Our time in Key West has ended. My husband put together a beautiful date for our final night on the island. We checked into a hotel two blocks from Duval Street. We had dinner at a quaint restaurant where we were the only diners. After dinner, we walked to have drinks and dessert at a restaurant that caters to sweets and quality time for couples. After dessert, we brought the leftovers back to the hotel and then strolled up and down Duval Street until after 8 PM. When we returned to the hotel, we sat in the swings and enjoyed twilight.

The next morning, we ate breakfast and were on the road to Bonita Springs. Today, as I write from our hotel room with a view of a lake and golf course, we learned of the sudden closure of a donut shop we visited while in the Keys. It was home to the best chocolate cake donut we have ever had. It is sad because, aside from national chains, there now won’t be a local place to get donuts in Key West. On the flip side, on our way to Bonita Springs, we noticed all the new construction. In fact, it appears that the Bonita Springs/Estero area is doing well. One of the new condos is being advertised as “starting in the $2Ms.”

These contrasting observations got me thinking about the many factors that impact a successful business: location, clientele, quality of product or service, customer service, pricing, marketing and communication, market and economy, timing and launch, bills and expenses, and luck. I don’t believe just one of those would result in a shutdown or closure. Usually it is multiple things unless the business owners decide they want to sell or shut down because of age, health, or other factors. According to the McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility in their article “The Great Ownership Transfer: A new era of business stewardship,” “In 2022 alone, we estimate that 510,000 SMBs exited the market. Ninety-two percent of those exits occurred through closure, 5 percent were completed as sales.” These numbers are increasing with the pending silver tsunami. Sites like BizBuySell have become valuable resources for those considering buying or selling a business during this wave of transitions.

For military spouse entrepreneurs, there is the additional twist of moving every two to three years. I am grateful that my business is mobile, but any of the above factors can still have an impact on whether or not I am a successful business owner. Being mobile doesn’t necessarily negate the risk.

A potential business problem is that a business doesn’t adjust to changing times, needs, or market demands. Artificial Intelligence is the most recent change. I am using AI for my work, but it isn’t perfect. I don’t use automation for many things. I use it for email, but I know there are so many more potential uses. Then I struggle with confidentiality because of how many clients I provide services to. Not embracing these resources could be a potential issue.

It is Memorial Day and there have also been sales I have seen for all kinds of services. Sales or discounts can be a potential positive or negative. Positive to help attract new clients but a negative if there is a loss of revenue.

Another thing I wonder about is the “it is not my problem” mentality. I put in an order for cake a couple of weeks ago to celebrate with family here in Florida. On Sunday morning, the morning of the day I am to pick up the cakes, I get a call about the decorations. The bakery at the store had this order weeks ago. They couldn’t call me on the day I submitted the order to express concerns or need for adjustments? Then when I went to pick up the cakes, one of the cakes wasn’t filled with what I requested. Apparently it was forgotten when compiling the cake, so I have a separate container of cake filling. The order for the cakes was placed online. The person who reviews these orders couldn’t verify the decoration request? What about the manager for the store confirming orders and supplies? No one thought to ask for clarity? So the chef or cook has to ask the questions but on the day of?

These experiences on the road during our final weeks of active duty have reminded me how important adaptability, strong customer service, and attention to detail truly are, especially for military spouse entrepreneurs building portable businesses. As we settle into our new life in Florida and I continue growing my business operations consulting services and Homefront Hustle, I’m more committed than ever to learning from both the successes and struggles I see around me. Through my business operations coaching in Homefront Hustle, I help other military spouses create resilient, portable businesses that can thrive through every move and transition.

Originally published on LinkedIn on May 27, 2026. [Read it here]