Posted by Click here to get a free newsletter
What does it mean by small?
It means to stop growing. The idea of growth is the core of the problem in today’s economic system. There isn’t any more room left on earth for us to grow. Growing doesn’t mean discovering new frontiers anymore, it means taking a bigger share of the same pie. We need to find ways to circulate our wealth and resources.
In my opinion, circulation is the key in the business of 21st century. Another word, to be satisfied with our lot in life and do not seek further growth. To set the limit to our growth so that we can share the pie with everybody else.
One example is de-franchising. Franchising was one of the most popular business models in the 20th century. When you open a store in your town, next goal is to open another one. Then you start opening stores in other areas. You keep setting new goals to open more stores until you fill the entire nation with your chain. But you don’t stop there. You expand your franchise to other countries. You keep growing until you fill the world with your chain.
Now, what next?
Enough is enough.
What’s wrong with franchising is that you can take opportunities for others to succeed. It is happening in many parts of the world. Local stores are forced to close down because the market is taken over by big foreign chain stores.
You can just focus on one store and make it successful. When you succeed it, you are probably well off enough to support your family. You can lead a comfortable life. That is enough. From that point, you can focus on maintaining your success and not thinking to expand. There is always room to grow in other areas of your life such as improving your relationship with your family and friends, becoming healthier, to be psychologically integrated, and finally to be spiritually enlightened.
As a matter of fact, by making it small, you can put more time and energy into other areas of your life to make your prosperity more holistic. You can improve the quality of your business, too, by concentrating on your local store.
Talking about local, let me share my idea about localization in the next post.
Click here to get a free newsletter
Omi-merchant's way of Sustainable Prosperity 
Hi I enjoyed this blog. I run a small but expanding wellbeing service for children and families in east Anglia in the U.K. I agree with your principles of staying small but this may need balancing with the efficiencies of being a bit larger. Reflecting on it I think that my main concern is when owners and managers lose contact with the people on the ground.
Thanks for your article
Mark O’Connell registered manager of the Apricot Centre CIC Wellbeing Service http://www.apricotcentre.co.uk
LikeLike
Hi Mark,
Thank you for the comment. You are the first person to leave a comment. I am so glad.
You are right about the balance. It definitely could be larger, depending on the type of business or the location of the business. A business in a rural area with a small population can be different from a business in a city with a larger population for example. Also, with Omi-merchants’ philosophy of 3 way satisfaction, the seller needs to be happy, too. The degree of being comfortable varies depending on people, you can have two or three stores if it suits your need. The size that the managers and people on the ground can have a good relationship is crucial, isn’t it?
Sachiaki Takamiya
LikeLike