[imcarthur]

Except for an 11 month stint with a multi-national, I have never worked for anything but small business owners.

Advantages:

You are recognized immediately when you do a good job.
You typically have more flexibility for personal 'things' (within reason)
Far less time wasted in pointless meetings.
Performance can be instantly rewarded.
You feel like you really matter.
The boss will listen to you.
You are not a cog in a cubicle.
You can meaningfully change the course of the business.

Disadvantages:

When you mess up, you hear immediately. You can't bury it or hope for others to be blamed.
When you are away, no-one can fill in.
Automatic raises don't exist. Your salary can lag because of this.
Benefits can be few or non-existent.
If the business suffers, you will feel it immediately.

Personally, I think big businesses suck.

Ian