Comments on: Do You Mind Being Called A SMALL Business? http://smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/do-you-mind-being-called-a-small-business.html Exploring the trends driving small business Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:39:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Barry Welford http://smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/do-you-mind-being-called-a-small-business.html#comment-417663 Barry Welford Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:19:35 +0000 http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/do-you-mind-being-called-a-small-business.html#comment-417663 Who doesn't know the phrase, Small is Beautiful. Big has so many bad connotations that it's certainly a word to avoid. I rather like the word, Emerging. Makes you think of butterflies emerging from the chrysalis. Perhaps that's an appropriate thought. Who doesn’t know the phrase, Small is Beautiful. Big has so many bad connotations that it’s certainly a word to avoid. I rather like the word, Emerging. Makes you think of butterflies emerging from the chrysalis. Perhaps that’s an appropriate thought.

]]> By: Anita Campbell http://smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/do-you-mind-being-called-a-small-business.html#comment-417375 Anita Campbell Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:45:48 +0000 http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/do-you-mind-being-called-a-small-business.html#comment-417375 "Small business" has become a kind of shorthand, as Dharmesh points out, to direct us to special offers, benefits and good things. And it's taken on a very positive association. I think most small businesses have gotten over or are getting over their belief that you have to be "big" to count -- or that you can't admit your true business size to be taken seriously. In fact just the opposite -- wearing your small size on your sleeve has become a kind of badge of honor. My business is small -- and I'm P-R-O-O-O-O-U-D of it. That's why the name of my company and my trademark contain the words "small business" within them. Anita “Small business” has become a kind of shorthand, as Dharmesh points out, to direct us to special offers, benefits and good things.

And it’s taken on a very positive association.

I think most small businesses have gotten over or are getting over their belief that you have to be “big” to count — or that you can’t admit your true business size to be taken seriously. In fact just the opposite — wearing your small size on your sleeve has become a kind of badge of honor.

My business is small — and I’m P-R-O-O-O-O-U-D of it. That’s why the name of my company and my trademark contain the words “small business” within them.

Anita

]]> By: Dharmesh Shah http://smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/do-you-mind-being-called-a-small-business.html#comment-417363 Dharmesh Shah Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:21:40 +0000 http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/do-you-mind-being-called-a-small-business.html#comment-417363 Rex: Fair enough. I'm actually encouraged to hear that most of the millions of small businesses actually like the label. As noted in the article, I think that makes it better for everyone. Rex: Fair enough. I’m actually encouraged to hear that most of the millions of small businesses actually like the label. As noted in the article, I think that makes it better for everyone.

]]> By: Rex Hammock http://smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/do-you-mind-being-called-a-small-business.html#comment-417338 Rex Hammock Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:22:51 +0000 http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2007/12/do-you-mind-being-called-a-small-business.html#comment-417338 I've blogged at length on this topic as there are those who claim there is research that says small business owners don't want to be called "small" business owners. However, each year, the companies you mention (American Express, FedEx, every bank there is, Intuit, etc., etc.) spend billions in marketing that continuously hammers home that "small business" is something good -- that's American as apple pie. Those who start companies they hope will one day go public or be purchased by BigCo may have an inherent and self-serving reason not to want to be called "small" as the exit-strategy of such a business involves a cashing-out that wants to be "big." However, for most of the 20 million small businesses that are self-employed individuals or the companies along main street and sub-urbia, being small is wonderful. (Note: I'll admit. I'm biased, as my 25-person firm (hammock.com) does lots of things, but one small thing we are passionate about is a website called: SmallBusiness.com) I’ve blogged at length on this topic as there are those who claim there is research that says small business owners don’t want to be called “small” business owners. However, each year, the companies you mention (American Express, FedEx, every bank there is, Intuit, etc., etc.) spend billions in marketing that continuously hammers home that “small business” is something good — that’s American as apple pie. Those who start companies they hope will one day go public or be purchased by BigCo may have an inherent and self-serving reason not to want to be called “small” as the exit-strategy of such a business involves a cashing-out that wants to be “big.” However, for most of the 20 million small businesses that are self-employed individuals or the companies along main street and sub-urbia, being small is wonderful.

(Note: I’ll admit. I’m biased, as my 25-person firm (hammock.com) does lots of things, but one small thing we are passionate about is a website called: SmallBusiness.com)

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