🏆 Durability: The Quiet Strength of Small Business

This is Local Legends — a deep dive into the craft of building enduring small businesses. 🏆

Welcome to the 78 new subscribers who have joined since our last edition — it's exciting to see the growth, and it inspires me to keep writing.

Today’s post dives into a core principle of my approach on company building: Durability. I’ll elaborate on why durability matters and how to build it.

At the end of today’s post, I reveal Decada Group’s new venture. I’m excited to share what we have in store, so let’s dive in.

In Today’s Post

Small business plays by a different set of rules than the rest of the economy.

And a different set of rules requires a different strategy — a different playbook.

This playbook is centered around one core principle: durability.

In a world where quick wins and rapid growth often steal the spotlight, small businesses look to durability as their guiding principle — building something that lasts, no matter the challenges ahead.

Business headlines are filled with stories of unicorn startups, tech giants, and the latest trends promising overnight success. But if you look closely, beyond the hype and flashy headlines, there’s another story being written — a story that doesn’t make the front page but matters just as much.

This is the story of small businesses.

Running a small business is a different game — more like a marathon than a sprint. While the sprint toward rapid growth is one way to succeed, small business success is built on endurance, strategy, and the commitment to creating something that lasts.

Durability is the name of the game. These businesses don’t always grab attention. They don’t get the viral moments or the billion-dollar valuations. Instead, they focus on the craft of building something that gets stronger every day.

They’re the manufacturing plants that start production before the sun rises, the local repair shops that know their customers by name, the family-owned stores that have been part of the neighborhood for generations.

In a world obsessed with rapid growth, these businesses understand something crucial: the value of durability. I call this the quiet strength of small business.

Why Does Durability Matter?

When durability becomes your North Star, your approach changes.

Durability isn’t just about survival — it’s about thriving in the long run. It’s about building a business that can weather economic downturns, industry shifts, and unexpected challenges. It’s about still being there when the dust settles, compounding away.

For small businesses, focusing on durability isn’t optional — it’s essential. Unlike larger companies, small businesses don’t have the cushion of massive funding rounds or corporate safety nets. They can’t afford to chase every trend or pivot at every new opportunity. They have to be deliberate, smart, and strategic in every decision they make.

Durability means playing the long game. It’s about making choices that ensure you’re not just around tomorrow but that you’re stronger than you were today.

While the flashy businesses may grab headlines, durable businesses quietly build a legacy, brick by brick, that stands the test of time.

In the world of small business, durability is the difference between fleeting success and a lasting legacy.

How Do You Build Durability?

Building durability is challenging — it doesn’t happen overnight. It begins with a mindset shift, a redefinition of what success looks like.

Instead of chasing quick wins, durable businesses focus on what will stand the test of time. Here are some commonalities among businesses that prioritize durability:

Strategic, Repeatable Growth: Durable businesses expand with intention, they don’t grab every opportunity. It’s about choosing the right moves and turning down easy wins that don’t align with the long-term vision.

A Focus on Systems: Systems keep the business running smoothly, minimizing chaos and maximizing efficiency. It’s not just about having processes in place; it’s about continuously refining them, automating routine tasks, and freeing up time for strategic work.

A Commitment to Craftsmanship: When durability becomes your focus, your work transforms into a craft. It’s no longer just about the end result; you become consumed by the process, the journey. Durable businesses invest in craftsmanship, focusing on the details and holding themselves to the highest standards. This dedication not only builds long-term value but also becomes an essential component of winning the marathon — ensuring that every product, service, and interaction reflects their commitment to excellence.

Financial Discipline: Durable businesses manage their balance sheets more than their P&L, avoiding the temptation to overextend. They build financial cushion to weather downturns and make strategic investments when the time is right, often opting for slower, stable growth over rapid expansion.

Strong Leadership: Leadership is at the core of durability. Leaders who prioritize their own development constantly, seek to level up at the pace of their company, and seek outside guidance. They know what to work on and what to delegate, ensuring that the business remains resilient and focused on long-term goals.

Prioritizing People & Delegation: The strength of the team is crucial for long-term success. This means hiring the right people, investing in their growth, and empowering them with responsibility. Effective delegation allows leaders to elevate themselves out of day-to-day operations and focus on building durability.

What’s The Result?

On Your Community

Durable businesses become reliable, trusted companies — pillars and key institutions in their communities. Local Legends, if you will.

Over time, they make recruiting top talent easier and establish a reputation in their industry, creating a legacy that extends far beyond day-to-day operations and begins a powerful flywheel that can span years.

On Your Business

A durable business commands a higher valuation. Its roots are deeper, making it more likely to withstand recessions, new market entrants, and shifting landscapes. Durable companies tend to see stronger margins and enjoy a reputation that fuels ongoing growth.

Operational excellence, including robust systems and financial discipline, ensures the business thrives even in challenging conditions, further fueling the flywheel.

On You

For the owner, building a durable business means shifting from working a job to creating and growing an asset. The business begins to serve you, allowing you to focus on strategic growth instead of daily tasks.

This shift lets you engage in higher-level work, driving long-term success and making your business a resilient asset that enhances your life and brings greater fulfillment.

Why Isn’t Every Business Durable?

Because it’s not inherently sexy.

Durability demands commitment and consistency, which are hard to sustain when the average business owner is spread thin across countless functions, roles, and challenges.

Most small business owners can’t afford to hire a full executive team with specialists in every department. They’re expected to be master generalists, managing every aspect of the business with a smaller team, tighter budget, and often against larger competitors.

Simply put, durability is hard. It requires a delicate balance between visionary thinking and practical execution — juggling product, finance, sales, and operations.

Another challenge is the need for patience and long-term thinking in a world that often rewards quick wins and short-term gains. Many business owners are pressured, either by investors, debt, or competition, to deliver immediate results, making it difficult to invest in the slow, steady work that durability requires.

Finally, durability requires embracing the process. In a long-term game, the allure of the end goal can fade. You have to build your company in a way that makes the daily grind something you love. Passion for the journey, not just the destination, becomes the goal.

Introducing Durable

This is why my team launched Durable — Decada Group’s newest company.

At Durable, the mission is to support small businesses committed to building resilient, enduring companies. Achieving this requires more than just good intentions. It demands a solid strategy, the right tools, and ongoing support.

Durable operates as a growth agency, offering small business owners:

• Consulting: We help solve complex problems across growth, operations, finance, and exit planning. Durable supports businesses to provide the tools and strategies needed to strengthen their foundations and build for the future.

• CEO Coaching & Advisory: We provide leadership coaching to help business owners develop a resilient mindset and navigate challenges with confidence.

• Leadership Peer Groups: We curate and facilitate intimate peer groups for business owners, searchers, and operators designed to build stronger businesses and enhance leadership capabilities.

I’m genuinely excited about Durable.

It’s not just another operating company for us — it’s a way to extend the impact of Decada Group’s playbook beyond the businesses we own and operate.

Through Durable, we’re giving more business owners the tools to embrace durability, build stronger companies, and create lasting legacies.

Join Durable’s Small Business Community

Over the past year, Decada has brought together hundreds of business owners, searchers, and micro-PE enthusiasts through a dozen events. Now, Durable is leading the charge and stepping things up.

In the next 60 days, Durable is hosting 5 events, including happy hour socials, invite-only dinners, and workshops on key topics.

There are two ways to be part of our community:

1. Join the Durable Newsletter to stay informed about upcoming events, workshops, and exclusive small business owner dinners.

2. Join Durable’s Small Business Slack Community, where members connect daily. Hop into the introductions channel to say hello, and check out the #events and #ask-for-help channels. Everyone is welcome.