Does size matter?

When it comes to the quality and success of a business, size does not play as much of a factor as one may think. Of course larger organizations tend to have more resources and influence in the national and global business communities. However, being a small business owner does not relegate one to a life of meager profits and market obscurity. Small businesses are still the building blocks of our economy, and despite their size, these organizations offer many of us great products, popular services and the inspirational example of the “American dream”.

Small businesses have also evolved from the one man show variety, to encompass sophisticated partnerships and corporations that employ several talented members of society.

Smaller can be better, and listed below are the top five advantages that small businesses have over their larger counterparts.

1. Personalized Customer Attention & Service – Sure, the larger companies may have more customers. But rarely do these huge companies provide the level of personal attention that a small business can offer a valued patron.
2. Flexibility - How many times have we heard the dreaded “Our policy states…” line from a large business. But smaller businesses can be refreshingly flexible and open to listening to customer suggestions or meeting individual needs.
3. Strong focus – Small businesses have to use their resources and energy wisely. Therefore, many narrow their focus to one or two areas and often become valuable specialists in their fields.
4. Adaptability - The bigger a business is, the slower it usually moves. Small businesses can be nimble and quick when deciding to move in a new direction with their company. So customers can see improvements and changes right away with their favorite local business. On the flip side of this, if a small business makes a mistake, it can quickly be corrected.
5. Freedom - Most large businesses are corporations which are influenced heavily by shareholders, board members, and the upper echelon of management. With all of these cooks in the kitchen, it is difficult for any big organization to have a true personality that can be clearly expressed at all times. In contrast, smaller businesses usually consist of a tight-knit group of people who share common goals and ideas, and work really hard to make sure that the essence of these ideas are expressed in their business. The small business has the freedom to embody the qualities of the owner or owners, and that is a beautiful thing.

So in case you are still wondering…..
No, size doesn’t matter.

And in the world of business, being small can definitely be used as an advantage to cultivate a big success.

Keri Glover