I’d like you to meet a member of my family. She weighs in at less than 15 lbs. She may be small in size, but she thinks she’s as big as a retriever or lab.
It’s Nala – The Squatty, Scruffy Dog.
Nala is a Jack Russell Terrier that we adopted 5 years ago. She’s our third JRT. Now, something should know about me – I’ve never owned a small dog. I’ve always had 90 lb dogs. My father always referred to little dogs as “drop kick dogs”. I swore I would never have one of those.
But here I am … with this little dog that is smaller than most of the cats I’ve ever owned. And I can’t imagine our house without her. She is the sweetest dog, friendly to everyone and every animal. She is not one of those “yip yip yip” dogs. She is small enough to travel easily with us and just loves life!
Nala the Squatty, Scruffy Dog and her mindset can teach small businesses owners a few lessons:
small packages OFFER BIG THINGS
EXAMPLE: Nala will play tug of war with the biggest do friend – no matter what the size. (This is no joke … I’ve seen her hold on to a toy and get flung.) THE LESSON: Small “packages” are often strong and steady. They know their niche and they are proud to stick up for it. Small businesses often have a small, specialized market they cater to. This often makes the small business stronger in that area, so there is no need to be intimidated by the “big guys”.
EXAMPLE: Nala runs circles around her black and yellow lab and golden retriever “friends”.
THE LESSON: Small can make it easier to move around and shift gears quickly to accommodate changing situations with clients. No red tape … just trying your best to please.
EXAMPLE: Nala has been known to cuddle up with a Maine Coon cat who are nearly DOUBLE her weight.
THE LESSON: The “big guys” and “small guys” can help each other. If a job is too big or beyond your expertise, don’t be afraid to refer a client to a “big guy”. What goes around, comes around and it could be that the same “big guy” is referring you for a job that is too small for their scope.
Don’t underestimate the power of being “small”. Know your strengths and use them toward the success of your small business.
Are you a small business, too? 
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