The Magic of Tiny Business: You Don't Have to Go Big to Make a Great Living

I appreciated Sharon Rowe’s story of how and why she created Eco-Bags and grew the business from there. Guided by a passion to create a sustainable eco-friendly business while also having time for her family, was not an easy task and I had to smile over a point she made: “A tiny business is about building something agile and profitable, on your own terms, so that you (and your team) can be home for dinner.” The thing is, this entrepreneur did it and she takes readers step-by-step through the process.What I really liked was her down-to-earth approach in telling the story, especially details such as deciding on the name and the evolution of a brand logo. I also found this book delightful to read. She includes a series of cartoons, cleverly designed to fit the chapters, and, I discovered at the end of the book, were created by her son, Julian. At the end of the book, I was pleased to see how how a woman with a passion for “cleaning up the planet” was able to get her message across to a wide audience, both nationally and internationally, and even including her ECOBAGS being featured on The Oprah Winfrey Shows’ first Earth Day episode in 2007.

This is a great starter/re-starter kit for people looking to create/re-think a business while at the same time balancing life and being a parent. Sharon Rowe is a truly inspirational leader and she has put together a phenomenal guide for those looking to build a business without sacrificing what’s most important in life - family, friends and one’s well-being.

The Magic of Tiny Business is informative, engaging, and filled with tips for how to start a small business.Sharon Rowe talks about her business, and the mistakes she made throughout growing said business.She also talks about what she did right and offers tips.I’m only giving this 4 stars. While I found the tips and information valuable, I think Rowe kept circling back to own business too much. I wasn’t personally interested that she swims almost every day or that she was an actress before ECOBAGS became a business.I know everyone has a “how I got here” story, but some of the details were repetitive and could have been left out.Other than that, it’s a great book; easy to read and full of useful info.

"The Magic of Tiny Business" by Sharon Rowe is a great, instructive, thoroughly enjoyable read. Ms. Rowe shares valuable insights gained while growing her business, from its inception as an idea and with a small investment, into a multi-million dollar company - Eco-Bags Products, Inc.Eco-bags are ecologically friendly bags that are now sold worldwide. Ms. Rowe was ahead of the curve, creating the supply just as the demand for environmentally sound products was emerging.She writes of the planning, execution, problem solving, and customer care that enabled her to become a successful entrepreneur and still be home for family dinners, noting in her introduction, "A tiny business is about making a good living and a great life. You need to be able to stop and smell the flowers.... you need to enjoy the journey."Contributing to the book's allure are numerous cartoons by the author's son, Julian Rowe, whose cartoons have appeared in the New Yorker magazine."The Magic of Tiny Business" belongs on the list of must reads for anyone contemplating embarking on such an adventure.

Loved this book! The author has a great story, one which I think many of us working in the job world could learn from. A lot of people want to start their own business but have these fears. Fearing lack of knowledge or maybe the business won't generate the income we get from our current job. But the author shows us that it is possible. Mistakes and all, she did it and helps us understand how we can too. It is possible to design a business, like the author has done, to suit her life and passion...and profit.I also love the laser focus and clarity that this book has helped me to bring to my business as well. Helping me cut out the clutter and keeping the focus (but not the vision). “Tiny” has been liberating for me in my work and I loved reading about how the author made it work for her over decades. Eco Bag Products has been around since the 1990s and as founder, the author’s business journey is a real inspiration for entrepreneurs or would be entrepreneurs who are sitting on the fence.

I wish this book has been required reading in business school for my 3 millennial children! The Magic of Tiny Business was a breath of fresh air compared to the dry books on entrepreneurship that are a struggle to get through. Using a real-world example to explore the journey of building your own business from scratch is so much more applicable and engaging. I also love how short the book was compared to so many entrepreneurship tomes that basically scare you out of wanting to do anything risky.While The Magic of Tiny Business acknowledges the risks of starting your own business, I think its “magic” is in how the author set out to mitigate these risks from the start by keeping her business focus “tiny” and ensuring that her values stay front and center, whether that was in who she partnered with or in her commitment to being home (almost) every night for dinner with her family. This balanced approach to entrepreneurship is sorely needed. I'm glad my children can start their businesses knowing that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

A lovely and engaging book by Sharon Rowe, founder of ECOBags, telling the story of how she created a several million dollar Purpose driven business and a good life style with time for family etc.It shows how by sticking to your values and principles (e.g. only working 9-5) you still can create a great business and provide good quality employment to others.Well worth the read.

Great book to show you how to set up a business so that it runs for You - not You for it.

Some good ideas here, but they're buried in many pages of waffle.

This wasn’t what I’d hoped for. It might be a good read for someone in a similar business, but I didn’t get much insight into what a tiny business is and how it fits with my company. It was a very personal book, which might appeal to some, but wasn’t hooking me. The book becomes more practical as it moves on, but not enough to save it for me. Some people will like this and I hope it’s you.

I love the mission driven focus of this how-to-run-a-small-business guide and how clarity of purpose helps in your decision-making and direction. The message that stood out to me the most is how being a Tiny Business with laser-sharp priorities keeps you “whole.” It is the opposite of selling your soul to make a killing.