What I’m reading: Agoraphobics in Love by Lisa Tucker
What’s on my iPod: Fix You by Coldplay
Last person I followed on Twitter: @martharadio

Bigger isn’t always better.

Especially when it comes to businesses, according to an article from Inc., which lists six reasons why aiming for a $2 million company can be more beneficial than the “go big or go home” attitude of a $200 billion company.

I love Inc. magazine and this article – because it’s the essence of why I keep my agency small. Small but full of big ideas and creativity. Small but big competition (I compete with the big dogs! Just because they have someone to take out their office trash and clean their bathrooms… I’m still competing!). Small but relevant and…amazing. Or so I try to be, everyday.

So Inc’s 6 great reasons to keep your business small – and why I keep my agency that way:

1. You can do what you love.

This reason is No. 1 for SparksPR as well. Whether the great PR project work we get to do for our business clients through the BizSparksPR division or the awesome author clients we work with through the BookSparksPR division, I (and we) love what we do. Period.  We work with some amazing clients. Because the company isn’t huge, we have the opportunity to foster close relationships, really understand what our clients are looking for and, as a result, complete more passionate, relevant, focused and successful campaigns. The close-knit ties of our small company allow us to continue to do what we love: share information about products and people we are passionate about. And I am passion about this agency and what I do everyday.

2. You can keep all of the equity, yourself

Inc. says by keeping the company small, you can continue to be an integral part of the business. In fact, the owner and business go hand in hand. One can’t exist without the other. That control can diminish once the company becomes a huge empire. For me, I just do what I love and feel lucky everyday. And yeah – I have more control and don’t have to worry about overhead or major costs the way the bigger agencies do. More for me, which means more for my clients because I don’t have to upsell or mark up services or expenses to cover sky high overhead costs.

3. You’ll need to find just 10 wonderful people (or less!)

Again, it’s all about relationships. A small company allows you to foster relationships and develop a close-knit team. Not to say that a large company can’t operate as a team, but when you have thousands of employees it’s practically impossible to make a connection with everyone. I’ve had the pleasure of creating and working with a great team at SparksPR – even the interns and associates who have moved on are still considered a part of the team. Many of you work directly with Jessica who is so talented, passionate and amazing. And we’re about to have a new Fall intern – love working with ASU’s Journalism school to attract super energetic and experienced interns.

4. You’ll still be rich enough

A well-run, small business can maintain consistent income for decades. According to the article, “…a well-run, $2 million business in a sleepy little corner of the market could pump out 25 percent in earnings before tax for a long time. So not only are you earning $500,000 a year, you’re probably running trips and cars through your company as legitimate business expenses.” I’m not driven by money, the need to be rich, the need to be the most powerful and profitable. I don’t have to be. I’m a small business and I do well, I do what I love, it shows, the agency reaps the rewards and I reap the benefit of hard work and just being surrounded by a great team, amazing clients and a very creative industry. That’s rich, indeed.

5. You have the choice to live wherever you’d like

Smaller communities can support a $2 million business, which gives you more flexibility to chose your location. Large companies are more limited because they need the infrastructure, which only larger cities can offer. I’m definitly out there in terms of location – not in terms of my business PR side because Phoenix is great for all types of industry PR, but the book publicity side. Most book publicists, and my competition, are in NYC. But I’m a small company so location is not that important – although considering I just got bit by a scorpion tonight (why I’m up so late editing this blog post), I may rethink this whole Phoenix, in the desert thing (nah, not really.)

6. You’ll be able to see your kids’ T-ball games.

A large business requires a larger commitment – often seven days a week, which leaves little times for anything else. A small business provides a nice balance, allowing you to pursue your passions while being involved in other important aspects of life. One of the greatest gifts of all, and all three of my kids have benefited from having a mom whose work is flexible enough to make the big events and do the day to day mundane ones, but also a mom whose job is rewarding enough to see her passion and creativity spark.

Will SparksPR always be small? We’ve grown by leaps and bounds the last couple of years, but I do love to keep it small with that entrepeneurial spirit. Even if we continue to grow, and of course I hope we do, we’ll always be a small agency at the core. Small but big. Big ideas, big creativity, big competition, relevant and amazing…or so we’ll try.