Small Business: Why It Rocks
By Susan Fennema
A small business can be a single freelancer all the way up to several thousand employees, depending on the industry chosen. The U.S. Small Business Administration defines small business in a very big business complicated way here. When I think of small business and the ones I love to work with, I’m usually thinking of 25 people or less.
I’ve happily worked in companies of up to about 80 employees. I also worked in a publicly traded company and in a small company that was purchased by a publicly traded company. My happiness was definitely challenged in those environments. After living through being integrated into Publicis, the 4th largest communication company in the world at the time, I swore off big business permanently. At my exit interview, I made it clear that I never intended to work for them again – politely, but clearly. Partly, I was protecting myself by stating that for “my permanent record”. I didn’t want a weak-willed moment to result in re-employment. (I’m usually not a bridge burner.)
So, what’s the big difference? Why do I prefer to work with small business over larger ones?
