Medium (“Unicorns vs. Horses†by Andrew Wilkinson): “They don’t need to be first, second, or even tenth, in their space, and have instead chosen to focus on a small percent of a massive market. They answer to customers, not investors, and focus on making their employees, customers, and themselves happy. They’re thoroughbred horses, not unicorns, and it’s time we start paying attention to them.”
I can think of a couple businesses right off the top of my head that fit this mold, I work for one. Panic, Big Cartel, and The Iconfactory all fit this mold.
This seems the proper way to run a business. I like that it’s about the customer and the employees, not about the investor. Having a little, privately held, business that changes the lives of others seems a nobel goal.