She starts by challenging the prevalent sentiment in our society that “bigger is better”, and says that we live in a culture of “quantity worship”, even from so-called small-business advocates. She notes that the U. S. Small Business Administration defines “small” as businesses with up to 500 employees, and lists as their primary selection criteria for Small Business Person of the Year such metrics as growth in the number of employees and increase in sales or unit volume. As an aside, I recently noticed that a major business journal was going to be naming the top small businesses in the city. Their determination of “small”? Revenues under $50 million. Their ranking criteria? Revenues. The definition of the category automatically determines the winners!
“Ultimately,” Walters says, the choice depends heavily on the vision and preferences of the business owner: what’s most important to him, personally?” The rest of the book then provides three avenues for exploring qualitative growth—vision, right relationships, and wisdom and mastery.
The next three sections provide a step-by-step process, supported by examples, for discovering and articulating the vision, mission and core values for your business; creating right relationships with employees, partners and customers; and exploring wisdom and mastery in the context of your business.
Both inspirational and practical, Big Vision, Small Business is a must-read for the entrepreneur who sees his business as an instrument for dramatic and meaningful change in his life, his community, and the world.