Lee LeFever and his co-founder and wife, Sachi LeFever, didn't know exactly what type of business they were setting out to build when they started Common Craft in the early 2000s. What they were sure of is that they would design the business in such a way that they prioritised their happiness and time-they wanted the opportunity to go camping on Tuesdays if they felt like it, and make up the time later.
While not sacrificing their vision for a business that values time over money, Lee and Sachi built a leading internet-based visual communications firm that includes Google, LEGO, Intel, Microsoft, Ford, and Dropbox as its clients. They paved the way for explainer videos that are now a mainstay of companies' marketing and communications strategy. They learned to pivot to different income streams, and say no to opportunities that would increase unhappiness and decrease autonomy. And they did it all while working from home, not taking on outside employees, and camping on Tuesdays.
Like Paul Jarvis in Company of One, Lee shows how they did it, and offers his best tips for how you can build a business and a life you love.
Industry Reviews
"In Big Enough, Lee LeFever uses his finely honed explainer skills to provide a refreshing, personal guide to designing a business around the values that matter most to you. Big Enough offers plenty of tactics and tips, but more importantly it gives readers a chance to rethink their definitions of success and adjust their working lives accordingly. As the sole proprietor of a 'big enough' business myself, I found a lot to steal here, and I think you will, too."
-Austin Kleon, New York Times-bestselling author of Steal Like An Artist
"A practical business autobiography, approachable and useful... Lee helps you understand the real difference between freelancing and entrepreneurship (and what to do about it)."
-Seth Godin, founder of Akimbo.com
"We often hear about how the internet has allowed companies to get big fast, but the same forces can provide great leverage for individuals or small partnerships to choose different success metrics, like freedom, health, or satisfaction. In Big Enough, Lee LeFever shares the approach he and his wife took in building their small online business, and the incredible flexibility it's given them in how they live. As the owner of a tiny online business, I wish I'd had this thoughtful and engaging book as a blueprint when I started out."
-Jason Kottke
"I've admired the work that Lee and Sachi LeFever have done with Common Craft over the years. I loved reading the stories behind their success. They made it look easy...of course, reality is always a little trickier. This book was fun to read, incredibly open and honest, and came at such a perfect time for me! I learned so much from Lee's insights into building a 'big enough' business and it really inspired me to rethink a lot of what I'm working on. If you are an entrepreneur with heart, you'll love this book."
-Tara @missrogue Hunt, author, researcher + founder, Phlywheel
"There is a growing movement of smart business owners who are more concerned with 'enough' than the typical 'more.' Lee LeFever tells his story of letting personal values and freedom chart his course in business, to help others determine how they want to define their own success."
-Paul Jarvis, author of Company of One
