Unconvention: A Small Business Strategy Guide

WINNER OF 6 BOOK AWARDS, including Axiom Business Book Awards bronze winner, Independent Press Awards winner, American Legacy Awards winner, Next Generation Indie Book Awards finalist, and National Indie Excellence Awards finalist. When big businesses dominate the headlines, leveraging their scale to outpace the competition, small business owners often feel like they’re fighting an uphill battle. But what if the very qualities that make your business small could become your greatest strengths? Unconvention shatters the myth that success is about scaling up, cutting costs, or mimicking corporate giants. Drawing on data from tens of thousands of small businesses and years of hands-on experience, this book reveals a powerful, counterintuitive truth: underdog, owner-operated businesses possess unique advantages that can outmaneuver even the largest corporations. Through compelling stories and insights, Unconvention explores how small businesses survived and thrived during challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, even as over 30% of small businesses were forced to close while large enterprises received preferential treatment. These stories illustrate how successful entrepreneurs stayed true to their convictions and leveraged their distinct strengths to win. This book provides a roadmap for entrepreneurs to unlock their full potential using The Underdog’s Principles: Positioning: Serve a focused set of customers who value your uniqueness.Proximity: Build deep, personal relationships that create loyalty and understanding.Purpose: Create a meaningful business driven by values beyond just profits. Unconvention celebrates the small business owner who succeeds not by competing on price or scale, but by embracing authenticity, boldness, and a relentless focus on their unique purpose. For entrepreneurs navigating the challenges of corporate competition, this book is both a strategy guide and a source of inspiration. Whether you're a startup founder, small business owner, or aspiring entrepreneur, Unconvention offers practical insights to help you thrive in today’s competitive landscape. Stop trying to play by someone else’s rules. It’s time to rewrite the playbook and unleash the power of your owner-operated business. Read more