Date of Conferral

12-12-2025

Date of Award

December 2025

Degree

Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A)

School

Management

Advisor

Matthew Knight

Abstract

Abstract African American small businesses fail at disproportionately high rates, contributing to job losses, economic instability, and reduced wealth-building opportunities in underserved communities. African American entrepreneurs who fail to address strategic, operational, relational, financial, adaptive, and personal dimensions of business ownership increase the risk to the long-term sustainability of their businesses. Grounded in entrepreneurship theory and human capital theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore effective strategies African American entrepreneurs in the southeastern United States employ to sustain their businesses beyond five years. The participants were six African American small business owners who had operated their businesses for more than five years. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Six themes emerged: strategic planning and consistency, marketing and customer engagement, mentorship and community support, financial discipline and resource management, adaptability to challenges, and faith-based motivation. A key recommendation is for business support organization leaders to develop integrated training programs combining financial literacy, strategic planning, and mentorship to address the interconnected needs of African American entrepreneurs. The implications for positive social change include the potential to enable African American business owners to create stable employment opportunities, generate community wealth, and establish sustainable pathways to economic empowerment in underserved communities.

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