My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big
Its an axiom of business that great companies grow their revenues and profits year after year. Yet quietly, under the radar, a small number of companies have rejected the pressure of endless growth to focus on more satisfying business goals. Goals like being great at what they do . . . creating a great place to work . . . providing great customer service . . . making grea...more
Paperback, 268 pages
Published
March 27th 2007
by Portfolio Trade
(first published December 29th 2005)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
736)
This book is an important contribution to the business literature. Although I agree with my wife that there may or may not have been any new, earth-shattering revelations in here, I can't think of another book that does such a good job of codifying what distinguishes companies with "mojo" (the author's term) from those without it. Bo Burlingham captures a ton of tangible - and anecdotal - information on what makes certain small businesses so magical.
Burlingham give case s...more
Burlingham give case s...more
This is a profile of 14 companies that chose to focus on being great at what they do rather than on growing their company in size despite many opportunities to do so.
The author finds several links between them:
1) The owners realized they had a choice of what kind of company they would be and didn't just settle on following normal understanding of what kind of growth a company should aim for
2) They overcame pressure to give up control of their company to investors for the...more
The author finds several links between them:
1) The owners realized they had a choice of what kind of company they would be and didn't just settle on following normal understanding of what kind of growth a company should aim for
2) They overcame pressure to give up control of their company to investors for the...more
Once in awhile you read a book and feel an immediate connection to it / the stories within. I read this several years ago, at a time when we were struggling to find business advice that felt like it fit the way we wanted to run a business. And lo and behold, it turns out that there are companies out there running profitable, successful businesses differently than most conventional wisdom might counsel. This book, and the Small Giants movement gaining momentum around it (see http://smallgiants.org/...more
I bought this because it was on a clearance shelf and I actually started reading it simply because it was within reach when I was looking for a book to help me fall asleep...needless to say, I dove in without any expectations. But this was actually a decent, quick read. It describes a handful of businesses that opted to stay small rather than following the traditional path of expansion, and have consequently found success. I like the personalization that it offers in the detailing of the compani...more
Though this is truly a business book, it contains material valuable to anyone, in any walk of life. I'll get my two gripes out on the table right away, because other than these I loved this book.
First, it was a bit chaotic overall, making it hard to get my head around what specific concept the author was trying to convey or link between stories in each section.
And second, the whole premise of the book is that these are small companies that have had the chance to make it ...more
First, it was a bit chaotic overall, making it hard to get my head around what specific concept the author was trying to convey or link between stories in each section.
And second, the whole premise of the book is that these are small companies that have had the chance to make it ...more
Very fascinating and inspiring look at successful American entrepreneurs who, as the title states, "Choose to Be Great Instead of Big." Instead of going after huge profits and sacrificing quality, each of the business owners profiled in the book made a conscious decision to stay privately owned and pursue excellence instead.
Covers a variety of businesses, some you've heard of and some you haven't, including Righteous Babe Records, Clif Bar, and Anchor Brewing. Takes a loo...more
Covers a variety of businesses, some you've heard of and some you haven't, including Righteous Babe Records, Clif Bar, and Anchor Brewing. Takes a loo...more
What I liked best about the book was how well the author captured the spirit of the small business owners. He narrates their stories with compassion, keen insight and honesty. While I don't know that I experienced any great revelations as I shared in their journeys, I did find myself really wanting to experience directly some of their adventures. I don't think I can extend a greater compliment than saying, “After reading the book, I want to go out there and play a role in shaping a small gia...more
While the focus of this book is on smaller private companies, the messages about maintain the company’s “mojo” and core values resonate with me. I read slowly, a chapter at a time with days between so I could reflect on the messages each day. Very relevant pieces about what many of these companies did during hard times to deal with the need to reduce cost, but maintain their values. This book clued me in to my current read - "Raising the Bar"
The big takeaway I got from Small Giants was that some people have a personal preference not to expand. I think Bo Burlingham wishes he could connect it to the wonderful cultures at the company, but I didn’t really buy that aspect. I mostly enjoyed reading about the interesting starts, structures and intra-company techniques each of the featured businesses use.
I really love the stories in this book, and I am a big fan of a few of the "small giant" companies profiled here, like Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, and Anchor Brewing in San Francisco. I have also heard leaders in my tiny corner of the market mention this book as inspiration for building a small, effective, employee-friendly business.
Fantastic summary of how big public companies suck.. The book doesn't say that, but that's what I generally took away. The real economic future is in privately held companies that don't have to succumb to the pressure to grow by stock holders and thus lose their identity.
Everyone else seems to be looking for information on how to grow and expand their business as fast and as soon as possible. But the companies in this book amaze me with their restraint. They’ve consciously controlled their growth often times by rejecting unsolicited offers, sometime even rejecting customers. These entrepreneurs want more than just a profitable business. They want to create value not just for their product and service but with their employees, customers and communities.
A great book to help you understand that bigger is not always better. The books provides some great examples of what really makes a business good and how that can apply to any company.
In many ways this book certainly helps you understand that the current mantra of size as being the solution to everything is not the case. Many businesses of significantly smaller size are achieving great things and perhaps in some ways keep it small and keeping simple improves effectiveness and efficie...more
In many ways this book certainly helps you understand that the current mantra of size as being the solution to everything is not the case. Many businesses of significantly smaller size are achieving great things and perhaps in some ways keep it small and keeping simple improves effectiveness and efficie...more
while certainly no "Good to Great" or must read for biz lit, this book documents and celebrates passionate American business owners who are critically concerned with growing intelligently and preserving the integrity of their organizations
Nice to learn about Anchor Brewing Company after drinking their beers for so long. Also great insights into other small businesses that were able to keep their principles and still survive and thrive - very relevant for us at Orange Photography and where we are with our company!
Very much biased with an american slant, nonetheless the examples of courage, ingenuity and a deeper sense of making it out on your own pervades the entire book. Will love to see a more international angle though.
I enjoyed. Some personalities were more magnetic than others. The author tries to define the essence of companies who choose to stay small. I don't think he defined it precisely, but he shows it thoroughly.
Sprizee
marked it as to-read
Unlike most free books given out at conferences this one actually seems like it will be interesting and worth reading. Picked up at the Seattle Small and Special Conference.
Among the shelves of books touting growth, growth, growth, this book stands out as an inspiration for every entrepreneur who believes there's value in keeping a lid on corporate sprawl. Bo Burlingham profiles some incredible businesses -- from Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe Records to Zingerman's Deli and Clif Bar -- that made a conscious decision to stay small and remain true to their values, despite pressure to get bigger. It's also engagingly written by a veteran business journalist who does a...more
Super inspiring. Didn't want it to end.
One of my favorite business books of all time!
This is mostly inspiration. Not too much practical stuff in here, but a good reminder that good businesses come in all sorts of weird shapes and forms. Small Giants suffers from a bad obsession with Good to Great, especially since it is not quantitative or scientific at all, whereas Good to Great was actually a highly rigorous academic study. If you are looking for inspiration to do something interesting with your company, read this book. If you are looking for advice on how to grow your com...more
Brittney Beck
added it
Another AWESOME book. I love this one.
Very good and relevant read
Really good - fun topic
Good book. Interesting stories about a range of small companies that have made some interesting and commendable decisions about their companies and employees. Refreshing to know that compassion, culture, gratitude, responsibility and a sense of "family" still exists in those companies which were profiled. Always a fine line between growth and profitability and paying homage to those on the front lines who help build companies.
Joel
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
entrepenuers
Recommended to Joel by:
Bo Burlingham
Bo BurlinghamBurlingham presents a compelling argument - in order to have a great company it must remain small, allowing the vision of the founders to maintain excellence without being crowed by short terms whims of investors or the stock market.
These founders, who maintain tight control of their company, are able grow in a way that allows them the freedom to innovate in their space while creating a community of, not only customers, but loyal employees.
These founders, who maintain tight control of their company, are able grow in a way that allows them the freedom to innovate in their space while creating a community of, not only customers, but loyal employees.
An excellent book on businesses that believe in something more than solely monetary growth as the measure of a company's success. This book is particularly good because of numerous detailed case studies that are sprinkled in pieces throughout the text, and yet, the author, Bo Burlingham, also is good about drawing out general insights and lessons. I would highly recommend this book to any one that strives for something other than the status quo in business.
well I had a nice review and the ajax timed out. oh well. Good book worth reading. Neat to see how the smallness leads to intimacy for companies and accountability. Especially when clear values are part of the story.
My boss gave me this book to read after I expressed interest in running a design/creative company someday.
Phenomenal! I love his writing style - it's a business book that's enjoyable to read. The style doesn't draw attention to itself, but it isn't dry or chummy either.
It's most interesting because of how much I recognize the way Mule is run in the advice and findings presented here. I need my own copy so I can lend it to others.
Phenomenal! I love his writing style - it's a business book that's enjoyable to read. The style doesn't draw attention to itself, but it isn't dry or chummy either.
It's most interesting because of how much I recognize the way Mule is run in the advice and findings presented here. I need my own copy so I can lend it to others.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
