By bbr

by Sarah Warlick, writer and copy editor

Everyone seems to be talking about Malcolm Gladwell’s new book because it’s fun to read and full of interesting anecdotes. It’s also got some useful messages for your firm.

Malcolm Gladwell

His recently released work entitled David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants is chock full of fun stories about underdogs. We love reading these, because they satisfy some hidden corner of the psyche that wants to see the little guy win, the long shot come in first and the rejected become the idol. It’s human nature, and it’s good old-fashioned entertainment to boot. But there are some ideas in the book that can also be applied to business with real effect. Do you want to make your firm more successful? If the answer is yes, you may want to embrace a few of the concepts Gladwell discusses to sneak up on victory from an unexpected angle.

People love underdogs, as we just mentioned. So if you’re worried about being a small firm competing with established, popular firms that fill your niche you might as well admit your place and stake out a claim on underdog status. Why pretend you’re already the big player when you’re not? Approach your marketing and firm style from a place of reality, which means you’re small, motivated and not yet the first choice of most clients but confident you’re the best in your niche. Now go show a few people that motivation and confidence and watch what happens.

Disagreeable means different. Gladwell writes of “disagreeable” entrepreneurs who don’t follow the established business paradigm. Making new rules in the marketplace isn’t automatically an etiquette flaw; it’s often the definition of “disruptive” innovation that creates lasting change for the better. The companies that are willing to shrug off the established rules in favor of a better way that’s never been tried are those that become hugely successful “out of nowhere.” That “nowhere” is somebody’s great idea and some firm’s willingness to give it a try.

Big fish, small niche. Gladwell spends some time in the book talking about the benefits of being successful in a smaller setting as opposed to struggling in a larger, more competitive context. Your ultimate goals for your firm may involve massive growth or huge financial success, but no matter what they are, you’re most likely to reach the level of success you seek by refining your target niche down to a very specific one. Professional services firms abound. Be the one that specializes in serving a narrowly defined niche and you’re well on your way to becoming number one in your chosen market spot. From there, you can go on to dominate whatever new territory you choose.

The author of Outliers, The Tipping Point and numerous other fascinating books is always thought-provoking and well worth indulging in a read. If you get the chance, check out his latest with an eye for the business lessons hidden inside this most entertaining book, and be sure to let us know what you spot in the comments.

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