Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big by Bo Burlingham

Bo Burlingham's book, Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big, provides readers with unique insight on successful businesses and explains the merits of staying small and focusing on quality, rather than expanding and trying to become the biggest in the industry. As a case study, the book primarily follows the story of one particular business—Anchor Printing, Inc. located in San Leandro, California.

Small Giants takes readers behind the scenes of how Anchor Printing has successfully maintained a small, yet successful, operation. Founded in 1948 by Bob Langenbach, Sr., Anchor Printing began as a two-person business focused on printing business cards, postcards, and invitations. The company grew as technology advanced, and it eventually employed a peak of 20 people and reached $3 million in annual sales. The story of Anchor Printing highlights a business tradition of excellence and customer service, something that many larger companies have become detached from.

In the book, Burlingham meticulously explains several core values that have enabled Anchor Printing to stay small but great. For one, the company was built on a foundation of its employees. Rather than focusing solely on profit, Langenbach paid his staff above-market wages and motivated them to maintain a successful company. In doing so, Anchor Printing achieved higher levels of customer satisfaction, which led to frequent referrals that enabled the business to stay successful without relying solely on new customers. The book also touches on the importance of customer relationships. Burlingham explains that customer loyalty is linked directly to the relationship a business has with them, and Anchor Printing was able to build strong relationships without relying on discounts or other incentives.

Overall, Small Giants is an enlightening read for business owners and entrepreneurs alike. Rather than focusing on becoming larger and more profitable, Burlingham explains how you can achieve success and satisfaction by staying small and focusing on quality. Furthermore, the book explains how to develop and maintain a successful organization through customer relations, employee motivation, and a commitment to excellence rather than relying solely on profit-driven business tactics.

Whether you're a new business owner or looking to improve on an existing operation, Small Giants provides readers with the necessary information and insight to refine their strategy and strive for business excellence. By considering Anchor Printing's success story and analyzing their core values, readers gain first-hand insight on how to be great while staying small. Overall, the book serves as an inspiring resource for those who want to apply the same values at work and build their own small giant organization.