Company of One, Paul Jarvis
I have read a few business-related books in the past, such as Start Within by Karen Holst, Zero to One by Peter Thiel, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, The Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller, and a few others as well. In a general sense the premise of these books was ideas surrounding intense and expansive business growth. They discuss maximizing profits, getting in and out (creating startups and selling them, such as in Silicon Valley), and creating value in the world as a whole (i.e. in Zero to One). Books, such as The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, discuss maximizing sales and lifetime earnings. The book even goes on to like the gross sales and net worth of many widely successful relators.
After reading the Prologue of Company of One, the author, Paul Jarvis, seems to take a different approach to exploring business success. After moving away from the rush of the city to a small, isolated town, he was able to reflect and deem “why staying small is the next big thing” and what that means to him in his work as an online designer and along consultant for a wide range of clients. His journey began as a means to scale down for mental clarity; however, this seemingly personal work-life balance pursuit developed into something further; the “company of one” model.
Jarvis leaves us with this final note in the introductory section: “start small, define growth, and keep learning”.
I am looking forward to seeing ideas on how to manage robust business success, maximize efficiency without maximizing growth and expansion, and making the most of life along the way!
Click here for references to all books that were directly mentioned in this post.
8 responses to “Prologue”
Hi Madelynn,
It sounds like you’ve selected an excellent book! I am intrigued by what you’ve shared about “Company of One” and look forward to following your blog throughout this class. In my experience, the tortoise wins the race in business. I’ve always been about slow and steady growth as a way to keep my sanity while being debt-free. This approach often stemmed from my lack of business knowledge, but now that I’m in business school, I find it all quite validating. Rapid growth can lead to misery as well as diminishing profits. Doing more with less is the ticket to more profitability for the majority.
I’m excited to learn from you and the author, Paul Jarvis.
Cheers,
Coral
Coral,
I love that you can resonate with the main concept within the book: being successful doesn’t mean growing big (or as you put it, “the tortoise wins the race in business”). You touched on a lot of the book’s key points here, as Jarvis seems to likewise agree on the importance of work-life balance and remaining debt free.
Thank you for your comments,
Maddie
Dear Madelynn,
Thank you for sharing your first look into Company of One! I am excited to keep learning more as you continue reading and posting. I think there is a time and a place for slow and rapid growth. Rapid growth can cause many problems, but working out the logistical kinks beforehand, having the resources needed, and a complete and competent staff to execute scaling can help eliminate that headache.
Kindly,
Shawn
Shawn,
I also agree that with the proper resources, planning, and prior research, on can properly execute scaling. After reading the remainder of the book I became apparent that the company one approach was developed to maintain one’s desire work-life balance.
Thank you for your comment,
Maddie
Madelynn,
I look forward to reading your reflections on your reading selection! Most of the material I’ve recently seen and the book I’ve selected on private equity are focused on growth and expansion. I haven’t dove into anything describing the strengths of staying small, so I’m very curious to see what you gather.
Cheers,
Taelor
Taelor,
Most of the material I have read prior to this book has also focused on rapid growth and expansion, so it was nice to gain a different perspective on staying small and the success that can be accumulated through that.
Thank you for your comment,
Maddie
Your reflection on the various business books you’ve read, including Start Within by Karen Holst, Zero to One by Peter Thiel, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, and The Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller, provides a comprehensive overview of different approaches to business growth and success. These books often emphasize intense growth, maximizing profits, and creating significant value, often through creating and selling startups, especially in high-paced environments like Silicon Valley.
However, your insight into Company of One by Paul Jarvis highlights a contrasting perspective. Jarvis’s approach, centered on staying small and finding personal fulfillment, introduces an intriguing alternative to the high-growth models prevalent in other business literature. His journey from the bustling city to a more serene, isolated environment allowed him to reflect on the benefits of scaling down, ultimately leading to the “company of one” model. This concept emphasizes starting small, defining growth on one’s terms, and maintaining a continuous learning mindset.
I’m looking forward to exploring Jarvis’s ideas with you, especially on how to achieve robust business success and efficiency without the traditional focus on relentless growth and expansion. His approach seems to promise a balanced integration of professional success and personal well-being, which could be quite enlightening.
Curtis,
I really like your mention of finding personal fulfillment. That is exactly what (from my analysis and interpretation) the author, Paul Jarvis, seems to be striving for. He discusses ideas of having the freedom to do what makes you happy, apart from one’s work, and finding the balance that works for you and your life goals. He also has a strong focus on valuing his customers and building genuine relationships with them, which is something more cutthroat, larger firms can lack.
Thank you for your comment,
Maddie