Should You Be a Big Fish in a Small Pond? How to Decide

I’m writing this while sipping mediocre coffee, sitting next to a shop called “Glow with the Flow Temporary Tattoos.” Their logo is hand painted on a tie-dye wooden sign. I’m in Avalon on Catalina Island right now, which, for those unfamiliar with the list of places LA residents visit after they’ve seen all the main attractions, is the tackiest place on earth. 

The island is beautiful, but it’s basically a retirement home. Older folks with means have escaped the city and the suburbs, and live a very quiet life here. They also own the most kitschy shops on the planet. 

A temporary tattoo shop couldn’t survive anywhere in LA county. Except here. The tourists come in on the morning ferry, walk around a bit, maybe rent an e-bike, and then look for a souvenir before they have to get back on the ferry at five. This shop is a great option for someone with limited options. 

Glow with the Flow is a big fish in a very small pond. 

I’ve been thinking about this concept recently. As exciting and compelling as it is to move to a big city, and make friends with all the big shots, and work with all the cool brands, it might not be the best way to run your business. I lived a quarter mile from Venice Beach’s Abbot Kinney, where all the hip new shops flock. I saw dozens of brands come and go in the years I lived there, spending fortunes on rent, and folding twelve months later. 

Meanwhile, my friend from high school owns the only hip marketing agency in the entirety of California’s Central Valley. Seriously, the only one. He’s a big fish in a small pond, and he’s reaping the rewards. 

I think this decision ultimately comes down to what you value in life. If you want to swim the open ocean, and be in the middle of it all, maybe you value experiences over money, and the city is the place for you. But if you don’t really care about eating at the coolest restaurants on the weekends, or meeting influencers, and you’d rather keep a bigger slice of cheese, then maybe the small market is for you.