Small or micro business?
A small business is defined by having 500 employees or less.
A micro business is defined by having fewer than 10 employees and making less than $250,000 per year.
With that knowledge, do you have a small business or a micro business?
This is nothing to feel bad or ashamed of. My goal is for this to inspire you! When I hear the word micro business, the first type of business that comes to mind is a micro-brewery.
What I love about these establishments, is that they are not trying to be like the big name beer brands. They prioritize quality over quantity and have a community-centered brand ethos. If you want to buy a 12 pack of Miller Lite, you go to the local grocery store or liquor store and grab what you need and go. But when you go to a micro-brewery? It’s an experience. You might try a flight and play some board games with friends while you sip the beer that was brewed right there in house.
These breweries often have events like live music or game nights. You might find their booth at a local vendor market or community event. You wouldn’t see a commercial for your local micro-brewery being aired during the Superbowl. You’d probably hear about it through word-of-mouth, walking or driving past it in person, or a local community event. If you enjoy it, you’ll tell your friends about it and they would join you the next time you go. You might even buy a T-shirt with their logo on it, or grab a bumper sticker and stick it on your car. Not because you get a kickback, but because when we love something, we love to tell others.
Instead of following the advice of the million dollar influencer with 100K followers on Instagram, what if you took more inspiration from your local community? I don’t have a brick-and-mortar business, I have online communities. But I can still take inspiration from these establishments to help me build my business in a way that genuinely feels good with quality and community being at the forefront.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this concept. If you’d like, comment below and let me know if you resonate with viewing your business as a micro rather than small business.
