Janani Porkodi has raised a simple but meaningful question about the way entrepreneurs describe their businesses: Why do people call themselves a “small business”? Her LinkedIn reflection is not really about terminology. It is about identity, ambition, and the relationship between language and long-term thinking. For Janani Porkodi, the distinction between being “a small business” and being “a business that is still small” represents a difference in mindset. One defines an identity; the other describes a temporary stage.
Janani Porkodi’s perspective begins with an important entrepreneurial reality: businesses have stages. A company may have a small team, limited revenue, a narrow customer base, or modest resources in its early years. Those facts are real and should not be ignored. But acknowledging the current size of a business does not necessarily mean limiting its future. Janani Porkodi chooses to look at Mystique Gifts through that second lens. It may have been small at one point, but she did not want “small” to become the permanent definition of what the business could become.
That distinction is particularly relevant for founders. When a person repeatedly describes something in a particular way, the description can gradually influence how they approach decisions. Janani Porkodi’s argument is that words can become mental boundaries. If an entrepreneur constantly thinks of a company as small, they may unconsciously begin making decisions that preserve that identity. They may hesitate to pursue larger opportunities, build stronger systems, hire strategically, or enter unfamiliar markets because those actions feel inconsistent with the way they see themselves.
At the same time, Janani Porkodi’s idea does not mean that entrepreneurs should pretend their businesses are larger than they actually are. There is a significant difference between confidence and denial. A founder can openly acknowledge that a company is currently small while still building it with larger ambitions. In fact, understanding the present situation accurately is essential for growth. The useful lesson in Janani Porkodi’s post is not to ignore reality, but to avoid allowing present circumstances to become permanent expectations.
Her approach also highlights the importance of aspiration. Janani Porkodi says she would rather think of Mystique as a “big business in the making.” That phrase carries a practical implication. If a business is genuinely intended to grow, its founder needs to think beyond immediate survival. Growth requires systems, customer understanding, financial discipline, consistent branding, operational efficiency, and the willingness to learn from mistakes. A large business is not created simply because its founder imagines it. The vision has to eventually translate into measurable action.
Janani Porkodi’s emphasis on manifestation can therefore be understood more broadly. Manifestation, by itself, cannot replace strategy or execution. But a clear vision can influence behavior. When entrepreneurs believe that growth is possible, they may become more willing to prepare for opportunities before those opportunities arrive. They may invest in processes earlier, develop their teams, improve customer experiences, and establish standards that match the company they want to build rather than only the company they currently operate.
Janani Porkodi also brings attention to something often underestimated in entrepreneurship: self-talk. Founders constantly make decisions under uncertainty. There are periods when sales are slow, plans fail, customers say no, and progress appears frustratingly gradual. During those moments, the language a founder uses internally can influence whether a setback becomes discouragement or simply becomes another stage of the journey.
For Janani Porkodi, the phrase “small today” does not carry the same meaning as “small by choice.” That is perhaps the strongest idea in her post. Being small can be a circumstance. Remaining small can be a strategic decision. Neither is automatically good or bad. The important question is whether the current size reflects where the founder wants the company to be.
Janani Porkodi’s thinking can also encourage entrepreneurs to separate humility from limitation. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging how far a company has come or how much more it needs to accomplish. Humility helps founders recognize gaps. But humility should not require shrinking the vision. A founder can be realistic about today’s numbers while remaining ambitious about tomorrow’s possibilities.
The philosophy shared by Janani Porkodi is particularly relevant for modern entrepreneurs because businesses today can change rapidly. A small company can build a strong digital presence, reach customers across geographies, develop specialized products, and compete in markets that once required significant infrastructure. Size at one moment does not always predict potential. What matters is how effectively the business uses its resources and whether its foundation can support future growth.
There is also a useful lesson here for employees and professionals. The same principle applies beyond companies. People often describe themselves through their current job title, experience level, salary, or position. Those descriptions may accurately represent where they are today, but they do not have to define where they are going. Like a business, a career can be viewed as a work in progress.
Janani Porkodi’s message ultimately invites a change in perspective rather than a rejection of reality. Calling a business small may be useful for classification, but it should not automatically become a psychological ceiling. A company can be small in scale and large in ambition at the same time.
The story behind Janani Porkodi’s words is therefore less about choosing the “right” label and more about choosing the right mindset. Mystique Gifts may have a particular size today, but Janani Porkodi is focused on the direction in which she wants it to move. That distinction can encourage founders to ask a better question: “What does my business look like today?” and then immediately follow it with, “What am I building it to become?”
Janani Porkodi’s final thought, “Small today? Maybe. Small by choice? Never,” captures that philosophy clearly. It is not a promise that every business will become enormous. It is a reminder that ambition should not be restricted by the current chapter. Growth begins when entrepreneurs recognize where they are, understand where they want to go, and build deliberately toward that destination.
For Janani Porkodi, the journey of Mystique Gifts is therefore not defined only by its present scale. It is defined by the intention behind its growth. And perhaps that is the more valuable lesson: your current size can describe your business, but it does not have to define its potential.
