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Summary
Summary
What if the real key to a more fulfilling career was not to scale up but to work for yourself and become a successful and sustainable company of one? The New York Times bestselling author of Deep Work Cal Newport calls this book a "must-read for any entrepreneur who prioritizes a rich life over riches." Company of One offers a refreshingly original business strategy that's focused on a commitment to being better instead of bigger. Why? Because staying small provides one with the freedom to pursue more meaningful pleasures in life--and avoid the headaches that come with traditional growth-oriented business. Having personally discovered the benefits of cutting out the corporate hierarchy that constantly demands more, author Paul Jarvis explains how you can do the same. With this groundbreaking guide, you'll learn how to set up your shop, determine your desired revenues, deal with unexpected crises, keep your key clients happy, and find self-fulfillment every step of the way.
Author Notes
PAUL JARVIS is a veteran of the online tech world, and over the years he has had corporate clients such as Microsoft, Yahoo, Mercedes-Benz, Warner Music and even Shaquille O'Neal. These days, he teaches courses online and does consulting from his home on a remote island off of Vancouver.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Entrepreneurs feeling abashed that their businesses haven't grown to the Fortune 500 level should relax-sometimes slow or no growth is the right approach, argues consultant Jarvis in this persuasive manual. A "company of one" is a business that "questions growth," the business world's default strategy; while pursuing growth may be the most intuitive decision to make, Jarvis observes that it's not always the best one. Aggressive growth means an increase in operating costs, organizational complexity, and responsibilities for management, which doesn't suit everyone. Staying small, meanwhile, doesn't have to be the prelude to something bigger, but can be the whole strategy. Using case studies and (refreshingly briefly) his own story-of working as a website designer, first for an agency and then for himself-Jarvis walks readers through the steps of cultivating a company that intentionally doesn't grow: determining what motivates one beyond generating a profit; building a "scalable," or appropriately sized, infrastructure; starting and developing the company at a workable pace; and satisfying customers all the while. Though somewhat light, Jarvis's soothing guide is a good reminder that chasing the million-customer mark is not the right choice for every entrepreneur. Agent: Lucinda Blumenfeld, Lucinda Literary. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
How to stay small and succeed in business."Blind growth is the main cause of business problems," writes online-tech veteran Jarvis (Everything I Know, 2013, etc.), whose corporate clients include Microsoft and Mercedes Benz. "What if you worked instead toward growing smaller, smarter, more efficient, and more resilient?" In this upbeat, anecdote-laden how-to book, he draws on some 20 years of experience (and steadily increasing income) to describe the advantages of running a "company of one," whether as an independent business person or an autonomous, innovative corporate employee who deliberately questions growth and stays "lean and agile" on purpose. The payoffs are many: A marketing vice president becomes a cartoonist (his lifelong hobby) and earns three times as much income; the owner of Milkwood Designs makes regular retreats to a Sierra Nevada yurt. It all takes hard, focused work characterized by resilience, autonomy, speed, and simplicity. "There's a silent movement to approaching business in this way," writes Jarvis, emphasizing the importance of staying small, with set yearly profit goals. Many of his examples are modern, often dot-com businesses run by individuals unafraid of celebrating their quirkiness as a way to build trust and relationships with customers. They eschew obsessive growth (occasioned by inflation, investors, churn, and ego) and instead work to keep existing customers by getting better (rather than bigger) and offering "a real relationship" based on "trust, humanity, and empathy." "Companies of one can be led and run by quiet, thoughtful, introspective folks" who are bad at managing others, writes the author, a self-confessed "awkward geek." He notes federal records show that in 2015, more than 38,000 "companies (of one) were bringing in seven-figure revenues, doing everything from the usual high-tech and scientific fields to equipment repair and laundry services." Many such firms "share and give away their ideas freely," becoming trusted advisers to their customers through teaching, podcasts, and other means.A bright, useful entry in the small-is-beautiful genre. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Using his mantra, start small, define growth, and keep learning, readers can follow corporate tech designer Jarvis' model for a sustainable, self-propelled business. He advises readers to keep their focus narrow and not stray too far from that one big idea. Also discussed are practical ideas like leaning on processes, systems, and reusable building blocks to do faster work in less time and with less manpower, while maximizing revenue. To maintain business, trust the plan for scaled growth, take tiny steps, and value relationships. This book is a blueprint for growing a lean, agile business that can survive any economy, while extolling the benefits of staying small, such as the freedom to pursue life's pleasures and avoiding the headaches of dealing with employees and the stress of expansion. Company of One will appeal to freelancers, small-business owners, and anyone who wants to make a right-sized business that they can manage on their own.--Jennifer Adams Copyright 2018 Booklist
Table of Contents
| Prologue | p. xi |
| Part I Begin | |
| 1 Defining a Company of One | p. 3 |
| 2 Staying Small as an End Goal | p. 24 |
| 3 What's Required to Lead | p. 45 |
| 4 Growing a Company That Doesn't Grow | p. 60 |
| Part II Define | |
| 5 Determining the Right Mind-Set | p. 77 |
| 6 Personality Matters | p. 94 |
| 7 The One Customer | p. 105 |
| 8 Scalable Systems | p. 124 |
| 9 Teach Everything You Know | p. 135 |
| Part III Maintain | |
| 10 Properly Utilizing Trust and Scale | p. 149 |
| 11 Launching and Iterating in Tiny Steps | p. 163 |
| 12 The Hidden Value of Relationships | p. 180 |
| 13 Starting a Company of One - My Story | p. 198 |
| Afterword: Never Grow Up | p. 215 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 227 |
| Notes | p. 229 |
| Index | p. 239 |