Consistency: The single factor business owners say drives long-term success

Bob Salvas, a professional development manager for the Rhode Island Builders Association, has identified one specific concept as the most critical component of business success. Salvas, who also co-founded Brew Work Networking, states that consistency acts as an overarching umbrella for other common success principles.

In a column published on Monday, Salvas explains that while relationships, networking, and gratitude are important, they function best when maintained over time. He argues that most business owners do not lack good ideas or strategic direction. Their primary struggle is executing those ideas reliably.

Salvas points out that businesses facing financial or operational challenges often react by trying to do more. He suggests that a more effective approach is to perform existing tasks with greater regularity. He describes consistency as the primary driver of long-term success because small, repeated actions compound over time.

The contributor cites the book The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson to illustrate this point. Olson describes success habits as simple productive actions repeated consistently over time. Examples include saving a few dollars from a paycheck, exercising for a few minutes daily, or reading ten pages of a book each day. Olson notes that these small actions yield large results when compounded over months and years.

Salvas emphasizes that these habits are not dramatic. He describes them as little virtues that seem insignificant in the moment. However, he notes that skipping these actions or performing them sporadically prevents the compounding effect from taking place. He advises readers to write down their daily or weekly priorities and place them in their calendars to ensure they become established habits.

The column also touches on the nature of commitment. Salvas states that starting a business or a family requires a deep initial commitment. However, he argues that it is the daily and weekly actions taken after that initial commitment that determine whether the endeavor succeeds or fails.

To support this view, Salvas includes a quote from actor Denzel Washington: Without commitment, you’ll never start. Without consistency, you’ll never finish. Salvas aligns this sentiment with his own professional experience in marketing and business development.

Salvas lists several other concepts he has previously discussed, including cash flow, learning, and giving. He notes that cash flow is often the top concern for business owners because it is a major cause of failure. He also highlights that learning leads to earning and that gratitude helps maintain a positive attitude.

The piece concludes with a list of upcoming events for local businesses. The Ocean State Business Expo is scheduled for November 10. The Businesses Give Back Toys for Tots event will take place on November 16. Small Business Saturday is set for November 28. Salvas describes all three as excellent networking opportunities for small businesses in the state.