For years, I believed that the measure of a business’s success was its size—more revenue, more clients, more everything. Then I came across Small Giants by Bo Burlingham, a book that completely transformed how I think about running a business. Burlingham highlights companies that made the conscious decision to prioritize excellence, community, and culture over unchecked growth. These businesses rejected the idea that bigger is always better, choosing instead to remain true to their core values.
The book profiles several inspiring companies, from Clif Bar to Zingerman’s Deli, and explores how they managed to thrive without compromising their identities. Burlingham’s stories of businesses choosing purpose over profit resonated deeply with me, and they inspired me to rethink not only how I define success but also the legacy I want to leave behind. If you’ve ever wondered whether chasing growth is the only path for your business, I encourage you to pick up this book. It might just change your perspective as it did mine.
In my early years as a business owner, my focus was simple: set a revenue goal, achieve it, and then aim for a bigger number the following year. For a while, this seemed like the natural order of things. But over time, I started questioning the purpose of this endless cycle. What was the point of chasing larger numbers year after year? It felt like running on a treadmill—exerting effort but not moving toward anything truly meaningful.
Reading Small Giants made me realize that I wasn’t alone in this struggle. Many of the businesses profiled in the book also faced pressure to grow for the sake of growth but chose a different path. Inspired by their stories, I decided to rethink my goals. Now, when I set revenue targets, I connect them to outcomes that go beyond personal gain. For instance, part of our revenue supports local and international non-profits, creating tangible benefits for the community. This approach has breathed new life into my work, giving me a deeper sense of purpose and aligning my business with the change I want to see in the world.
By tying revenue to meaningful goals, I’ve found a motivation that transcends profit margins. Every milestone we reach represents not just a financial achievement but a step toward making a positive impact. This shift has made my work more fulfilling and has redefined what success means for me and my business.
One of the most surprising lessons from Small Giants was the idea that “the customer comes second.” At first, this notion seemed counterintuitive—aren’t businesses supposed to prioritize customer satisfaction above all else? But as I read the book, I realized the wisdom in this approach: if you take care of your employees first, they will take care of your customers.
This insight mirrors a practice I’ve implemented in my business: annual reviews with my team. During these reviews, I ask a series of questions designed to understand their experiences and aspirations:
The answers to these questions guide how we assign tasks and plan projects for the year. Sometimes, we’ve reorganized roles entirely to ensure that people are doing work they enjoy. In other cases, we’ve added or discontinued projects based on team feedback. The results speak for themselves: when people are excited about their work, they bring their best energy and creativity to the table.
This employee-first approach has made our business stronger. By fostering a supportive and engaging workplace, we’ve not only improved morale but also enhanced the quality of service we provide to our customers. Taking care of your team isn’t just good for them—it’s good for your business.
One of the lingering questions I’ve wrestled with is how to preserve the identity and vision of a business as it grows—or even after I’m no longer at the helm. Small Giants provided some valuable insights here, too. Many of the companies Burlingham profiles struggled with the same dilemma, and their solutions varied widely: some chose to scale slowly, others sold to like-minded buyers, and a few handed the reins to trusted team members.
For me, the reality is that no one can predict exactly how a business will evolve. Markets change, systems outgrow their original designs, and new challenges emerge that the founder couldn’t have anticipated. While I can’t guarantee that my business will always reflect my vision, I can focus on instilling its core values in the people I work with. Whether they stay with the company, move to new opportunities, or even start their own businesses, I hope they carry those values with them.
Who knows? Perhaps one of my team members will buy the business from me one day and continue running it in the same spirit. My role now is to lead by example and create an environment where our principles—integrity, impact, and purpose—are woven into everything we do. That’s the legacy I aim to leave behind.
Small Giants challenged me to redefine success and rethink what it means to build a great business. By moving beyond the relentless pursuit of growth, I’ve found a way to connect my work to a deeper purpose. Prioritizing employees, aligning revenue goals with community impact, and focusing on values over profit have transformed not only how I run my business but also how I view my role as its leader.
If you’ve ever felt that traditional definitions of success don’t resonate with you, I encourage you to read this book. It might inspire you to rethink your approach and create a business that reflects your values and aspirations. What kind of legacy do you want to leave? How can your work create meaningful change? These are the questions Small Giants invites us to explore—and the answers could change everything.