Date of Conferral

4-9-2026

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Kim Critchlow

Abstract

Ineffective business strategies can lead to premature closure. Small business owners who struggle to develop long-term strategies may experience failure as a result. Grounded in the resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to identify and explore practical strategies used by massage therapy small business owners to sustain their businesses for more than 5 years. The participants were 10 massage therapy small business owners who had sustained their businesses for more than 5 years. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, business documents, and public records. Through thematic analysis, six themes were identified: (a) strategic leadership responsibility, (b) relationship-based niche positioning, (c) strategic workload and resource management, (d) adaptive operational reconfiguration, (e) monitoring of data-driven operational performance, and (f) strategic system planning for long-term stability. A key recommendation is for massage therapy business owners to remain actively involved in strategic and financial decision-making, understand the positive social impact their employees seek, and align business strategies to support both client wellness and employee purpose. The implications for positive social change include the potential for massage therapy small business owners to expand opportunities for their employees and clients, thereby benefiting the communities they serve economically and through local populations.

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