a handful of people, they go up against big names in the criminal justice software industry. They're now considered #1 in the nation for prosecutors by many. They have passionate users, because even though June has a large customer base, she maintains the benefits of small. She knows all of the customers, she knows all of her employees, and she knows all of the code.
OK, shameless plug, but I often think about her organization when I read stuff by you and Kathy Sierra.
Hey Sterling,
I don't think you mean that Software Unlimited is one of those little companies that act like big companies. I actually meant it as an...uncompliment. ;)
But yes, little companies can and do compete successfully against the giants...
(blush) Oh I see. Yeah, I was talking more like Tom Friedman describes the ability of the small to act big in the new "flat" world.
Tom Friedman describes the ability of the small to act big in the new "flat" world.
Hi Tara,
Have you read Blue Ocean Strategy? It's a great book that describes exactly what you are talking about...that businesses with the most success are the ones that define new markets, particularly in markets that the buying public (I hate the word "consumers") believes is saturated. They use Cirque du Soleil as a case study. Highly recommended.
-Erica
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