Unconvention - by Sri Kaza (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

When big businesses dominate the headlines, leveraging their scale to outpace the competition, small business owners often feel like they're fighting an uphill battle. But what if the very qualities that make your business small could become your greatest strengths?

Unconvention shatters the myth that success is about scaling up, cutting costs, or mimicking corporate giants. Drawing on data from tens of thousands of small businesses and years of hands-on experience, this book reveals a powerful, counterintuitive truth: underdog, owner-operated businesses possess unique advantages that can outmaneuver even the largest corporations.

Through compelling stories and insights, Unconvention explores how small businesses survived and thrived during challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, even as over 30% of small businesses were forced to close while large enterprises received preferential treatment. These stories illustrate how successful entrepreneurs stayed true to their convictions and leveraged their distinct strengths to win.

This book provides a roadmap for entrepreneurs to unlock their full potential using The Underdog's Principles:

• Positioning: Serve a focused set of customers who value your uniqueness.
• Proximity: Build deep, personal relationships that create loyalty and understanding.
• Purpose: Create a meaningful business driven by values beyond just profits.

Unconvention celebrates the small business owner who succeeds not by competing on price or scale, but by embracing authenticity, boldness, and a relentless focus on their unique purpose.

For entrepreneurs navigating the challenges of corporate competition, this book is both a strategy guide and a source of inspiration. Whether you're a startup founder, small business owner, or aspiring entrepreneur, Unconvention offers practical insights to help you thrive in today's competitive landscape.

Stop trying to play by someone else's rules. It's time to rewrite the playbook and unleash the power of your owner-operated business.

Review Quotes

"Sri has a gift for entertaining storytelling combined with real-life experience in the business of going up against the big guys. A great read for any aspiring entrepreneur or small business leader seeking practical advice for success." --Jeffrey Pierson, Former head of Small Business Investment Company, US SBA

"As an entrepreneur, what I loved most about Unconvention is how clearly it affirms what so many small business owners feel but rarely hear: that being small can actually be your greatest strength. Through stories that are real, relatable, and rich with insight, Sri Kaza brings strategy to life and shows how connection, clarity, and purpose are what truly drive success." --Leslie Rae, Co-Founder, The SmartBusiness Academy

"Sri Kaza's 'Unconvention' wonderfully reframes what many see as small business limitations as their greatest competitive advantages. Through practical frameworks and compelling examples, Kaza shows how authenticity, focus, and genuine connection create business models that not only outcompete corporate giants, but bring deeper fulfillment to owners, employees, and customers alike." --Ashish Kothari, CEO, Happiness Squad and Author of Hardwired for Happiness

"In a world obsessed with scale and certainty, Unconvention is a refreshingly honest look at how underdogs win by staying small, staying human, and staying true. Sri reminds us that what looks naïve--like care, proximity, and purpose--might actually be strategic brilliance." --Joshua Berry, Award-winning author of Dare to Be Naive

"Having built businesses that serve accountants and their small firms, I've seen firsthand how the principles in 'Unconvention' create lasting competitive advantage. Sri Kaza articulates with remarkable clarity how small businesses can succeed, not despite their size but because of it. His Underdog Principles provide a strategic framework that transforms how entrepreneurs approach everything from pricing to customer acquisition to talent management." --Ian Vacin, Co-Founder, Karbon