About The Band

This blog is written for “baby gorillas” – the small, flexible, and fast companies that are the engine of our economy.

The advantages that used to come from being bigger and richer doesn’t necessarily mean better and more successful. In a world increasingly defined by individualism and rapid change, the balance of power has shifted to those that act small.

Small means devising well-thought out plans, and knowing how to execute those plans.
Small fights bureaucracy – and realizes you can do this even if you’re big.
Small doesn’t try to be all things to all people.
Small knows that a company has a cause – and cause is strategy.
Small realizes that there is no mass market – so traditional promotional strategies aren’t effective.
Small finds and unleashes great talent. They avoid sheepwalkers at all costs.
Small invests in training that helps them do or attain more.
Small understands risk and the importance of discipline.
Small loves ideas and innovation.
Small would never violate business ethics.
Small isn’t a reference to the size of an organization. It’s a state of mind, a way of operating.

What all of this means is that companies have an opportunity. Firms of all sizes – even tiny ones (yes, tiny) – can find a niche and dominate a market. They can tweak their business model to adapt to a changing world. They can lead their customers, not advertise to them. And they can hire people who believe in the cause of the company, which in and of itself can create a powerful competitive advantage.

The future belongs to companies that think big and act small. It’s one thing to talk about this; it’s another thing altogether to achieve it. This site will focus on the “why’s” and “how’s” of that journey. I hope that you find it useful.

Ed McLaughlin
Twitter: @babygorillas

Ed McLaughlin

Ed McLaughlinEd McLaughlin specializes in helping entrepreneurial companies stay ahead of the game. He is the founder and President at JEM Equity Advisors, a consulting firm dedicated to helping others create growth with reliable marketing, strategy, and online learning services. Ed’s work at JEM led to his position as Chief Marketing Officer with Mobixy, a startup firm that provides mobile cloud computing solutions.  Prior to these roles, he held senior leadership positions at both UBS and GE.

Update: Ed just launched a new blog! The MetroUpd8 Project (pronounced “Metro Update”) is a new source of ideas and perspective about winning in business. Simply put, it’s about the power of business at its best. Check it out!