Business size does NOT matter?!
Got an invitation for a business conference for entrepreneurs and SMEs. I said, why not? You aren't going to learn or hear anything revolutionary, but at least, you're going to meet some interesting people. The only drawback is you pay a small fee to hear big companies talk to the small ones how to make big money. Otherwise, you can be happy about it.
So, it was same all same all. I couldn't wait for the first pause between presentations to grab some snacks and drink some coffee. This is always a great opportunity for some chit-chat. So, pretty quickly we surrounded a guy who turned out to be some important CEO of some important company with hundreds if not thousands of employees. He was actually a cool guy. He didn't brag about his job. It is what it is. For him that's an every day's work to manage so many people and make important decisions. For us small companies dreaming huge that was a completely different level.
At one point, I said that as a co-owner of a company with only two employees (that's me and my partner) I truly admire and even envy (in a positive if such thing is possible) this guy. You can imagine our surprise when he said that he actually envy us, and particularly me. Why? He said something I think it is totally worth of all bolded letters:
In your company no matter how small it is, you will always be a big boss, while in my company, which isn't mine, no matter how big it is, I will always be a small boss.
I didn't have enough time to thank him for this unexpected moment of business Zen because our conference break was over and we had to get back for the next presentation. Yet, on my way back I just couldn't stop thinking about the things he said. It's true. Business independence may be small, but it's sweet. On the other hand, the corporate empires seem like a great and safe place to be, but somehow I had this feeling they're more than often associated with a bitter taste of success.
Yet, we all make our choices, don't we? I'm happy where I'm right now. I have no desire to switch places with this corporate guy, that is something I'm certain about. What do you think?
So, it was same all same all. I couldn't wait for the first pause between presentations to grab some snacks and drink some coffee. This is always a great opportunity for some chit-chat. So, pretty quickly we surrounded a guy who turned out to be some important CEO of some important company with hundreds if not thousands of employees. He was actually a cool guy. He didn't brag about his job. It is what it is. For him that's an every day's work to manage so many people and make important decisions. For us small companies dreaming huge that was a completely different level.
At one point, I said that as a co-owner of a company with only two employees (that's me and my partner) I truly admire and even envy (in a positive if such thing is possible) this guy. You can imagine our surprise when he said that he actually envy us, and particularly me. Why? He said something I think it is totally worth of all bolded letters:
In your company no matter how small it is, you will always be a big boss, while in my company, which isn't mine, no matter how big it is, I will always be a small boss.
I didn't have enough time to thank him for this unexpected moment of business Zen because our conference break was over and we had to get back for the next presentation. Yet, on my way back I just couldn't stop thinking about the things he said. It's true. Business independence may be small, but it's sweet. On the other hand, the corporate empires seem like a great and safe place to be, but somehow I had this feeling they're more than often associated with a bitter taste of success.
Yet, we all make our choices, don't we? I'm happy where I'm right now. I have no desire to switch places with this corporate guy, that is something I'm certain about. What do you think?