Almost thirty years ago, when my acting career filled seats but not my bank account and new responsibilities arrived in the form of a baby, I needed to change direction. I wanted to put my family first, generate a good income, and do something that would make an impact. I didn't want the pressure that comes with a competitive position and a dictated work schedule. Jobs in the corporate world with windows (and doors!) that never opened felt deadening to me. I naively thought it would be easier to start something myself.
I Call Myself a Reluctant Entrepreneur
Find success, take charge of my own schedule, and make money—as easy as 1-2-3!
I grew up in a retail family business: Milt's Army and Navy in Bloomfield, Connecticut. My father worked long hours, and I began working there when I was twelve—missing, by the way, every Saturday high school event, including the football games. I knew I didn't want that kind of business. Not for me!
I wanted something else, something that didn't exist yet, at least not to my knowledge. I wanted to have a voice, a way to share my ideas, contribute, make a good living, and manage my own time. I didn't want to pay to play, meaning I was unwilling to make compromises to work up the corporate ladder. I didn't want to sacrifice the present for the future. I understood that time is precious, that it is the one resource we can't make more of. I wanted to build something and have time to play while doing it. I was tired of making compromises. And so, as an experienced actor with years of dealing with rejections, I figured, “Why not?” Why not do my own thing?
I had an idea. A “tiny” idea that excited me. I wanted to introduce the concept of reusable shopping bags like the ones I'd seen in France years earlier. I was tired of single-use plastic bags and figured other people were probably tired of them too. They always broke. They got stuck in trees and gutters. Instant garbage. So wasteful. They didn't make practical or environmental sense. When I saw them littering the streets it made me sad and mad. I believed then, and still do, that access to a clean environment, air, and water is a human right.
I was an actor and a new mom married to a freelance musician living in a big city where making a living isn't easy or optional. Even with manageable rent it was a financial stretch. I made choices, designating strict working hours and healthy, reasonable income goals. I made up business rules to support my environmental goals (leave no trace) and social priorities (fair wages for fair labor). I diligently researched and picked the first suppliers who were a good match. They weren't perfect, but I needed to get started.
Choices available to me:
Family/home + work 9–5 (away all day) + commuting + home late = exhausted
vs.
Choices I made:
Work from home + 1099s + flex childcare + flex hours + extra hours = more relaxed every day
What I did was very practical on many levels:
1. I found something I was passionate about (my “why”).
I was determined to rid the world of its single-use plastic bag habit and make my living doing it.
2. I started a business that was a solution to a problem (more of my “why”).
I manufactured and sold a responsibly made, environmental lifestyle product to replace wasteful, environmentally unfriendly plastic bags.
3. I used my own resources (my “how”).
I bootstrapped using my own savings. I hit the streets and juggled credit cards for cash flow. I made it up as I went along. I made a lot of mistakes, and I learned what I needed.
What was less practical? I built a company from scratch with no formal business training. I didn't wait to create a master business plan. I jumped in, willing to take a long view.
I had a vision for cleaning up the planet and making a very good living without selling my soul. I made up my own rules guided by my own sense of what was important for my business and my young family. Without a backup plan or the luxury of time, I figured out how to create sustainable growth and healthy profits without big business plans and big capital—and without working 24/7.
And in addition to building a healthy, profitable enterprise, my Tiny Business helped me:
image Set a good example
image Attract the best people to work with me
image Enjoy the work that I do
image Grow in community versus in isolation
image Inspire others
image Build the life I imagine
Isn't that what we all want?
“Pick yourself.”
—Seth Godin
I bet on me, and I believe you should bet on you.
If you have what some think are conflicting ideas—you want your work to matter and you want to make a good living, or you want to build your own business while keeping family and other life experiences a priority—then a Tiny Business is for you.
If your measure of success is making a good enough income to lead a rich life and being able to do what you want when you want to do it, then what I share in this book will resonate.
I'm writing this because I know the magic that happens when you get very clear on the life you want and you take deliberate, disciplined, informed steps to create it—when you create a Tiny Business.
Tiny Business Is Business on YOUR Terms—That Fits YOUR Life
I. It is driven by consciously chosen limitations that increase your focus on the things that matter. Tiny means how to say no.
II. This focus helps you prioritize your “why”—the things that matter to you and that you want to create—in life, business, and the world.
III. These priorities guide every decision in your “how”—the business realities and practices that get things done.
IV. Focus, priorities, and clarity create a magic that let you enjoy the process. You remember to breathe, and you thrive through it all. Tiny means how to say yes.
The Magic of Tiny Business encompasses all the lessons I learned and the time-tested Tiny Business insights and advice I want to share so that you can have a smoother journey.
In part I, I go deeper into what a Tiny Business is and what it means to consciously choose your limitations—whether it's leaving work at 5:00 p.m. every day without fail, having a positive environmental impact, or enjoying a flexible schedule. I help you take inventory of what you have to start with (trust me, it's enough!), what you will need going forward, and the steps you can take to get it.
Part II is about getting clear on your “why.” What do you want for your life, your business, and the world? Why do you want to start your own business? Why are you passionate about selling this particular product or service? Breaking down the answers to these questions will help you get clear on your brand and your story—the unique value you are adding to the marketplace.
In part III, I get into the nitty-gritty of starting and growing a Tiny Business—from cash flow to accounting and anticipating growth and slowdowns—all the while keeping your “why” front and center.
Part IV is about keeping you whole throughout the process. A Tiny Business is about making a good living and a great life. You need to be able to stop and smell the flowers, or get a glass of water, or take a walk when you feel like it—you need to enjoy the journey. This section shows you how.
This is not an exhaustive guide to creating and sustaining a Tiny Business, but it does highlight some of the key and creative approaches that worked for me. In every chapter, you will find takeaways with guidelines and guardrails from my own Tiny Business journey. I include advice on how to navigate and use the noise to your best advantage, and how to leverage being in a community and standing for something. I share best practices on working collaboratively, managing growth, and managing cash. I may even be the bug in your ear that keeps you going when you want to quit, though quitting can be a good way to reconnect with what you want. More on that later.
I share my mistakes in the hope that I can spare you from making the same ones. But trust me, you will find others!
And if (when?) you do skin your knees along the way, remember that it's only skin. And when you've got skin in the game, you stick with it.
