02/19/2026
One of the best parts of life, in my opinion, is the opportunity to learn.
I started Chickenango almost 9 years ago. That alone puts us past some very real business survival statistics.
Here is what the data typically shows about business survival in the United States:
• About 20 percent of businesses fail within the first year
• Roughly 30 percent fail by year two
• Around 50 percent do not make it past year five
• Close to 65 percent close within ten years
• That means only about 35 percent of businesses make it to the ten year mark
When you really look at those numbers, surviving nearly a decade is not small.
Looking back on the journey, the early years were about winning work and doing the work. Then came hiring. Occasionally firing. Growing. Expanding into other states. Figuring out compliance, operations, cash flow, culture, leadership, and who we actually are.
Every phase required a different version of me.
One of the most important things I have learned is that luck plays a much smaller role in success than most people think. Yes, there is always a tiny element of timing and opportunity. But what matters far more is your willingness to learn.
Learn from your mistakes.
Learn from people further ahead than you.
Learn when things go wrong.
Learn when things go right.
The best financial investment I have ever made is in myself. Courses. Mentors. Books. Coaching. Conversations. Reflection.
Skill compounds.
Awareness compounds.
Resilience compounds.
Luck fades fast. Growth does not.
If you are in year one, two, or five, keep learning. That is the edge.
