Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Robert is an acquaintance of mine who works in a small office of a handful of people. Though he enjoys his finance work there, he feels limited, both in terms of salary and advancement possibilities. Each person in the company does a certain group of tasks, and Robert imagines the employees are fairly well set in what they do there. I do not necessarily agree that he need be limited, and here’s why:

Impact. Because Robert interacts with each of his business partners every day, he has constant opportunities to perform well and have his great work be noticed. He can make strong personal connections with his coworkers and supervisor, and the trust he earns will increase his business partners’ receptiveness to new ideas from him. When problems arise that no one else can solve, Robert has the opportunity to intervene and demonstrate individual value. He has already saved the day on several occasions when a coworker had computer troubles and the on-call tech support person was out of reach. Robert’s no IT expert, but he knows his way around a computer well enough to solve most common problems. In a large corporation, it can be difficult to make a strong impression, but in a small company, it’s impossible not to, for better or for worse.

Growth. Successful small businesses are poised for growth. Companies that are extending their reach and seeking new business need all kinds of input from their employees. Those with a mind for marketing, customer service, public relations, development, or finance will have a lot to contribute in these times of growth. Often, the boss won’t want to go to the trouble of hiring a marketing person, for instance. Instead, he will call on his current employees for their ideas. This kind of flexibility, of course, leads to personal growth, the expansion of skills, and the development of personal equity.

Because of the unique possibilities small businesses offer, I do not believe that anyone working for one has to be limited to narrow opportunities and a humble salary. A small business owner who has employees she values and trusts is likely to compensate them fairly and allow them opportunities to grow with the company.

Filed under: Individual Economy
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