Saltar la navegación
Company of One
Book

Company of One

Why Staying Small Is the Next Big Thing for Business

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019 más...

Buy book or audiobook


Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Well Structured
  • Concrete Examples

Recommendation

Most companies want to get bigger and earn more. They hire more people, set up big offices and seek more buyers. A “company of one” stays small on purpose. In his bestseller, Paul Jarvis, a company of one himself, shows you how to start and run a small firm, though not necessarily a one-person operation. You can be a small group in a larger organization, but in a small firm, you know what your clients want because you talk to them. Jarvis alludes to one caveat: Staying small sounds ideal, but consider how much time you’d need for marketing, administration and such to live small and thrive. 

Summary

The leader or leaders of a “company of one” question the mind-set that more is always better.

Most companies want more – more customers, more employees, more profit – but having more comes with a higher cost. You can actually do more with less. A company of one enables you to take control of your business and your life.

Being a company of one isn’t the same as being a freelancer. Freelancers get paid only when they work. A company of one uses systems and automation to make a profit even when its owners aren’t working.

A company of one needn’t be only one person.

It can be one person, one person within a larger organization, or a small firm with a few employees. For example, employees or board members can be a company of one inside a much larger company if they desire autonomy and question the more-is-better mind-set. 

Those who start a company of one value – and can nurture – resilience, autonomy, speed and simplicity.

Some people abandon traditional companies because they want more autonomy and control over their lives. To succeed as a company of one, you must be highly competent at whatever ...

About the Author

Paul Jarvis was a freelance designer/strategist for Microsoft, Yahoo, Mercedes-Benz, and other clients. He now teaches online classes, hosts podcasts and develops software from his island home off the British Columbia coast.


Comment on this summary