There’s a global microbrand based in the Scottish Highlands, 50 miles from the nearest cinema, with no external investment and no employees. Last month it reached potential customers in 77 countries, and served users in China, Australia, India, Europe, South America and across the USA. It’s a global microbrand – Front Office Box.

Microbrands are going to be the next big thing – the fashionable topic for the blogosphere, for big thinkers in the media, and ultimately for us all.

It’s already happening with people like Gary Vaynerchuck, Chris Brogan and Copyblogger. They’ve built successful businesses based on their brand, and they’re global businesses.

In the past being global meant having marketing and distribution capabilities everywhere, like IBM, Microsoft and Oracle.

Not anymore – the Internet gives us all the capability to be everywhere people want to find us 24×7, and it costs virtually nothing. All it takes is ideas and the energy to put them out there.

There’s a parallel change ongoing.

Companies are shrinking their resources in efforts to reduce fixed costs, preferring to hire in skills when needed rather than employ them. Subject matter experts who’d previously been tied to the corporate treadmill are starting their own businesses – consulting for hire.

Stay at home Moms are following the same path, preferring to compute rather than commute.

Creative college graduates are doing something similar. Designers and software developers prefer working for themselves to finding ways through company politics.

They are all building microbrands and the Internet helps them be global rather than local.

Location is no longer a limitation. All we need is ideas, tools and energy. With those we can become global whilst enjoying being local.

There’s a business based in the Scottish Highlands, 50 miles from the nearest cinema, with no external investment and no employees. Last month it reached potential customers in 77 countries, and served users in China, Australia, India, Europe, South America and across the USA. It’s a global microbrand.

How do we know about this business? -It’s ours!

How did we get to this status? – Ideas, energy and the right tools.

How can smaller Scottish businesses follow our example?

Check our Brand Management consulting and services.