The Big Enough Company

There are a lot of reasons why people want to be entrepreneurs. Some do it to be masters of their own destiny, to know what it feels like to strike out on their own and be answerable to no one but themselves. Others do it for the simple joy of following their passion, to escape from the drudgery of corporate life and really, truly do something that they love and leave their mark on the world. Others, still, are attracted to a life of entrepreneurship for the simple reason that it allows them to keep flexible hours, to schedule their priorities, to make a living while living the life they always wanted.

Yet while there are many entrepreneurs who do live the dream, many more muddle along struggling with entrepreneurship's challenges. All of a sudden, the dream of being answerable to no one gives way to the reality that one has to manage clients, suppliers, partners and investors. Fairly often, it becomes clear that the only way to manage a budding venture is to fall into the very roles one left behind in a past corporate life. But above all else, there is that overwhelming sensation that -- oh no! -- you must live and breathe your business 24/7, because you're the last person in the world who'll ever be able to clock out and call it a day, especially when there are problems in need of resolution.

If you've ever found yourself feeling like this, then The Big Enough Company, by Adelaide Lancaster and Amy Abrams, may just be the book for you.

It's tempting to see The Big Enough Company as a guidebook for entrepreneurs who've lost their way, because it is in manner of speaking. But I prefer to think of it as an affirmation of why people choose to become entrepreneurs in the first place. As Lancaster and Abrams point out, many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of doing too much too fast. More often than not, it's with the best intentions in mind, whether growing the business, taking advantage of new opportunities, or sometimes just out of fear of having to say "no". Thus, the key is sometimes for an entrepreneur to get out of her own way, keep things in perspective, and grow the company "big enough" for their needs.

On a personal note, it was upon reading the authors' sentiment that an entrepreneur's greatest asset is time and not money that I knew they their hearts were in the right place.

There's an undeniable charm in the way the book is constructed, with Lancaster and Abrams tapping their network of clients to tell stories (including their own) about the struggles that different entrepreneurs have had and the advice that helped overcome their challenges. This "micro" case study approach makes the book and the authors' points easily relatable. However, such breadth of perspectives comes at a cost: at some point, the different stories seemed to me to blur together. But of course, one can't have it both ways, and the book is worthwhile and helpful regardless.

Yet perhaps the biggest coup that the Lancaster and Abrams pull off with The Big Enough Company is their deliberate effort to place the spotlight on women entrepreneurs, who comprise every example in the book. As the founders of In Good Company, a community of women entrepreneurs, this should come as no surprise, and though the entrepreneurs featured in the book may be largely unknown to readers outside the United States, there is much to be learned from their stories.

Indeed, if The Big Enough Company does nothing more than inspire more women to become better entrepreneurs, then I would say that Lancaster and Abrams have done themselves proud.

[This review is based on a pre-publication proof obtained through NetGalley.]