Be A Great Small

I’ve often been criticized for choosing to grow slowly. For not chasing rapid scale, for being too idealistic. They say I should be more ambitious.

But to me, meaningful progress isn’t about getting bigger at all costs. It’s about getting better—every single day. A little more thoughtful, a little more intentional, a little more true to our purpose.

This is a lesson I’ve learned from our Ibus. As artisans, they dedicate a lifetime to perfecting their craft. Not to compete, not to chase more, but to honor their purpose. Their hands tell stories of patience, resilience, and care—qualities that cannot be rushed or mass-produced.

It’s easy to get caught up in vanity metrics. To measure success by numbers that look good on paper but mean little in the long run. If we don’t take the time to define what truly matters, we become hamsters on a wheel—always striving, never arriving.

And in that endless pursuit, we risk losing sight of why we started in the first place.

What does it mean to you to be a great small?

Being great at small is not about size. It’s a mindset. One that recognizes that more is not always better. It’s about depth over breadth, impact over scale, substance over speed.

Purpose shouldn’t be a slogan on a website. It should be a compass—one that comes first, even before profit. It should guide our decisions, shape our priorities, and remind us that true success isn’t measured in numbers alone, but in the difference we make.

We spend so much of our lives proving we are enough. But maybe the better question is: What positive mark do I want to leave behind?

What legacy am I building, not just for today, but for generations to come?

I hope you will take the time to write your own story.

Thank you pak Gita Wirjawan and team for hosting this inspiring event bringing Indonesia's narrators! It was a full house of 1,500 people who found an oasis of ideas.