The Real Business Podcast

In this episode, we turn the tables and interview our host, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski on why owners should always be “transaction-ready.” We cover how business owners can start planning without feeling overwhelmed by building the right advisory team, preparing for unexpected events, navigating family business dynamics, and planning for both the financial and personal realities of life afte...

In this episode, Brian Trzcinski welcomes Jason Early, Founder and CEO of RISR, to open our 2026 series with an important question for business owners: Do You Own An Asset or The World's Most Stressful Job ? Too often, owners don't align their business goals with their financial objectives. They haven't spent time thinking about what's important to them post-exit and don't...

In this episode, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski welcomes Jeff Armstrong, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Cultivate Advisors, to discuss ways business owners can begin building an effective value growth strategy. Research says value growth is the top success metric that owners track, and Jeff will share how to set realistic expectation about their growth potential with guidance on how to g...

In this episode, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski welcomes Micah Brandenburg, President, Legendary Exits to discuss key findings from MassMutual's latest Business Owner Perspectives Study. Brian and Micah discuss topics ranging from value growth to transition planning to coordinating business and personal planning. The results from the survey indicate there are lots of opportunities for owne...

John Bartlett, Founder of Brentwood Growth, joins MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski to discuss what every business owner should know about the process of selling a business. In this episode, John and Brian discuss not just best practices for the sale itself, but also the steps owners should take before and after the sale to ensure the business and the owner have an experience worthy of the sweat e...

A buy-sell agreement is one of the most common business planning strategies. It's vital to business continuity in the event of an unforeseen circumstance. And yet, it's one strategy that's often not implemented properly. In this episode, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinkski, a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and Director of Business Owner Markets at MassMutual welcomes Michele Collins...

In this episode Brian welcomes David Curylo, Head of Workplace Retirement Solutions at MassMutual to discuss qualified plans and how they can be instrumental in attracting and retaining employees. Brian and David will discuss all the pros and cons, as well as the implications of the Secure Act that Congress recently passed into law and Pooled Employer Plans that make offering retirement plans even...

In this episode, we welcome Allen Esrock, Founder of NxtGen Nexus. Allen was raised in a successful family business, but rather than take it over, he made the decision to pursue other career goals. Allen shares what makes the next generation of business owners unique, how best to communicate with them, and why understanding their passions, motivations, and goals can make all the difference when en...

In this episode, Value Builder Senior Vice President Laura Ferguson joins us to discuss the importance of business owners documenting and communicating their "endgame." This crucial conversation can help owners more effectively run their businesses today with their desired future goals in mind, as well as determine what they need financially from the business when they are ready to leave...

If you see divorce on the horizon and you haven't done any planning, it's probably already too late. Michael Lundy, Founding and Managing Partner at Older Lundy Koch Martino joins us for Part 2 on how a business can survive through a divorce.  In this episode, we focus on the legal side of things, which include the division of the business as a marital asset and the buy-out or transition...

Of the six D’s we talk about in business continuity planning, divorce probably gets the least amount of attention. But during divorce proceedings, business owners face an average decline in revenue of $4,000-a-month! As a result, nearly one in 20 business owners closes their doors due to the financial brunt of divorce.  To discuss this important topic, we invited Roxanne Coffelt, a CPA who special...

The decision to stay and grow your business versus the decision to leave and transition your business often puts a business owner at a crossroads. So rather than face the decision head-on, it gets delayed and ultimately made without much forethought or planning. In this episode, Brian Trzcinski welcomes Sam Mendelsohn of Value Builder to discuss why this decision is so important, why it must be ma...

In this epidode, Brian Trzcinski is joined by fellow CEPA and financial planning consultant Jarrod DeSantis of MassMutual to discuss the role the business plays in an owner's personal planning picture. They discuss the three "gaps" all business owners should know--their profit, value and wealth gaps--as well as how planning for the business today can impact an owner's financial...

Mavrek CEO Martin Hanson has been in the business of selling businesses for over 30 years, coordinating thousands of transactions worth billions of dollars. In spite of all those deals, Hanson shares that not once, in all those years, has a business owner who called him actually been ready to sell their business. In this episode, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski leads a candid conversation, and a...

In this episode, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski welcomes veteran Financial Professional Rick Scruggs, of the firm Financial Designs, to discuss how life insurance can be an important component of not just a business owner's personal protection, but their business protection as well. They will share strategies that can help protect the owner and the business from unexpected and unplanned fo...

In this episode, Brian Trzcinski welcomes CEO Coach and author Abby Donnelly to discuss key findings from MassMutual's latest research study "Planning for the Unexpected".  This rank conversation includes real stories about business owners who failed to mitigate risk, and the pitfalls associated with ignoring the details in business succession planning.

In this episode, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski welcomes Laurie Barkman, aka "The Business Transition Sherpa" to discuss some key topics from her book The Business Transition Handbook . Hear Brian and Laurie discuss why business owners view "transition" as a negative term and how an owner's mindset about transition--both positive and negative--can impact their business&...

Potential value is something business owners are very keen on understanding. Taking a strategic approach to growing value can not just benefit the business for today, but also the owner's financial outlook in the future. In this episode, Brian Trzcinski welcomes George Sandmann, Founder and CEO of Growth Drive, to share his insight on how value growth can set the owner up for future success b...

Two words: Family and Business. The two are intrinsically connected, but often operate on divergent planes.  In this episode, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski welcomes Martha L. Sullivan, a CPA and consultant with The Family Business Consulting Group, to discuss balancing a thriving business while creating a lifetime of liquidity for today and a legacy for the future.

At some point in the lifecycle of a business, an owner must make a crucial decision—one that affects the business, family and employees. Do I stay and reinvest my time, energy and money in taking the business to the next level? Or do I leave and move on to the next stage of my personal and professional life? John Warrillow, author of Built To Sell and Founder of ValueBuilder, joins us to share his...

Business planning is sound business strategy. Yet three areas often come between a business owner and the implemention of effective plans: time, perceived need, and money. In this episode, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski focuses on how a lack of monetary resources can get in the way of effective business planning with Chuck Richards, CEO of ValuCompass. Chuck asserts that, if you would pay 1% of...

Selling a business is not easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it. And while, you may have built a profitable business, there's always inherent risks that could threaten the viability of the business and decrease your value. In this episode, MassMutual's Brian Trzcinski welcomes Chris Vanderzyden, Managing Partner at Legacy Partners, LLLP to offer practical advice on how to de-risk...

The Real Business Podcast, presented by MassMutual, is hosted by business exit planning expert Brian Trzcinski. In this episode, we welcome entrepreneur, author and leadership expert Richard J. Bryan to offer his expertise on ways to recession-proof your business. The year ahead may present challenges, but business owners who are prepared will be in position to seize opportunities and grow their b...

Can you take a vacation without worrying about the integrity of your business? Have you delegated management decisions to your team?  And if you plan to sell or transition your business to the next generation, will you or your presence be an obstacle in that process? It may be "your business". But if you are your business, statistics show that you will likely face significant challenges...

Mom & Dad built the business, often sacrificing time at home or missing key moments in their children's lives. The kids have literally lived in the business, and may work in the business- but is it really their business ? In this episode, Certified Exit Planning Advisor Brian Trzcinski explores this sensitive topic with Lise Stewart, Partner in Charge of Eisner Advisory Group's Famil...