This quote might seem fluffy, but it best captures what I think running your own small business is about: Passion! Passion is not just important because it’s what keeps you going when things get difficult. It’s also the biggest advantage of small businesses over large companies.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life and work, it can be easy to forget what makes your brand so special. Let’s explore the magic ingredients behind every small business…
Small business passion
My passion, for example, is what drove me to leave my job at an international corporation. Instead, I wanted to help make marketing work for small businesses and help them turn their passion into a viable business. My company has been up and running since 2010 and I’m still as excited about it as ever.
Everybody’s passion is different. But all the small business owners I know have this in common: They started running their own small business because they believed in something or wanted to make a living doing what they love.
I am thinking about the jeweller who creates amazing designs that reflect the beautiful landscape she loves so much. Or the IT consultant who believed that good IT solutions should be affordable and available for small businesses, too.
The reason we started our own small business is what drives us, our decisions and ultimately our marketing. And this motivation is by far the biggest advantage of small businesses.
If you’d like to learn more about the passion and experiences of other small business owners, check out my small business interviews.
Small business vision
While our passions might be as unique as our small businesses, our goals are often similar. We all want to turn our passion into a credible business.
Our focus is to help people with our skills and expertise. And we want to enjoy our work while making enough money to live the life we want for ourselves and our family.
While most larger businesses developed from passionate small businesses like ours, they have outgrown their initial vision. And some of them have even turned into a place where the happiness of the shareholders is more important than their customers’. And believe me – customers and clients can tell when this is the case.
In fact, surveys have shown that the level of attention and ease of building a relationship that comes with a small business is a big attraction for consumers.
Find out more about how to make the best of your small business with customer-focused marketing.
Small business advantage
And that’s what I mean by the biggest advantage of small businesses: Instead of shareholders, we want to make us, our clients and customers as well as our staff and suppliers happy.
We want to make a difference in people’s lives, not just to our bank statements. And with this mindset, we can offer a legitimate alternative to large corporations, chains and franchises.
Instead of the usual cookie-cutter approach of larger businesses, we can provide tailor-made solutions. We are often perceived as more approachable, genuine and flexible than larger companies. And our passion makes us authentic in everything we do.
So, yes, we are small, sometimes even just a one-(wo)man band. But thanks to our passion we can easily stand up to big budgets and large teams. Let’s make the best of it.
KEEP READING
If you are interested in reading more about this topic, have a look at these:
What Does Success Mean to You and Your Small Business?
How I Balance Work and Life As a Small Business Owner
Create a Strong Brand: How I Did It and How You Can Too
10 Things I’ve Learned by Running My Own Small Business
