Title: Jim
1 Jims plus
2Jims Group Jim Penman. 1984 Jims Mowing.
2006 Jims Group. 2,600 franchisees (Australia,
NZ, UK). Cleaning. Dog washing. Handyman.
Fencing. Paving. Pool care. Etc.People
first. Private. Small staff. Franchisees can
leave at will. 0-1 complaint per year is norm
cut bad ones quickly.Ph.D. cross-cultural
anthropology mowing on the sideSource
MT/Management Today (Australia), Jan-Feb 2006
3Home Depot Business ToolBox Payroll processing.
Credit card processing. Personnel paperwork.
Mobile phones. Shipping. Health insurance. 12K
customers (plumbers, electricians, small
homebuilders and contractors). Source Forbes,
0918.06
4Small GiantsBo Burlingham
5 Small Giants/Bo
Burlingham "First, I could see that, unlike most
entrepreneurs, their founders and leaders had
recognized the full range of choices they had
about the type of company they would create."
"Second, the leaders had overcome the enormous
pressures on successful companies to take paths
they had not chosen and did not necessarily want
to follow." "Third, each company had an
extraordinarily intimate relationship with the
local city, town, or county in which it did
business -- a relationship that went well beyond
the usual concept of giving back.'" "Fourth,
they cultivated exceptionally intimate
relationships with customers and suppliers, based
on personal contact, one-on-one interaction, and
mutual commitment to delivering on promises."
6 Small Giants/Bo
Burlingham "Fifth, the companies also had what
struck me as unusually intimate workplaces."
"Sixth, I was impressed by the variety of
corporate structures and modes of governance that
these companies had come up with." "Finally, I
noticed the passion that the leaders brought to
what the company did. They loved the subject
matter, whether it be music, safety lighting,
food, special effects, constant torque hinges,
beer, records storage, construction, dining, or
fashion."
7 EXCELLENCE. NO EXCUSES.
8WallopWalMart16Or Why its so ABSURDLY
EASY to BEAT a GIANT Company
9 The Small Guys Guide Wallop
WalMart16 Niche-aimed. (Never, ever all
things for all people, a mini-WalMart.) Never
attack the monsters head on! (Instead steal niche
business and lukewarm customers.) Dramatically
Different (La Difference ... within our
community, our industry regionally, etc is as
obvious as the end of ones nose!) (THIS IS WHERE
MOST MIDGETS COME UP SHORT.) Compete on
value/experience/intimacy, not price. (You aint
gonna beat the behemoths on cost-price in 9.99
out of 10 cases.) Emotional bond with Clients,
Vendors. (BEAT THE BIGGIES ON EMOTION/CONNECTION!!
)
10 The Small Guys Guide Wallop WalMart16
Hands-on, emotional leadership. (We are a
great cool intimate joyful dramatically
different team working to transform our Clients
lives via Consistently Incredible
Experiences!) A community star! (Sell
local-ness per se. Sell the hell out of it!) An
incredible experience, from the first to last
momentand then in the follow-up! (These guys
are cool! They get me! They love me!) DESIGN
DRIVEN! (Design is a premier weapon-in-pursuit-o
f-the sublime for small-ish enterprises,
including the professional services.)
11 The Small Guys Guide Wallop WalMart16
Employer of choice. (A very cool, well-paid
place to work/learning and growth experience in
at least the short term marked by notably
progressive policies.) (THIS IS EMINENTLY
DO-ABLE!!) Sophisticated use of information
technology. (Small-ish is no excuse for small
aims/execution in IS/IT!) Web-power! (The Web
can make very small very big if the
product-service is super-cool and one
purposefully masters buzz/viral
marketing.) Innovative! (Must keep renewing and
expanding and revising and re-imagining the
promise to employees, the customer, the
community.)
12 The Small Guys Guide Wallop WalMart16
Brand-Lovemark (Kevin Roberts) Maniacs!
(Branding is not just for big folks with big
budgets. And modest size is actually a Big
Advantage in becoming a local-regional-niche
lovemark.) Focus on women-as-clients. (Most
dont. How stupid.) Excellence! (A small player
per me has no right or reason to exist unless
they are in Relentless Pursuit of Excellence. One
earns the rightone damn day and client
experience at a time!to beat the Big Guys in
your chosen niche!)