How big is your business, they ask? It’s little talk, but they’re not seeking for a small response. The greater the number, the more remarkable, professional, and powerful your voice will sound. If you have more than 100 employees, they will exclaim, “Wow, nice!” You’ll hear “Oh, that’s nice,” especially if you’re small. The first statement is intended as a complement, while the second is only stated out of politeness.
Why is it the case? Why do you think business expansion is important? Why is growth the only objective? What draws people to huge, besides ego? You’ll need a better response than “economies of scale” to this question. What’s the harm in finding your ideal size and sticking with it?
Do we consider Harvard or Oxford and think, “If only they could grow and branch out and hire thousands more professors and go worldwide and create other campuses all over the world, then they’d be excellent institutions.” Obviously not. That is not how we evaluate the worth of these institutions. Then why do we measure businesses in the way that we do?
Your organisation might be best served by five people. Maybe forty. It may be 200. It might also be just you and a laptop. Do not anticipate how large you should be in advance. Slowly expand and see what feels right—premature hiring is the death knell for many businesses. Also, try to stay away from significant development spurts, which can lead you to grow too quickly.
Small is more than simply a starting point. The state of little is a wonderful place to be. Have you ever observed that big companies dream of being more agile and flexible, while tiny companies wish they were bigger? Also keep in mind that it is very difficult to reduce your size once you have grown significantly without terminating staff, demoralising employees, and fundamentally altering your business model.
Ramping up doesn’t have to be your objective. We’re not just talking about the amount of staff you have. This holds true for costs, rent, IT systems, furniture, and other things as well. These things do not happen by chance. It is up to you whether you want to work with them. And if you do accept them, you’ll be bringing additional headaches with you. By locking in a lot of expenses, you drive yourself to create a complex business that is much more challenging and demanding to manage.
Be confident in your desire to operate a small business. No matter how big or little, everyone who manages a profitable, sustainable business should be proud of themselves.
