--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We like companies that can get big and…" description: "\"We like companies that can get big and powerful on $50 million or less and not two, three, four or five billion.\" — Douglas Leone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/douglas-leone-22054_big_we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-p_443443.png" --- # We like companies that can get big and powerful on $50… ![“We like companies that can get big and powerful on $50 million or less and not two, three, four or five billion.” quote by Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/douglas-leone-22054_big_we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-p_443443.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/douglas-leone-22054_big_we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-p_443443.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/douglas-leone-22054_big_we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-p_443443.png) > “We like companies that can get big and powerful on $50 million or less and not two, three, four or five billion.” [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He values startups that achieve scale quickly with modest funding rather than massive capital. **In simple terms:** Prefers fast‑growing, low‑budget companies. Key Takeaway Seek lean growth. Themes entrepreneurship efficiency growth budgeting Mood analytical pragmatic Type business investment When to use this quote - seed funding - venture capital - tech incubators - business strategy Key Concepts lean startup scaling capital efficiency Questions to Reflect On - How can small‑budget firms maintain quality? - What risks arise from scaling too fast? A Different Perspective May overlook long‑term sustainability for rapid size. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [50 Million](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/50-million-357571/) [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [Billion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billion/) [Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies/) [Companies Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies-big-286452/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/less/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Like Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-companies-576339/) [Million](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/million/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Powerful 50](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-50-3884689/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [Often you see big companies, big banks who are eager to embrace crushing regulatory burdens because they drive up everyone's costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/often-you-see-big-companies-big-banks-who-are-eager-to-embrace/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I often wonder what the world would be like if more companies were like Apple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-often-wonder-what-the-world-would-be-like-if-more-companies-were/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [The good news about building a company during times like this is that the companies that do succeed are going to be extremely strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andreessen/the-good-news-about-building-a-company-during-times-like-this-is-that/) [Marc Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andreessen/) > [I like companies that try and break away from the norm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/i-like-companies-that-try-and-break-away-from-the-norm/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [“When companies get big, they devote most of their care and feeding to the business that got them big. This is as it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/when-companies-get-big-they-devote-most-of-their-care-and-feeding-to/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [In America, we've had people that are political hacks making the biggest deals in the world, bigger than companies. You take these big companies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/in-america-we-ve-had-people-that-are-political-hacks-making-the/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“onslaught from a big, well-funded household name. The way the industry is set up means that large companies would have big advantages: better able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wainwright/onslaught-from-a-big-well-funded-household-name-the-way-the-industry/) [Tom Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wainwright/) > [So when you go up against the Far Right you go up against the big financial special interests like the Halliburtons of the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-boxer/so-when-you-go-up-against-the-far-right-you-go-up-against-the-big/) [Barbara Boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-boxer/) > [When you see most companies get big, they want to shout about all they've done. But the consumer wants to know: 'What have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-plank/when-you-see-most-companies-get-big-they-want-to-shout-about-all-they/) [Kevin Plank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-plank/) > [Oil wells never really run dry. A big company will drain maybe 40% of a field. Pulling out the rest of the oil, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahl-raz/oil-wells-never-really-run-dry-a-big-company-will-drain-maybe-40-of-a/) [Tahl Raz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahl-raz/) > [American companies will have a big shot at Iraqi oil,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-chalabi/american-companies-will-have-a-big-shot-at-iraqi-oil/) [Ahmed Chalabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-chalabi/) > [Well all the big companies are really panicked by the internet thing and all that, and sales went down, although sales have gone up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-bruce/well-all-the-big-companies-are-really-panicked-by-the-internet-thing/) [Jack Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-bruce/) > [The oil companies, the big polluters, and the climate deniers are incredibly powerful. They will do everything they can to protect their profits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-inslee/the-oil-companies-the-big-polluters-and-the-climate-deniers-are/) [Jay Inslee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-inslee/) > [We need to be fearful of companies that get so big that they can actually be directing policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/we-need-to-be-fearful-of-companies-that-get-so-big-that-they-can/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I like the challenge of growing small companies into big global companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhard-pfeiffer/i-like-the-challenge-of-growing-small-companies-into-big-global/) [Eckhard Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhard-pfeiffer/) ## More by Douglas Leone > [If I could press a button and have all of Sequoia Capital on the Midas List, I would choose to do that over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/if-i-could-press-a-button-and-have-all-of-sequoia-capital-on-the/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [We see China as a large market opportunity with similar cyclical economic cycles that occur throughout every economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-see-china-as-a-large-market-opportunity-with-similar-cyclical/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [The venture industry is both quite vibrant and quite competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/the-venture-industry-is-both-quite-vibrant-and-quite-competitive/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [You meet with a CEO or founder. You talk about sales, engineering, product management and give some ideas or suggestions. And the founder quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/you-meet-with-a-ceo-or-founder-you-talk-about-sales-engineering/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [During dark times, real entrepreneurs come out. They are not competing with 10 look-alike companies for engineering talent, so it's a great time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/during-dark-times-real-entrepreneurs-come-out-they-are-not-competing/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [You have to be willing to risk things; otherwise, somebody else will put you out of business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/you-have-to-be-willing-to-risk-things-otherwise-somebody-else-will/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [We've tried to build Sequoia Capital with an eye for the long term that we really look for in the companies we like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-ve-tried-to-build-sequoia-capital-with-an-eye-for-the-long-term/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [If you start a successful company in China at 11 A.M., by 2 P.M. there's three more companies like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/if-you-start-a-successful-company-in-china-at-11-a-m-by-2-p-m-there-s/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [Crystal-clear thinking is one of the things we look for - not a fancy slide pitch, but crystal-clear thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/crystal-clear-thinking-is-one-of-the-things-we-look-for-not-a-fancy/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [In a globalized world, one application can spread like wildfire and there's only one winning company, which means you have to invest more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/in-a-globalized-world-one-application-can-spread-like-wildfire-and/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [We have co-opted seed funds. You know, Y Combinator, that was completely our money. We have secret handshakes with a whole bunch of people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-have-co-opted-seed-funds-you-know-y-combinator-that-was-completely/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [I'll say this: I can't think of one instance in my 20 years in venture capital in which I have wanted to sell a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/i-ll-say-this-i-can-t-think-of-one-instance-in-my-20-years-in-venture/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [The trick is, a market has to be nonexistent when you start. If the market is large early on, you will have too many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/the-trick-is-a-market-has-to-be-nonexistent-when-you-start-if-the/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [We want people who come from humble backgrounds and have a need to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-want-people-who-come-from-humble-backgrounds-and-have-a-need-to-win/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [There's a number of companies clearly that we wish we had invested in either at the early or at the moderate stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/there-s-a-number-of-companies-clearly-that-we-wish-we-had-invested-in/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) [Explore all 28 Douglas Leone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [What I know about Ali Krieger is no moment is ever going to be too big for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/what-i-know-about-ali-krieger-is-no-moment-is-ever-going-to-be-too/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) [Browse all 12,477 Big quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We like companies that can get big and powerful on $50 million or less and not two, three, four or five billion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Leone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-powerful-on-50-million-or-less/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-powerful-on-50-million-or-less/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/douglas-leone-22054_big_we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-p_443443.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/douglas-leone-22054_big_we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-p_443443.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/douglas-leone-22054_big_we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-p_443443.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We like companies that can get big and powerful on $50 million or less and not two, three, four or five…” — Douglas Leone", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Douglas Leone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We like companies that can get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-powerful-on-50-million-or-less/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-powerful-on-50-million-or-less/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```