The Big Enough Company
Succeeding in business means making as much money as possible, right? Or, could success be defined in terms other than monetary?
In their book, The Big Enough Company, Adelaide Lancaster and Amy Abrams argue that entrepreneurs can create businesses on their own terms and find success in many different forms. Bigger is not necessarily better and money may not always be the signifier of success.
Lancaster and Abrams wrote the book from experience. They are the founders of In Good Company, a co-working space and community center for women entrepreneurs in New York City. I met Lancaster at a group dinner meeting of the New York Women Social Entrepreneurs. At the dinner we each received a copy of The Big Enough Company and shared the stories of our businesses. I was blown aways by the variety and depth of the other entrepreneurs’ missions of social good within their for-profit, small businesses — one supports coffee famers in South America, another teaches architecture skills to at-risk students, and one sells sustainable, eco-friendly party supplies. I learned about the emerging Benefit Corporation structure and chatted about how to overcome the challenges of working alone. It was a fascinating evening and I left feeling very motivated to read The Big Enough Company.
The original video trailer for the book:
The 288-page book is divided into a series of questions (What’s in it for you? What will your business be known for? What do you do best? Where do you go from here?) and a series of critical skills (Recognizing the value of doing less, Embracing Experimentation, Learning to say no, and Leveraging the power of community). It also profiles nearly 100 other female entrepreneurs, including Jen Mankins, owner of Bird, Joy Cho, founder of Oh Joy!, and Erin McKenna of Babycakes. Every woman in the book has their own unique business story and the profiles demonstrate just how wide open the definition of success can be.
From the introduction:
“We know the the real goal isn’t size (necessarily); it’s success. Success doesn’t come from following formulaic systems or looking for quick results. Nor does it come from measuring how big or profitable your venture is compared to others. It isn’t just about having a big company; it’s about having a company that is just big enough to deliver what you need and achieve what you want. Real success comes from growing your business in a way that keeps what you want at the forefront, whether that’s financial security, creative autonomy, professional opportunity, personal meaning, intellectual challenge, or something else entirely.”
My favorite section is in the back where each featured entrepreneur in the book gives a small piece of advice. Like, “don’t forget the reason you started,” from Grace Bonney of DesignSponge, and “don’t compromise on your values, even if it means saying no to opportunities like press,” from Malia Mills. It is interesting to see the variety of suggestions and helpful to learn that many women have gone before us in the world of business and have faced and overcome similar challenges.
Personally, I am excited by the idea of small, lifestyle businesses with social missions, but I know that some business experts may disagree with some of the ideas in The Big Enough Company, arguing that the business world is indeed about money and growth, not happiness and satisfaction. However, I think the book is a great place to start for aspiring entrepreneurs, no matter their motivations. It gives the reader permission to define what they want out of their work and life — whether that is freedom, control, money, or world domination — and then gives them the advice and inspiration to go make it happen.
Have you read The Big Enough Company? What did you think?
