Trying To Make It Small

Ramblings On Finding Your Sweet Spot And Growing Less

People often ask me, “What’s your goal for this company?”  That question is often followed with some kind of follow up statement, something along the lines of, “you want to grow, right?  Maybe sell it at some point?”

This is a complicated question.  I don’t necessarily believe that growth is the most sustainable path forward.  With growth comes more complication, more worry, and not necessarily more money, although sometimes it does.  But, in the world that my business inhabits, there is tremendous pressure to grow, to satiate the seemingly bottomless hunger for more -more sales, more product, more customers, more content, more products- more, more, more. 

Recently, I came to a realization.  I don’t want to grow as much as possible.  When I consider the realm of the possible, and all the things I’d like to push to the limits of possibility with, growth is not something that comes to mind.   Contributing to a solution for climate change? Yes.  Creating a new standard for food accessibility and education, so that good food is not a luxury item, but a human right?  Yes. Dismantling and rebuilding the constructs of equity and tolerance in the food world and the world at large?  Emotional development.  Spiritual development.  Character development.   Yes.  And much more.  But selling more and more each year, trying to best last year, for the rest of time?  Not so much. 

Here’s an exercise for every business owner: How much would you need to sell to feel good?  To pay all your bills, cover all your debts, and make enough money that you, simply put, feel good.  Secondarily, how much could you sell before your business starts to be a detriment to its environment?  Is that even a measurable number?  Perhaps it should be a consideration at the very least.  It’s an exercise I’ve been pondering lately, and one that I think all business owners should engage it.  How much is enough?  Enough to pay your bills, to minimize your impact, to feel financially liberated?  This number does exist, but is not often sought out.  What would the world look like if all businesses spent the same amount of energy analyzing their visions to find this number, and then built a plan around achieving it, as businesses do about limitless growth?   Would businesses be healthier?  Would people in business be healthier?  Would the environment, the cultural fabric, the ways in which people related to each other, be healthier? 

What would incentivize a business to operate within a limited growth model, a model that is not win at all costs?  Is there such an inventive strong enough?  Things to ponder.  Thanks for indulging this particular rabbit hole. Until next time…