Holly Wainwright is the Content Marketing Manager at Datto, and contributor to the Recovery Zone.
Last week Datto released its newest backup and disaster recovery product, Datto ALTO. And I’m happy to report that we took home the “Best New Product” award from ASCII Boston 2013 the same week. Check out why it’s so cool if you haven’t already.
But I digress. Because Datto ALTO was created specifically for small business, I started to think about the other advantages small businesses have. Is it better to work for a small business? Like me, you’ve probably worked for a variety of businesses, from small to large, even huge. Which do you prefer?
A small business, as defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is defined as a private business with less than 500 people. Most of us may consider a 500-person company to be on the “medium” side, but who am I to argue with Uncle Sam?
There are a lot of benefits to working at a small company. I came across a blog that hit a lot of the reasons I personally like working for a small company, and why I enjoy working at Datto, including:
- Passion and belief in the product
- Excitement
- Flexibility and ability to change direction
- Responsiveness
- Speed of decision-making
- Easier, faster communication
- Commitment
- Closeness to customers and suppliers
- A feeling of being able to make a difference
- Clear focus
Another benefit is in the flexibility to move quickly—both with people and with products. A recent Harvard Business Review article on “How Small Business Can Learn from Emerging Markets” cites examples of how upstarts are able to compete with larger companies. While larger companies “are likely to standardize their products and processes… a smaller company can outcompete them by better tailoring [its] products to customer needs using… more flexible design and manufacturing resources.” This example fits into our release of Datto ALTO, the ability to customize and manufacture based on our partners’ needs.
Small business becomes the favorite child when it comes to politics—its parents being the candidates. Each one says they love small business more, how important it is, and what they’re going to do to promote its growth and vitality. One incentive for small business in the President’s current 2013 Budget, which supports “$16 billion in Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) loan guarantees, which will help small businesses operate and expand.” Others include tax incentives and regional investments. Regardless of your feelings toward those in Washington, D.C., you can’t deny that small business is a big part of the government’s agenda to help grow jobs, build the economy, and spur ingenuity.
As some of you may know Datto started in CEO Austin McChord’s father’s basement in 2007. With four consecutive years of 300% revenue growth, Datto earned a place on the 2012 Inc. 500 list as the #38 fastest growing company in the U.S.
Never deny the power of a small business.
Photo Credit: thetaxhaven via Compfight cc
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