It currently generates eight-figure annual revenues and has grown to a more than 40-person staff.
What is it that sets Well+Good apart, though? There are thousands of similar websites, blogs, and media platforms on the internet, yet most find it difficult to even break even. When you study what Brue and Gelula have done, it becomes obvious that—outside of delivering quality content to the audience—maintaining a strong company culture on the inside has been a key factor in this small business’ success.
You can’t expect to grow a small business without getting everyone to rally around consistent ideals. As Brue puts it, “Uniting everyone around why we do what we do is the most important thing. I think that people want to make a difference, and so all of us feeling like we’re putting out information that’s making a difference and that our company conducts itself in a way that is demonstrative of our core values is really important. That sets a lot of cultural tone.”
3. Nic & Luc Jam
Most people start small and eventually work their way up to working with bigger, more prestigious companies. Leroy Bautista, founder of Nic & Luc, has seen his career take the opposite path—and he’s better for it.
Bautista, who worked in commercial kitchens, high-end restaurants, and successful catering companies for 25 years, was ultimately laid off from his job as a chef during the recent economic downturn. Instead of sulking or settling for less, he saw it as a chance to finally do what some of his co-workers and friends had been telling him to do: make his sauces and vinaigrettes and sell them at local markets. Thus, it was out of opportunistic necessity that Nic & Luc was born.
Originally selling just a few flavors, Nic & Luc has now expanded to include 17 flavors that can be found in local shops, markets, and online. What sets the them apart from some of the competition is they use no artificial ingredients and only local produce.
For many small businesses, the world “local” is thrown around as a way of garnering business or appearing trendy, but for Nic & Luc, it’s a core value. Bautista finds it important to support other local businesses like himself, saying, “We use locally grown ingredients like chili peppers. We’re a small local company and we support others like ourselves to help our local economy.”
While profitability is obviously a key objective of running a small business, don’t forget about the other small business owners in your community. The more you pour back into them, the more they’ll pour into you.
4. NetPicks
Founded in 1996 by Mark Soberman, NetPicks is an online trading platform that supplies users with both the education and tools they need to be successful with day trading and swing trading forex, futures, stocks, options, and ETFs. While the company has been around for more than 20 years, it’s really seen some significant growth recently.
Netpicks is an example of a small business that has evolved with the times, as opposed to stubbornly fighting them. When NetPicks first launched, there were no online trading rooms or real-time online communities. Today, they offer comprehensive online training, live webinars, and a variety of other services that didn’t exist in their early days.
It’s also interesting to note that, of the many trading experts and professionals on the NetPicks staff, all of them are actively involved in what they’re doing. They aren’t just providing clients with advice on what trades to make or which strategies to implement—they’re actually using the same information in their own daily trades. This adds a layer of authenticity.
Some entrepreneurs see an opportunity that is lucrative and jump on it, even without any experience or relevant skillset. As a result, they usually end up floundering sooner rather than later. Successful entrepreneurs wait until they find a lucrative opportunity that matches up with their interests, experiences, and skillset. Mark Soberman and NetPicks is a good example of the latter—and it shows in how he runs the business.
“Having been exactly where our customers are now, we can relate in a special way to the challenges, obstacles and successes of the trading lifestyle,” Soberman explains. “And, we continue to never rest on our laurels, always looking to improve our abilities, systems and training.”
Never Isolate Yourself
You can let your experience as a small business owner be a lonely or fraternal one. While there are times when you’ll undoubtedly feel alone, you have to find a way to tap into the large community that is small business ownership. What you’ll find is that there are plenty of entrepreneurs and innovators, just like you, who are willing and able to help you build your confidence, grow, and find the success that tends to feel so elusive at times.
When you study small business success stories like Page One Consultants, Well+Good, Nic & Luc, and NetPicks, you’ll inevitably pick up different lessons and principles that apply specifically to your company. However, when you zoom out and look at small businesses like these, it becomes clear that the biggest takeaway is to be adaptable and find what works for you.
There is no absolute formula for success—there are thousands of unique equations. When you study successful small businesses, you can pick up different elements here and there, but it’s ultimately up to you to piece them together and create a strategy that works for you.