Everyone talks about landing a job at a big-name company—the glossy campuses, global reach, and impressive perks. And those can be great careers. But what if some of the best opportunities—the real gold—are hiding in plain sight inside small and mid-sized businesses?

In this episode of Ignoring the Rules, I flip the script on career ambition and break down why smaller companies are often overlooked—and why that’s a mistake. We explore how these organizations can offer broader responsibilities, faster growth, stronger mentorship, and real impact that’s hard to find in massive corporations.