Build Durable

Join us on Wednesday, June 3, at 11 AM MDT for a thoughtful discussion with Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law and gain a clearer understanding of how legal strategy can support the long-term health and value of your business.

While the conversation will draw from real-world acquisition and ownership transition scenarios, the lessons apply to any owner thinking about growth, risk management, succession planning, or protecting the value they've built.

We'll discuss:
- How to identify legal risks before they become costly problems
- When to bring in legal counsel—and how to make the most of that relationship
- Key considerations when structuring agreements and business transactions
- Common issues business owners encounter during periods of growth, transition, or ownership change

RSVP here:

Durable ETA Chapter Webinar with SMB Law: Buying the Business, Not the Problems — Durable. Acquiring a business can be one of the fastest ways to grow—but it comes with risks that aren’t always obvious at first glance. 

Join us at Urban Sailor Coffee - Post District on Friday for a morning of good coffee and thoughtful conversation with other business owners actively building companies here in Utah. This is a collaborative working session designed for operators who want better thinking, honest feedback, and practical insight from people in the arena alongside them.

Bring a challenge you’re working through — a tough decision, a bottleneck, or an idea you want to sharpen. We’ll break into small groups and work through each issue together in a structured, conversation-driven format where everyone has time in the seat.

You’ll leave with a clearer perspective, practical next steps, and stronger connections with fellow business owners.

Open to the public for business owners who are ready to contribute, collaborate, and learn from others doing the work.

Register here: https://www.builddurable.co/events/the-smb-coffee-social-june-5

Entrepreneurship through acquisition gets talked about like a clean transaction. In reality, it’s usually far messier than the headlines suggest.

In this episode, Kyle Poll of GetOut sits down with operators who bought businesses across manufacturing, services, and defense technology to talk about what ownership actually looked like after the deal closed.

You’ll hear from:
- Blake Harber — CEO, Routine Holdings
- Taylor Nielsen — CEO, Walton Trailers
- Andrew Heer — CEO, Summit Mountain Cleaning
- Caroline Chapelaine — CEO, Northstar Photonics

They discuss deals that nearly fell apart, financing pressure, inherited systems held together by memory and sticky notes, customers disappearing after closing, and the weight that comes with becoming responsible for employees and livelihoods.

More than anything, it’s a conversation about resilience — and the reality that business ownership often demands learning under pressure.

For anyone exploring ETA, this episode offers an honest look at the path beyond the acquisition itself.

Listen here: https://www.builddurable.co/the-durable-business/pod-after-acquisition

We’re excited to welcome Desiree Musselman as the featured speaker for May’s Durable ETA Chapter Session Lunch on May 26 at Fiddler’s.

With more than 3,000 hours of corporate training experience, Desiree helps leaders and teams grow through practical, high-impact coaching focused on leadership development, emotional intelligence, resilience, and career growth.

Her work brings enterprise-level leadership training to growing businesses in a way that’s approachable, actionable, and grounded in real-world experience.

If you’re building a business and leading people, this is a conversation worth being in.

Register here: https://www.builddurable.co/events/eta-lunch-desiree

Join us on June 3 for the SMB Law Webinar, where business owners across Utah will hear from Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson on the future of small business ownership, succession, and the largest wealth transfer in history.

Eric is an attorney, advisor, and one of the leading voices on the “Silver Tsunami,” the historic transfer of small business ownership happening across America.

Kevin brings big-firm M&A experience to the world of Main Street business ownership.

Eric and Kevin bring a rare combination of high-level transaction experience and practical insight for small business owners — making this a conversation you won’t want to miss.

To join us for this free webinar, register here: builddurable.co/events/webinar-smb-law

In 2020, while most of the world was shutting down, Samiullah Niazi was opening a business.

A former Afghan refugee, Samiullah launched Meat Market with a simple goal: build stability for his family and create opportunity for other Afghans trying to do the same. Starting the first Afghan-owned halal market in the area during COVID came with real uncertainty. Rising costs. Empty streets. Questions about whether the community would embrace unfamiliar products and cuisine.

They did.

Today, Halal Meat Market has become more than a grocery store. For many Afghan families in Utah, it’s a connection to home. For others, it’s an introduction to Afghan culture through dried fruits, spices, tea, baklava, and traditional meals served next door at Kabul Kitchen and Kabob House.

What stands out most about Samiullah is his generosity. He travels to California himself to source quality products at fair prices, offers discounts during Ramadan, supports local charitable efforts, and continues creating jobs for others in the Afghan community.

Businesses like this make Utah’s small business community richer, more welcoming, and more interesting. We’re proud to have Samiullah as part of Durable.

Read more about Halal Meat Market here: https://www.builddurable.co/member-spotlights/samiullah-niazi

Durable’s Private Dinners are one of the ways we bring business owners in Utah into the same room for unhurried conversation.

These gatherings are small by design, usually around 10–12 operators and founders. People who are in the middle of building companies, making decisions that carry weight, and rarely getting space to talk through that with others who understand the context.

The evening tends to settle in quickly. Conversations move between what’s working in their businesses, what isn’t, and the quieter parts of ownership that don’t often get discussed in public settings. Hiring, cash flow, team dynamics, the long arc of building something that lasts.

There’s no structure imposed on the room. The value comes from the mix of people and the trust that builds when a group stays small enough for everyone to actually be part of the conversation.

If you’re building something meaningful and want to spend time with other operators in Utah’s business community, you can request an invitation here:
https://www.builddurable.co/events/private-dinner-5bnlr

Some of the best business conversations happen outside the office, which is why we’re excited to host another Durable Business Owner Social on May 21 at Fiddler’s Sugarhouse.

These gatherings are a chance to spend time with other owners, operators, and builders from across Utah in a relaxed setting designed for genuine conversation and connection. Whether you’re growing a company, exploring a new idea, or simply looking to meet more people in the local business community, we’d love to have you there.

Come grab a drink, meet some great people, and enjoy an evening with fellow business owners.

Details + RSVP:
https://www.builddurable.co/events/z86x5-lhx65-l77z7-lm753-re32z-cs2h9

Last week's Durable ETA Chapter panel, “When the Deal Gets Real,” was a valuable and grounding conversation with a group of experienced business owners sharing real stories from their journeys.

It was an informative evening, and one of the clearest takeaways was that stumbling blocks are a normal part of business ownership — every operator faces them in one form or another. What ultimately defines the journey isn’t avoiding those moments, but how you respond and move forward afterward.

We left the night with a stronger appreciation for the honesty in those stories, and a reminder that resilience is often built in the middle of uncertainty, not after it.

If you’d like to join us for future ETA events, be sure to join our free ETA Chapter: https://www.builddurable.co/eta-utah

Spring in Utah is hard to beat.

The trails are green, the air is crisp, and the views over the valley hit a little different this time of year. It’s the perfect excuse to step away from the desk and get outside.

That’s why we’re hosting our next Durable Hiking Series — and this one is built for everyone. Whether you’re an avid hiker or just looking for a casual walk and good conversation, you’ll fit right in.
This isn’t about pace or performance — it’s about getting outside with other business owners, having real conversations, and enjoying the kind of setting that makes those conversations better.

One quick update: we’re rescheduling the hike from May 15 to May 29. Same time, same place — just a new date on the calendar.

Bring a friend. Bring a fellow operator. The more, the better.

Join us on the Avenues Twin Peaks Trail:
https://www.builddurable.co/events/hiking-series-avenues