Date of Conferral

12-12-2025

Date of Award

December 2025

Degree

Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A)

School

Management

Advisor

Theresa Neal

Abstract

A lack of successful strategies can lead to a high failure rate among small businesses. Women small business owners often express concerns about identifying successful strategies, which research shows are a key predictor of business sustainability. Grounded in entrepreneurship theory and participative leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore the successful strategies that some women small business entrepreneurs use to sustain their businesses beyond 5 years. The participants were five women small business owners from different sectors in the East Coast region of the United States who had sustained their businesses beyond 5 years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of publicly available industry documents. Through thematic analysis, six themes were identified: (a) visionary leadership and strategic decision-making, (b) multirole involvement and operational management, (c) teamwork and mentorship, (d) community engagement and networking, (e) personal resilience, and (f) innovation, learning, and knowledge sharing. A key recommendation is that business leaders establish structured mentorship programs that pair experienced entrepreneurs with less experienced entrepreneurs to foster knowledge sharing, build resilience, and strengthen organizational sustainability. The implications for positive social change include the potential to enhance employee morale and retention while strengthening local community workforce stability through sustained women-owned businesses that foster recognition, mentorship, and inclusive economic development.

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