Foreword

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This book is about me. Let me explain.

Phil wrote it for lots of people who are dealing with small business issues, and I am one of them. He just didn’t realize that he wrote it for people like me, but he did. You see, I hang with the authors who have written books that touch on some of the same subjects covered in The New Small. Of course, Phil knows this. He spends time with them, too.

Phil and I are part of a new movement that’s afoot. I dare not say revolution (the dreaded “R” word), because it’s smaller than that. But many of us have left the cubicle farm, opting to start our own shops. We are starting and growing our own small businesses, propelled by a different management ethos and empowered by the exciting technologies discussed in this book.

I am writing this while sitting in our office in Portland, ME, with my right-hand man, Rob. We run a distributed company, just like Fuentek, the
subject of Chapter 13. We’re helping people find new business by building virtuous cycles, a topic covered in Chapter 15. These are just a few of the subjects I believe in deeply. And there are many more covered in this important book.

See? Phil wrote this book for me. He just didn’t know it at the time.

So, you now know what this book is generally about. But who reads forewords, anyway? Three groups of people:

• Obsessives. (I get it.)
• People who want the bigger story.
• People who are evaluating whether to buy this book.

Maybe you are sick of working in a faceless office. Perhaps you own a small business because you wanted to validate your soul and your heart. You might want to understand—and then use—the technologies that everyone seems to be raving about. Or you could be an entrepreneur with a nifty idea. If you meet any of the above criteria, this is the book for you.

If you’re part of the second group, the bigger story is that you’re not alone and that we’re here for you. Some people cringe when they hear the word technology. You might be worried that The New Small will read a bit like a book written for the online generation. Yes and no. Much of what the folks living in front of screens are discovering will really help small businesses of many flavors. In other words, this is not a book that only techies will understand. On the contrary, Phil profiles many “bricks and real world” businesses, including a law firm, a dental office, and a restaurant. These are twentieth-century businesses doing twenty-first-century things. If they can, you can.

In Phil’s book, you’ll find a blizzard of valuable tips, lessons, and observations, backed by some incredible stories. You’ll get a sense that some of the content is perfect for you, and some of it just might not apply to your business. Of course, this is true with all books of this type. But don’t worry. You’ll know which is which in no time. And don’t be surprised if an “Aha!” moment comes from an unexpected source.

The New Small is kind of a big deal. You’ll want to get out a pen because you are going to be marking it up quite a bit. And when you come to the conclusion that it’s the book for you, buy a few copies and give them to the people in the groups mentioned above. We might as well keep the revolution going, right?

Check that. Let’s not use the “R” word.

Chris Brogan

CEO of Human Business Works

November 2010