Date of Conferral

7-21-2026

Date of Award

July 2026

Degree

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

School

Management

Advisor

Bruce Requa

Abstract

Small business owners frequently sustain their businesses at the cost of their personal health, which poses long-term threats to both organizational sustainability and resilience. The sustainability of a small business is often inseparable from the health, well-being, and decision-making capacity of its owner. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to identify and explore effective strategies employed by some small business owners to balance personal and professional obligations to enhance business sustainability. The study was focused on one small business owner from a consulting firm based in the United Kingdom. The project was grounded in the Baldrige excellence framework and the organizational resilience framework. The data were collected from semistructured interviews and reviewing organizational and publicly available information. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which resulted in three primary themes: (a) strategic adaptation through digital transformation and experiential learning, (b) financial preparedness and continuity enabled by networks, and (c) reluctance to delegate and trust issues that hindered scalability. A key recommendation for small business leaders is to adopt structured delegation and automation systems to alleviate owner-managed operational duties, enhance efficiency, and foster sustainable growth. The implications for positive social change encompass the potential to enhance the well-being, resilience, and economic sustainability of small business owners, their families, employees, and communities.

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