11/05/2018
Entrepreneurs feeling abashed that their businesses haven’t grown to the Fortune 500 level should relax—sometimes slow or no growth is the right approach, argues consultant Jarvis in this persuasive manual. A “company of one” is a business that “questions growth,” the business world’s default strategy; while pursuing growth may be the most intuitive decision to make, Jarvis observes that it’s not always the best one. Aggressive growth means an increase in operating costs, organizational complexity, and responsibilities for management, which doesn’t suit everyone. Staying small, meanwhile, doesn’t have to be the prelude to something bigger, but can be the whole strategy. Using case studies and (refreshingly briefly) his own story—of working as a website designer, first for an agency and then for himself—Jarvis walks readers through the steps of cultivating a company that intentionally doesn’t grow: determining what motivates one beyond generating a profit; building a “scalable,” or appropriately sized, infrastructure; starting and developing the company at a workable pace; and satisfying customers all the while. Though somewhat light, Jarvis’s soothing guide is a good reminder that chasing the million-customer mark is not the right choice for every entrepreneur. Agent: Lucinda Blumenfeld, Lucinda Literary. (Jan.)
"Jarvis makes a compelling case for making your business better instead of bigger. A must-read for any entrepreneur who prioritizes a rich life over riches." —CAL NEWPORT, bestselling author of DEEP WORK “You're not a machine, so why would you run your business like one? Company of One shows you another way. If you've ever wondered how to have a business that works for you—instead of the other way around—you need this book.” —CHRIS GUILLEBEAU, bestselling author of SIDE HUSTLE and THE $100 STARTUP "Growth has been hacked to simply mean “more”. More revenue, more customers, more employees, more products, more, more, more. That’s a tragically myopic view of growth. Paul Jarvis will help you open your eyes to a broader, wiser definition of growth. One of learning, one of betterment, one of contentment. There’s never been a more opportune time to launch or run companies that embrace having and being “enough”. The most important ingredient is a new world view. Company of One can give you just that." —DAVID HEINEMEIER HANSSON, Creator of RUBY ON RAILS and Founder of BASECAMP "Your business can thrive with less! Company of One is an riveting, lucidly written guide to run a successful minimalist business." —Joshua Fields Millburn, host of The Minimalists podcast “The default equation of more = better in business isn’t working anymore. If you want to build something that matters, make a difference for your family and the world, and actually enjoy what you do, Company of One offers the inspiration and step by step actions that will change the way you do business, and the way you do life.” —COURTNEY CARVER, bestselling author of SOULFUL SIMPLICITY "Paul Jarvis beautifully illustrates that “Small is the new big.” It's true. It's not about how many employees you have (or how many customers you serve). It is about “who” you are working with. This is a revolutionary idea for our times: build your business based on your values. There's nothing small about that. This book is a treasure." —MITCH JOEL, founder, Six Pixels Group, and author of SIX PIXELS OF SEPARATION and CTRL ALT Delete “Ever since starting MailChimp 18 years ago, I’ve always been told that my way was wrong. My way has never been to “be big.” My way was always to “be useful.” My company has become a global brand with millions of customers, over $525 million in annual revenue, and almost 1000 employees united by a single mission to empower companies of one. Go figure. There's not one, right way. Only your way. Paul’s book can help you find your way.” —BEN CHESTNUT, CEO and founder of MailChimp "Company of One will give you invaluable insights to focus on the purposeful, interesting, and impactful work you actually love doing, right alongside permission to stop blindly chasing growth by defining success on your own terms. This book is great for freelancers, side-hustlers, and small business owners who are looking to bring autonomy, self-reliance, and creativity to their work without becoming total workaholics. —KATHLEEN SHANNON and EMILY THOMPSON, authors/hosts of Being Boss "Paul Jarvis is the savviest sole proprietor I know. This book is a permission slip to reject tired corporate business advice in favor of a sma —
2018-10-22
How to stay small and succeed in business.
"Blind growth is the main cause of business problems," writes online-tech veteran Jarvis (Everything I Know, 2013, etc.), whose corporate clients include Microsoft and Mercedes Benz. "What if you worked instead toward growing smaller, smarter, more efficient, and more resilient?" In this upbeat, anecdote-laden how-to book, he draws on some 20 years of experience (and steadily increasing income) to describe the advantages of running a "company of one," whether as an independent business person or an autonomous, innovative corporate employee who deliberately questions growth and stays "lean and agile" on purpose. The payoffs are many: A marketing vice president becomes a cartoonist (his lifelong hobby) and earns three times as much income; the owner of Milkwood Designs makes regular retreats to a Sierra Nevada yurt. It all takes hard, focused work characterized by resilience, autonomy, speed, and simplicity. "There's a silent movement to approaching business in this way," writes Jarvis, emphasizing the importance of staying small, with set yearly profit goals. Many of his examples are modern, often dot-com businesses run by individuals unafraid of celebrating their quirkiness as a way to build trust and relationships with customers. They eschew obsessive growth (occasioned by inflation, investors, churn, and ego) and instead work to keep existing customers by getting better (rather than bigger) and offering "a real relationship" based on "trust, humanity, and empathy." "Companies of one can be led and run by quiet, thoughtful, introspective folks" who are bad at managing others, writes the author, a self-confessed "awkward geek." He notes federal records show that in 2015, more than 38,000 "companies (of one) were bringing in seven-figure revenues, doing everything from the usual high-tech and scientific fields to equipment repair and laundry services." Many such firms "share and give away their ideas freely," becoming trusted advisers to their customers through teaching, podcasts, and other means.
A bright, useful entry in the small-is-beautiful genre.