by Pamela Scott Crace

Doug Gaudet has the vision thing down pat. And not just because he sells eyeglasses for a living. Gaudet, 54, runs a small but thriving boutique with his wife, Debra, and recently, his son. After decades of working hard, he now actually takes Monday afternoons off.

Doug is known far and wide, although he doesn’t advertise much. I found my glasses at his shop, and people often comment, “You got those at Gaudet’s, didn’t you?” One fellow customer confessed to having collected over 20 pairs—all from his shop.

So when Kathleen Martin proposed to profile Doug for her creativity column, I couldn’t have agreed more. She noticed that he runs his operation like an art gallery, and treats his customers like patrons. Like a good art dealer, he knows that his carefully chosen wares are not for everyone. But when it’s right, it’s a beautiful thing.

I’m tempted to describe Doug’s effortless cool as mojo. Not the virility factor that the Austin Powers movies made famous, although it’s related. At its simplest, mojo is that essence that gives you, your company, or your community something special. You know it when you see it.

Doug Gaudet’s personality, his fashion sense, the design of his space, and the artistic employees he hires are expressions of his mojo. It’s kind of like having soul­—­did I mention that he’s also a serious blues fan?

Kathleen writes that business creativity experts see entrepreneurs as artists at heart, although they are often too inhibited to see it that way themselves. Capital, people, markets, and ideas are their dynamic tools, and with those they’re able to paint their masterpieces, to paraphrase Bob Dylan.

Bo Burlingham wrote a book about entrepreneurial mojo three years ago, and it’s become a worldwide hit. It’s called Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big. We spoke recently about what sets small giants apart. Bo resists trying to define mojo, it being a mysterious thing. Rather he describes the characteristics of companies that have it: freedom, confidence, intimacy, roots, intensity, personality, and passion. Their vision is crystal clear: like Doug Gaudet’s.   

Bo Burlingham will talk about Small Giants at Progress magazine’s 10th annual Face to Face conference from June 1 to 3 in Digby, N.S. Don’t miss it. Space is limited.