The 20-Mile March Strategy: How to Stay Profitable When Inflation Hits and Customers Pull Back.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

In today’s economy, one thing is sure: uncertainty.

Across Nigeria and global markets, inflation has risen sharply, pushing consumers to rethink every purchase. Essentials take priority, while discretionary spending is being trimmed—if not dropped entirely.

The evidence is loud and clear:

  • 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗗𝗦𝘁𝘃) lost 1.4 million subscribers in 2024’s Q1 alone, citing economic hardship and weakened consumer spending across key African markets.

• 𝗡𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 reported a 45% year-on-year profit drop in the first quarter of 2024, attributing it to rising input costs and reduced customer demand.

  • 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻’𝘀 Q1 2024 earnings showed a decline in international sales growth, as inflationary pressures impacted purchasing behaviour outside the U.S.

The story is the same across boardrooms and neighbourhood shops—people are buying less, and businesses are being forced to make tough choices.

But this isn’t the first time the world has faced economic turbulence. And as Jim Collins wrote in Great by Choice, the companies that outperform their peers during chaos aren’t the ones that move the fastest—they’re the ones that stay the most consistent.

In this week’s Growth Accelerator Newsletter, we’ll explore one powerful strategy from Collins’ research—the 20-Mile March—and how it can help your business stay profitable even when everything else feels uncertain. Here's what we’ll cover:

  1. What the 𝟮𝟬-𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 really means in business

  2. How to apply it practically in 2024

  3. A real-world story of resilience through consistency

  4. Tech tools that support disciplined execution

  5. And a call to action to help you define your own “20-mile” goal

Let’s march forward.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬-𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁

In Great by Choice, Jim Collins tells the story of two explorers—Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott—both racing to be the first to reach the South Pole in 1911. Amundsen maintained a strict pace of 20 miles per day, regardless of the weather. Scott, on the other hand, marched longer on good days and stayed put on bad ones. Only one team made it back alive.

Collins used this story to explain a key trait of businesses that succeed in turbulent times: they maintain steady progress, regardless of conditions. He called it the 20-Mile March—a clear, disciplined performance benchmark that you hit consistently, no matter what’s happening around you.

Take Southwest Airlines during the 9/11 crisis. While many airlines cut staff, halted operations, or panicked, Southwest stayed focused. They didn't chase aggressive expansion or massive layoffs. They adhered to their operating model, continued to fly, and maintained their customer focus. That discipline allowed them to remain profitable when others fell into chaos.

The lesson is simple: it’s not the boldest or biggest companies that survive—it’s the most disciplined. The ones that commit to a realistic pace and stick to it.

In the same way, businesses today need their 20-mile march, not as a slogan, but as a habit.

Apply to Business Today

So, what does the 20-Mile March look like for a small business owner, entrepreneur, or solo professional in 2025?

It starts with defining the one thing you must hit consistently, regardless of the circumstances. Not a wish. Not a stretch goal. A clear, achievable target that keeps you moving forward, even when the market slows down.

Here are four ways to apply it right now:

1. Set Your Minimum Non-Negotiables. Decide on your baseline: daily outreach, weekly revenue, or number of client check-ins. For example, commit to making 10 sales calls per week or closing at least one deal every two weeks. It’s not about massive wins. It’s about showing up.
2. Cut the Fat, Not the Muscle. When money is tight, it’s tempting to slash costs across the board. However, cutting essential activities—such as customer support or follow-up marketing—can cause more harm. Instead, review your spending and eliminate what doesn’t bring direct value.
3. Automate to Stay Consistent. Use automation to maintain rhythm. Set up email follow-ups, schedule social media posts in advance, or use simple tools that track leads and payments. This lets your business “march” even when you need rest.
4. Stick to What Works. This is not the season for shiny new experiments. Focus on the product or service that already sells. Concentrate your energy on the marketing channel that brings results. Better to go deep than wide.

This is the time to be disciplined, not distracted. Your business doesn’t need to sprint; it just needs to keep marching.

A Real-World Story of Consistency Over Chaos

Let’s talk about Dayo, a Lagos-based freelance graphic designer who serves small business clients in fashion and real estate.

When the economy began to tighten in late 2023, many of his regular clients started postponing design jobs or opting for DIY templates. His monthly income, which had been relatively stable, dropped by nearly 40% over the course of two quarters. He was tempted to cut his prices or chase any client just to stay afloat.

But instead, Dayo created his own 20-Mile March.

He set one rule: to close at least two projects per week, regardless of their size. To make that happen, he blocked out an hour daily to message old clients, share past work on WhatsApp status and LinkedIn, and offer limited-time bundles (e.g., logo + flyer at a discount).

He also automated email reminders to cold leads he hadn’t heard from in months and used a simple dashboard to track inquiries and project completions each week.

The result? By the end of Q2 2024, Dayo hadn’t just stabilized his income—he grew his client base with repeat business and referrals. What changed wasn’t the economy. What changed was his discipline.

He didn’t sprint. He just marched week in, week out.

Tech and Research Tools That Support Your March

Discipline is powerful, but in today’s business environment, technology can be your strongest ally in staying consistent. Even the smallest operations can utilise simple tools to keep moving forward, track performance, and prevent burnout.

Here are a few examples:

1. Google Trends – See What Customers Still Care About. Before launching a new product or campaign, Dayo checked Google Trends to understand what people were actively searching for. It helped him tailor his designs to trending keywords like “property flyers” or “fashion week graphics”—not just what he thought might sell.

2. Power BI or Google Looker Studio – Track What’s Working. You don’t need complex dashboards. A simple visual showing your weekly inquiries, completed jobs, or recurring clients can help highlight where to focus your efforts. Seeing the trend—up or down—keeps you honest and enables you to adjust.

3. Email Automation Tools – Follow Up Without Fuss. Tools like Brevo, Mailchimp, or even WhatsApp Business allow you to automate welcome messages, reminders, and special offers. Instead of manually messaging every lead, Dayo set up a short follow-up sequence that ran in the background, keeping his prospects warm while he focused on delivery.

4. Task Managers – Keep Your March Visible. Apps like Trello, Notion, or even a physical calendar can help you break down your weekly targets into daily actions. When you see your “march” clearly, you’re more likely to stick to it.

These tools don’t replace discipline; they support it. They make it easier to do the right thing, even when motivation is low or the economy feels shaky.

Call to Action

You don’t need to sprint to survive this economy—you need to march.

Inflation will rise. Customers may hesitate. But businesses that win in the long run aren’t always the flashiest or fastest. They are the ones who define their march, stay focused, and move forward—step by step.

So here’s the challenge for this week:

👉 What’s your 20-mile goal for the month? Is it 5 client calls a week? 10 product sales? One email campaign every Friday?

Write it down. Share it with someone. Then get to work—quietly, steadily, with no drama.

Success comes from showing up when others pause.