Award-winning biography about adventuring off the expected path
What a tiny surf Shop can teach us about courageous living
Two decades ago, David Putnam and Yair Lichtenstein abandoned promising careers to open a friendly, community-based surf shop. No retail experience or safety net. Just a shared vision of showing up for work with sand between their toes.
The rookie retailers founded their startup on three radically simple values: stay friends, have fun, do good. Ignoring the “big is better” mantra, they prioritized friendship, community, and personal freedom over growth and glory. Over two decades, their risky experiment evolved into an extraordinary success. Today, Bula Surf Shop is Aruba’s most beloved surf shop and the cultural heart of the island.
Blending memoir with biography and philosophical insights, Heath reveals how David and Yair’s contrarian values inspired her—a burnt-out executive—to pursue her buried dream of becoming a published author.
It’s one of many revelations you’ll discover in Little Giant, a biography-memoir that weaves in inspirational life lessons:
- Uncommon life inspiration from the world of surfing
- The alchemy of true friendship
- Why we should never let a good crisis go to waste
- How the cofounders turn limitations into a creative advantage
- Strategies for creating work that (almost) feels like play
Whether you’re poised for a bold leap or just exploring possibilities, Little Giant invites you to pause, reflect, and listen to what’s calling to you.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
“This beautiful book is a fountain of inspiration about living adventurously and on your own terms.”
William Parkhurst, New York Times bestselling author of True Detectives
“The characters and their stories moved and delighted me, and the book itself is gorgeous.”
Shelley Sperry, author of What’s the Big Idea?
“…a beautiful story of two men chasing their dreams, but not in the default ‘more is better’ way. The flow of the book reminded me of Tuesdays with Morrie. I wish there were more books like this.”
Paul Millerd, author of The Pathless Path and Good Work
“This compelling exploration…enlivens our understanding of our own dreams, lives, and work.”
Elizabeth Garber, author of Sailing at the Edge of Disaster
“This is a very human book about choices and what can happen when people truly love each other. It depicts a different way of life and doing business, where you can have your cake and eat it, too.”
Mickey Green, award-winning filmmaker
“Little Giant offers wisdom on business and friendship from an improbable venture in the Caribbean.”
Murray Carpenter, author of Caffeinated
A story so captivating, it’s being made into a documentary film
In 2003, David and Yair set up shop on the Caribbean island of Aruba, Yair’s native country. As self-made entrepreneurs, they faced the usual dark moments of personal doubt, financial worries, and competitive pressures.
Against long odds, they transformed Bula from a nondescript storefront into a highly profitable business that’s an incubator for local talent and the cultural heart of the island.
The forthcoming documentary will let you experience this amazing story and the Caribbean setting that made it possible.
Subscribe for updates on the Little Giant documentary due for release in 2025.
Underdog heroes: ‘We went from stupid to less stupid.’
Yair and David admit they never had a ten-point plan or magic mantra. As they jokingly like to say, “We went from stupid to less stupid!” Their humility offers a refreshing change from self-serving business books.
Yair and David detest publicity. They only agreed to do interviews for the book when the author promised no “claiming,” surf slang for uncool boosting.
Little Giant tells the real story, not a whitewashed version.
Part Caribbean escapism, part inspirational guide for bold life changes
With more than 50 photos of remote beaches, towering cacti, and exotic wildlife, Little Giant transports you to a world tourists rarely see. They’re the kind of images that make you smile and relax at the same time.
You’ll live vicariously through David and Yair’s quest for freedom while gaining practical wisdom for your own next chapter.
Get inspired by two best friends who refused to settle for what society expected of them.
Ready to ride the wave of new possibilities?
Little Giant is for anyone who’s ever dreamed of taking a bold leap, but never quite made it happen. You don’t need to open a surf shop—or even visit the Caribbean—to apply these life tips to your own life.
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