This paper explores the factors that determine the closure or jeopardize the continuity of micro and small enterprises (MSEs). We investigated the determinants of failure from the entrepreneur’s perspective using a qualitative approach, and five variables emerged. We discovered that there are internal and external variables that impact on an enterprise’s continuity, which are themselves correlated. We applied a formula to determine which variable had a higher weight, considering values ranging from 0 to 1, and the asymmetry is to the right. The instrument was applied to 35,571 MSEs, 26,720 of which were open and 8,851 were closed. 33,576 are Mexican and 1,995 Colombian enterprises.