A simple framework for success Creating success, and avoiding failure, for small and medium-sized businesses has proven—over a sustained period—to be the direct result of the decisions and actions made by their leaders about the internal structures of these businesses. By focusing on building a strong core, business founders, owners, and executives have the power to ensure success, rather than falling prey to failure. The Structure of Success provides a simple framework—consisting of approaches, methodologies, and tools for assessing, determining, planning, and implementing decisions—for building the internal structural components of a business, and, specifically, focusing on the eight most important categories that have been shown to impact success and failure for small and medium-sized businesses: • Governance models and governance team composition • Management team models, composition, engagement, and compensation • Adjustments and pivots • Growth and infrastructure development • Business disputes and breakups • Acquisitions, mergers, exits, and other business transactions • Disaster preparedness and management • Succession planning When leaders of small and medium-sized businesses address these categories and revisit these topics regularly, they will produce the core structural components that will help them to meet their business goals, manage the risks and threats that arise, and position themselves—and their businesses—for success.