Chasing Permanence

How Businesses on our High Streets Can Adapt and Thrive.

Chasing Permanence

The UK’s High Streets are at a tipping point. Over 13,500 brick-and-mortar businesses close every year, with similar declines seen across the US and Europe. Politicians, policymakers, and business leaders talk endlessly about the crisis — but little changes on the ground.

Yet some remarkable exceptions continue to thrive.

Chasing Permanence explores these success stories and reveals something powerful: lasting success doesn’t begin with government policy — it begins with the business itself. This is the first book of its kind to shift the responsibility from external systems to internal leadership, culture, and everyday decisions.

Drawing on over 20 years of frontline experience, the book introduces seven mindsets, five determinants, and four practical strategies that help not only the High Street, but also how all brick-and-mortar businesses can not only survive but thrive. From knowing when to stand your ground or move forward, to building a culture that lasts, the book blends real stories with practical wisdom shaped on the High Street itself.

You’ll meet companies like Timpson, Waterstones, Day Lewis Pharmacy and Richer Sounds — alongside lessons from enduring artists such as Coldplay and Elton John, who remain relevant through purposeful reinvention.

This message is resonating nationally. In January 2026, we are hosting the UK’s first combined High Street Forum and book launch, bringing together experts, leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, and community voices from across the country to explore the future of all brick-and-mortar businesses.

This isn’t just a book for business owners. It’s for anyone who cares about our towns, our local shops, and the communities that depend on them.

📘 Available everywhere from 18 November 2025.

Hardback

Paperback

Reviews for ‘Chasing Permanence’

  • "This is a very inspirational, educational, and unique book that provides actionable strategies for how High Street businesses can thrive in these uncertain times. It is easy to read, highly practical, and features interesting stories, anecdotes, and examples. I highly recommend it."

    Steve Smith, Founder, Poundland

  • "Steven has shown impressive skill and success as a judge for many companies at Nachural’s Signature Awards, which takes place in Britain’s most vibrant cities: London, Manchester, Leicester, Wolverhampton, and Birmingham. Additionally, he is a regular contributor to the Business Influencer Magazine. His rich firsthand experience provides valuable insights into what helps successful companies survive and flourish. This book shares a fascinating and unique view of the top British companies, illustrating how they navigate challenges and economic changes, all while remaining beloved fixtures on our High Streets for many years. It comes highly recommended!"

    Ninder Johal DL, CEO of Nachural, Founder of the Signature Awards and editor-in-chief of the Business Influencer Magazine

  • "Chasing Permanence is an inspiring and insightful guide for entrepreneurs seeking to build enduring businesses. Through personal narratives and practical wisdom, the author delves into what makes some companies thrive while others falter, offering a unique perspective on the challenges facing our high streets today. In the same way, my book, The Unfair Advantage, explores how entrepreneurs can leverage their unique strengths to succeed, Chasing Permanence provides a roadmap for creating lasting impact. The book explores vital factors for SME and High Street success, including the importance of the entrepreneur's mindset, scalability, and systems thinking. It also highlights the crucial roles of community and collaboration in achieving long-term viability. This heartfelt and practical resource combines personal stories with robust business strategies, showing how our High Streets can be sustainably and successfully rejuvenated."

    Ash Ali, Author of The Unfair Advantage (2021 British Business Book of the Year)  and co-founder, Uhubs

  • "Chasing Permanence by Steven Adjei is a timely and insightful exploration of high-street businesses’ challenges and opportunities today. As record-breaking numbers of businesses close, this book delves deep into the reasons behind the closures and offers actionable strategies to help reverse the trend. Steven's research, real-life interviews, and extensive experience reveal how fostering community and collaboration and the power of mentoring can lead to thriving businesses. An essential read for any SME looking to survive and flourish in today's volatile retail sector. A must-read for anyone in retail, business leaders, policymakers, and anyone passionate about the future of saving our high streets."

    Chelsey Baker, founder of National Mentoring Day, top UK pitching expert, BAFTA award-winning mentor, international keynote speaker, and 2022 Influential Woman of the Year

  • "Steven Adjei is a great storyteller. He seduces you to join his exploits and quests. The reward: you learn how companies persist on our High Street. It’s a book you should definitely read."

    Professor Christian Stadler, Professor in Strategy at Warwick Business School and best-selling author of Enduring Success and Open Strategy, 2021 Strategy Book of the Year

  • "Chasing Permanence by Steven Adjei offers such thought-provoking insights that it can truly shift our perspective on the High Street. I especially appreciate how he weaves in values throughout his work. Get ready to feel touched, moved, and inspired!"

    Dr Mandeep Rai, bestselling author of The Values Compass, Expert in Global Values, former BBC World journalist and Business Influencer of the Year

  • "Steven Adjei’s Chasing Permanence is a powerful and timely exploration of the challenges high street businesses face, particularly those led by ethnic minority entrepreneurs. Drawing on two decades of experience, Adjei provides real-world strategies and a compelling narrative highlighting these businesses’ critical role in sustaining local economies. This book is a must-read for anyone invested in the future of the UK’s high streets and offers invaluable insights on resilience, community, and sustainable success."

    Sanjiv Patel,  Award-winning thought leader, TEDx speaker, visiting lecturer on entrepreneurship at Warwick Business School, and host of the Just Another Lens Podcast

  • "Chasing Permanence is a timely and essential guide for SMEs navigating the challenges of today’s beleaguered High Streets. As our local economies face unprecedented strain, with thousands of businesses shuttering each quarter, this book offers a lifeline by focusing on what businesses can do to survive and thrive."

    Obi James, Inclusive Leadership expert, CEO of Obi James Consultancy, and #1 best-selling author of Let Go Leadership

  • "When I met Steven, I was impressed by his passion for our High Streets. His book Chasing Permanence draws on a decade of extensive research, personal experience, and insightful interviews with successful High Street Businesses. What sets Chasing Permanence apart is its emphasis on the power of Collaboration and community engagement and the unique role that High-Street businesses play in combating issues like loneliness and mental health across societies. In a landscape dominated by reports that lay blame at the feet of the government and can create a sense of helplessness, this book empowers High-Street Businesses to take control of their future."

    Steve Hughes, Chief Executive Officer, Plymouth City Centre Company

  • "Entrepreneurs from ethnic minority backgrounds are indispensable to the vitality of the United Kingdom's High Streets. However, like other business owners, they encounter significant challenges jeopardising their sustainability. Steven Adjei's timely publication, Chasing Permanence, provides hope and inspiration. This work critically addresses the urgent challenges confronting small enterprises on Britain's High Streets with keen insight. Adjei's two decades of practical experience collaborating with high-street businesses contribute authenticity and pragmatism to his analysis. Furthermore, his engaging methodology makes intricate business concepts comprehensible to diverse audiences. Importantly, this book reinforces the vital role of vibrant high streets in UK communities’ social and economic fabric. Adjei offers a much-needed roadmap for revitalising these crucial spaces by providing practical frameworks for collaboration, community-building and competitiveness."

    Professor Monder Ram, Professor of Small Businesses and Director for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME), Aston Business School

  • "Most business books move you forward, but few move you inside. With Chasing Permanence, Steven Adjei has accomplished a rare feat: reconciling the needs of people with the organisational need to perform. Written with purpose and warmth, this is a gem of a book I cannot recommend highly enough."

    Emmanuel Gobillot, global speaker,  leadership consultant, author of best-selling books This is not a Leadership Book, The Connected Leader and Host of The Word is Leadership Podcast

  • "My friend Steven Adjei has done it again! After the riveting read of Pay The Price, Chasing Permanence is not just a book—it’s a blueprint for long-term success. Whether you're struggling to keep your doors open or seeking ways to secure your business's future, this book is vital for any business owner looking to understand the secrets behind the successes of thriving High Streets."

    Jabo Butera, CEO of Diversity Business Incubator, Executive member of the Devon Business Chamber, Award-winning speaker, mentor and consultant

  • "Steven N Adjei’s second book, Chasing Permanence, is a brilliant mosaic of story-telling, personal experience, solid research and brilliant writing. His expose on our uncertain High Streets and his belief in its future is thought-provoking and inspiring. A book definitely worth reading for anyone in leadership and everyone interested in the future of our High Streets."

    Brandie Deignan, Chief Executive Officer, Pier Health NHS, NED, Basketball England and Wales Golf, and author of the #1 International Best-seller The Agnostic Leadership Playbook

  • "As an enthusiastic patron of the High Street and a business academic, I possess a profound understanding of the significant challenges confronting our High Streets. Chasing Permanence provides a thought-provoking perspective on this crucial subject, integrating Steven’s extensive experience with the High Street, rigorous academic research, and engaging narratives. I highly recommend it."

    Dr Mojisola Olugbode, lecturer in Accounting and Finance at Plymouth Business School and Expert in gender diversity in corporate governance and social performance