It is better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond.

(of size or amount) small, little, tiny / (of age) young, little

even if one says

he / distal demonstrative, something far off removed from both speaker and listener: that / boyfriend

distal demonstrative, something far off removed from both speaker and listener: that, yon / particularly, male personal third person pronoun: he / by extension from he: boyfriend

he; boyfriend

to stand, to stand up, to rise / to depart / to close / of something physical but not solid or liquid: to be released, to rise

to raise / to increase / to lift / to improve / to elevate / to promote / to advance /

(business) a company

to say, to tell somebody / to call, to name, to give a name / to cry, to call, to make a noise (such as an animal)