There was once a time when starting a small business in Calgary, Alberta meant that you were an outsider going against the norm; shunning a big corporate job and forging your own path. It was not an idea that was embraced. These days, small businesses are everywhere. People who endeavour to start their own small business are considered innovative, creative, hardworking and brave.
Calgary has an amazing entrepreneurial spirit that has captivated the hearts of many, bringing small businesses to YYC to hone their craft and be encouraged by the people who are dedicated to shopping small and local. With so many great examples of small businesses done well, we asked a simple question: what makes a small business successful?
The answer is simple. In order for a small business to be successful it must think big. It is this mindset that turns tiny companies into multi-million dollar enterprises. So, how can you think big as a small business?
1). Create a Big Brand: There is a reason that people across the globe can instantly recognize companies such as McDonalds, Google and Nike. It is because these companies have done a fantastic job of maintaining strong, influential brands. Branding is what makes your company unique. There may be hundreds of different grocery stores, but we all recognize Superstore because of its unique Canada-inspired branding. Come up with a clear, visual brand that represents your products and work it!
2). Stay Humble, Work Hard: When the founder of Google came up with the idea for google books, he bought a little scanner for his office and started by scanning books page by page. Google then found easier ways to do this, but the point is that the founder of a multi-million dollar company was humble enough to literally scan things page by page. It was this humility and willing to do grunt work that made way the for big ideas to happen. Stay humble and work hard every single day and it will pay off.
3). Watch Others: You can learn important lessons from other companies that started small before growing big. Learn their tricks, study their methods, figure out the specific steps and strategies that got them to where they are now. Who knows, one day other people may be looking to your business to see how it is done right.
Think like a big brand, but work like a small brand. Create manageable goals and see them through. You won’t become a multimillion dollar company overnight, but with hard work and time, you can get there one day.
Best of luck!
(Photo Via Canva)
Posted by Ken Richter on
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