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Everybody loves a good success story. However, the media dedicates much of its attention to businesses that take the world by storm. Whenever you check the news or scroll through your social media timeline, you’ll likely see an article about an entrepreneur who turned their small business idea into a multi-billion dollar empire. If you’ve ever met with other aspiring entrepreneurs or attended conventions for business owners, you’ve probably encountered dozens of people who want to become the next Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg in their respective niches. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with aiming high and having a global vision for your business — it doesn’t mean that it’s the right path for everyone.
In fact, there are plenty of reasons to reign in unnecessary scaling, focus on localized markets, or simply maintain a small business with no intentions of expanding to the international stage. The key is to avoid giving in to the hype and the media narrative that worldwide business stardom should be the endgame for every entrepreneur. Instead, take a look at these five reasons you don’t need need to be a worldwide success to be happy and truly successful.
Worldwide success comes with intense public scrutiny
When Manoj Bhargava launched 5-Hour Energy in 2003, he was completely unknown to the general public. Even when his company became an international success and brought in billions of dollars in annual revenue, Bhargava preferred anonymity. Why? According to the businessman himself, fame “puts a target on your back.” He had no desire to be famous because it didn’t add anything of value to his life and could actually end up hurting his business. Later on, he realized that he would need to come out of the shadows in order to accomplish his philanthropic goals, but it was still a tough decision for the reclusive billionaire.
When you create a worldwide brand, people want to know about you. They want to know your story, your business philosophy, your politics, and even the details of your personal life. Though you can always dodge interviews and try to remain anonymous, it’s difficult to do — especially if you want to continue growing your business and expanding into international markets. So, if you’re not ready to put yourself in the spotlight, a worldwide business model might not be the best option for you.
Related: Define What Success Looks Like to You
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