The Transition Strategists

As another year draws to a close, Elizabeth and Andrea are here with warm holiday wishes for you and your loved ones! 🎄 After a day filled with vision-setting and planning, Elizabeth and Andrea are taking their own advice: putting relationships first by setting aside business conversations during the holidays. They believe the dinner table should be for strengthening family bonds, not discussing transition timelines. Whether you're a business owner or successor, consider making this holiday season about deepening connections with your loved ones. Those annual planning discussions can wait until January.

Meet Beth Sparks, a Transition Guide who brings a uniquely valuable perspective to family business transitions – she's lived both sides of the journey. As a successor who unexpectedly inherited a fourth-generation family business, Beth understands firsthand the importance of thoughtful transition planning. Now, she combines her legal background, HR expertise, and personal succession experience to help families navigate these crucial conversations early and intentionally. "I'm passionate about successors understanding the role they might be taking over. When families communicate clearly about transitions, everyone can move forward with confidence."    Learn more about Beth at the link in the comments.  #FamilyBusiness #BusinessTransition #SuccessionPlanning #TransitionStrategy #BusinessContinuity #FamilyEnterprise   

"Who would want to buy a business that completely depends on me?" 🎯  This mindset shift transformed Steve's approach to leadership and business value. Hear more stories like this on our YouTube channel.  Subscribe here to follow more transition journeys: https://lnkd.in/g63P4K84 ✨  #BusinessTransition #SuccessionPlanning #FamilyBusiness   

Sometimes life gives us the push we need to start thinking about business transition. For our client, Tom Kirk, it was a conversation with his cardiologist that sparked his journey. 🔄 But what began as contingency planning evolved into something more meaningful: a purposeful transition strategy that prioritized relationships and long-term success over maximum sale price. Tom's story teaches us a valuable lesson: While many advisors jump straight to HOW to structure a deal, the most successful transitions begin with WHY. By first clarifying his objectives and what mattered most, Tom found the perfect successor in Laura - someone who would preserve his legacy while growing the business. The beauty of Tom's story lies in its outcome. Not only did he achieve a successful transition, but he's continued working with Laura for years beyond their initial agreement. It's a testament to what's possible when you prioritize finding the right fit over simply seeking the highest price. "Don't get distracted by the how," Tom advises. "Everyone will come at you with ESOPs, leverage buyouts, and private equity offers. Start with why you want to transition, what you're trying to accomplish, and who you want to do it with. The how will follow.”

What holds most business owners back isn't the lack of opportunity - it's the fear of letting go. We see it every day. Owners who've built something amazing worry about what comes next. They wonder if they'll lose their sense of purpose, if relationships will change, or if the business will struggle without them. But here's what we've learned from hundreds of transitions: The end of one chapter often reveals the beginning of something even better. Our most successful clients didn't just step away from their businesses - they stepped toward their next great adventure. They found new purpose, strengthened their relationships, and watched their companies thrive under new leadership. Want to read more stories of successful transitions? Visit our blog: https://lnkd.in/g6xmessx Join us in the New Year for our next workshop: https://lnkd.in/gyUeHDzi #BusinessTransition #SuccessionPlanning #FamilyBusiness #NextAdventure #BusinessOwner #TransitionJourney"   

Many family business owners tell us they don't need formal governance structures. 'I make the decisions now, and whoever takes over will make them then.' Sound familiar? 🤔 Our Transition Guide Marcy McNeal shares how this perspective can shift when businesses face more complex situations. When families embrace proper governance, something transformative happens. Difficult conversations become productive discussions. Complex decisions find clear pathways forward. And most importantly, relationships stay intact even when stakes are high. The impact? A business positioned to thrive not just for years, but for generations. As Marcy shares, "If they do a good job, that business is going to be around for another 50 to 100 years." 🌱 Ready to make 2025 the year you strengthen your family business through effective governance? Registration is now open for our 2025 workshops. Secure your spot today: https://lnkd.in/gyUeHDzi #FamilyBusiness #BusinessGovernance #SuccessionPlanning #TransitionStrategy

Making this transition means shifting from being "the one" everyone looks to for answers, changing daily relationships with team members and colleagues, moving from wealth creator to wealth manager, and ultimately designing a meaningful Next Adventure.    Our latest blog explores how successful owners manage this profound transformation while protecting what matters most: https://lnkd.in/g6xmessx #BusinessTransition #SuccessionPlanning #FamilyBusiness #Leadership 

Most owners start to think about transition and suddenly find themselves back in the day-to-day operations of their business. But there is a way to transition plan that honors your relationships, your legacy, and your next adventure. Take a peek inside our workshop, where we guide owners through the first steps in business transition. Join us at our next FREE session this Thursday to dive in deeper. Register for our next workshop: https://lnkd.in/gyUeHDzi

As 2024 winds down, it's the perfect time to envision your Next Adventure™ for 2025. 🗓️ Start the New Year confidently by joining our December workshop, The First Step in Successful Business Transition. Don't let another year pass without taking action. Register now at https://lnkd.in/gyUeHDzi  #BusinessTransition #SuccessionPlanning #2024Planning #BusinessOwner #FamilyBusiness 

Building a successful business transition isn't a solo journey - it's an adventure best shared with others who understand your challenges. 🌟  Our new learning community – Evolve – brings together business owners and successors navigating transition. It creates a space where you can learn what you need, when you need it, while connecting with peers who truly understand your journey. Ready to explore how peer learning could transform your transition? Join our upcoming workshop: https://lnkd.in/gyUeHDzi #BusinessTransition #FamilyBusiness #PeerLearning #SuccessionPlanning