🐒 Monkey Day: What One of Nature’s Smartest Survivors Teaches Us About Business

Today, 14th December is Monkey Day — a slightly unusual observance that celebrates curiosity, intelligence, and adaptability.

At first glance, monkeys and business don’t seem to have much in common.

But look closer.

Because monkeys don’t survive by being the biggest, strongest, or most perfectly organised. They survive by being observant, adaptable, and deeply social.

That combination turns out to be a pretty good business model too.

Monkeys Learn by Watching — Not by Manuals

Young monkeys don’t attend training courses. They watch, copy, fail, and try again.

In Japan, researchers famously observed macaque monkeys learning to wash sweet potatoes in seawater — not because they were told to, but because one monkey experimented and others copied.

That behaviour spread socially.

That’s exactly how many real businesses evolve.

Think of brands like Innocent Drinks. They didn’t start with a grand sustainability framework. They experimented with tone, packaging, honesty — and learned in public.

Or small cafés that copy what works from the shop down the road, tweak it, and make it their own.

Progress through observation beats perfection through planning.

Adaptability Beats Strength

Monkeys don’t dominate every environment — but they adapt to almost all of them.

Cities. Forests. Mountains.They change diets. Habits. Routines.

Businesses that last tend to do the same.

LEGO nearly collapsed in the early 2000s.Instead of doubling down on old assumptions, they listened, simplified, and adapted — returning to what people actually loved about them.

Many small businesses do this quietly every day:

• Changing opening hours when customers shift

• Dropping products that don’t serve people anymore

• Pivoting without rebranding the entire company

No press release required.

Monkeys Thrive in Groups — Not Alone

Monkeys don’t survive solo for long.

They rely on:

• Shared warning signals

• Protection of the young

• Social learning

• Mutual support

Businesses that endure often behave the same way.

That might look like:

• A local builder recommending a competitor when they’re fully booked

• A shop owner mentoring someone new to the trade

• A supplier extending trust during tough months

You see this spirit clearly in companies like Patagonia — where long-term relationships consistently matter more than short-term wins.

Community isn’t a slogan. It’s survival strategy.

Intelligence Isn’t Loud

Monkeys don’t announce how clever they are. They just keep surviving.

The same is true of many good businesses.

They don’t shout about impact. They don’t label every decent action. They simply act — consistently, humanely, pragmatically.

That’s often more powerful than any badge.

Final Thought

Monkey Day isn’t really about monkeys.

It’s a reminder that:

• Curiosity matters

• Adaptability matters

• Community matters

• Survival comes from learning, not perfection

Whether you run a global brand or a one-person operation, those instincts still apply.

Nature figured it out long before business did.

Share Your Story

If you’re part of a business learning as it goes — adapting, observing, and doing its best — we’d love to hear from you.

You can share your story here.