One of the biggest challenges a business can face is surviving in a market that is dominated by big-spending, no-nonsense corporations.
Obtaining and maintaining a slice of the action can be difficult enough, but trying to expand and take on the 'big league' businesses can be an almost impossible task.
To succeed, there is little point in trying to play them at their own game; smaller outlets have to get creative.
CNN Money recently produced an article on one such situation, entitled 'Small glove maker lands giant MLB deal: Vinci cracked the majors by building relationships with up-and-coming baseball players'.
As the title informs, the focus of the piece was small baseball glove-maker Vinci, set up by Pete Vinci and now run by his son Peter.
While the company is already gaining a great deal of positive press thanks to its clever tactics, the additional beneficial online PR brought about by appearing in such an article will only contribute to their market-share march.
With the industry dominated by huge firms that pay the game's stars handsome amounts of money for them to both wear and endorse their brand, Vinci faced an uphill struggle to have an impact on Major League Baseball (MLB).
That said, there are currently two players in MLB that wear Vinci gloves - not bad for a company that's only been going for 12 years.
Those two players are Vladimir Nunez and Carlos Torres, who play for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox respectively. Both players have been using Vinci gloves for years, and that is the key.
Vinci, which predominantly supplies its products to recreational and minor league players, offers its gloves to the brightest young talent for free.
Nothing more than a friendly approach and a free glove has landed the company two MLB stars, while the big companies continue to fork out millions of dollars in sponsorship deals.
Of course, it is unlikely that Vinci will ever challenge the market-dominators, but even these small victories are worth a great deal - since Nez joined the Braves Vinci has opened up ten new stores.
The company's attitude also allows it to build up a loyal following among its athletes, with Torres insisting: "That glove, it's quality. My agent knows I am keeping my glove [regardless of other sponsorship deals]."
While in many respects the glove my be on the other hand for small businesses, a little bit of creativity and loyalty can evidently help market minnows stand tall and hit that homerun.
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