They’re big
They have size.
Scale. Recognition. Distribution. Meetings about meetings.
That only helps them if it scares you into copying them. If it pushes you to blend in. If it convinces you the safest move is to join them.
That’s the mistake.
Because size comes with weight.
Big organizations have momentum. They also have inertia.
They move carefully. They protect what already works. They optimize yesterday.
You don’t have that problem.
You’re faster. You can decide without permission. You can change your mind without a committee. You can focus on one thing and do it well.
That’s unsettling.
Not because you’re louder. Because you’re harder to predict.
Small doesn’t win by pretending to be big. Small wins by being specific.
Choosing a point of view. Saying no more often than yes. Doing work that doesn’t scale because it doesn’t need to.
That’s the part they can’t copy quickly.
So don’t hide your size. Don’t apologize for it. Don’t rush to outgrow it.
Use it.
Take a stand.
That’s when small stops looking harmless and starts looking intentional.
