Succession Stories

This episode provides great questions to help you think about what can protect your business and create wealth. Brian Trzcinski, Director of Business Market Development with MassMutual, joins host Laurie Barkman to discuss questions business owners need to answer to enhance value and reduce risk. Like what would your business be worth today if you died 90 days ago? And why should exit planning beg...

When it comes to family business succession, will dysfunction prevail? Eva Fischer was the chair of the family business, Brunata, one of Scandinavia's largest clean-tech companies, and at the helm during its turnaround. Eva talks candidly with host Laurie Barkman about how the business consumed the family, and caused relationships to become dysfunctional.  Family problems became company problems a...

If you're a fan of business podcasts, you might know the name John Lee Dumas (JLD), founder and host of the award-winning show, Entrepreneurs on Fire. Since launching in 2012, JLD has interviewed over 3,000 of the world's most successful entrepreneurs. With over 100 million listens, he's turned the show into a media empire generating 7-figures of net annual revenue. JLD joins Succession Stories ho...

Ryan Dusick is the founding drummer of Maroon 5, one of the world's most popular bands. In the nineties, Ryan and his high school buddies Adam Levine and Jesse Carmichael dreamed about making it big…and they did!  Ryan joins host Laurie Barkman to talk about his book, "Harder to Breathe: A Memoir of Making Maroon 5, Losing It All, and Finding Recovery."   Just as his career was taking off, Ryan le...

When is the right time to transition your business? Bill Spohn, President and Owner of TruTech Tools, plans to retire in three years. TruTech Tools is an award-winning e-commerce reseller of tools and test instruments for HVAC and building performance professionals. He's working on making the company less dependent on him by adding capable leaders, documenting workflows, and keeping a notebook of...

What do small business owners wish they had done differently before selling? While the attention on billion dollar mergers and acquisitions, detailed information about acquisitions of smaller businesses is harder to find. Alexis Grant launched an online media platform, They Got Acquired, to help founders understand deal-making in the lower middle market. It's valuable to think about your potential...

Are you prepared for the emotional realities of succession planning? Regina Beatty, an advisor with the financial planning group, Heritage Financial Consultants, joins Laurie Barkman on Succession Stories to discuss how to prepare and transition a business to the next owner, while navigating the financial and emotional challenges associated with transitioning from a family-owned business.   Listen...

If your goal in life is to have no regrets, what are the things you need to address now to be happy about your business transition? Bruce Werner, family business advisor and author of "The Ownership Journey," joins Laurie Barkman on Succession Stories to discuss how a board of advisors or family board can help with the growth and transition of your business. They also explore common issues owners...

For any business, regardless of size, innovation is an essential part of growth. We live in the age of entrepreneurs who are disrupting large companies more than the large companies are disrupting each other. Technologies like generative AI are enabling us to create value at a rapid pace. How do we explore new ideas that can drive radical value for your customer?  Succession Stories host, Laurie B...

The earlier you plan for life after exiting your business, the more successful your transition will be. Determine your post-exit goals and work towards a number that helps you achieve your preferred lifestyle. Anna Felix, Smart Money Strategist with StrongHold Wealth Partners, talks with host Laurie Barkman about long-term incentives that owners might consider to retain and reward key employees.  ...

Ben Rizzo, Founder of Hartwood Point, makes direct private investments across the US and UK, primarily in operator-led buyouts. Ben talks with Succession Stories host, Laurie Barkman, about acquisitions, and how he turned around a distressed business and sold it in just two years. Having experience on both sides of M&A deals, Ben shares practical tips for business owners and acquisition entreprene...

When selling your business, it's the net number that counts. Succession Stories host Laurie Barkman focuses on tax strategies to consider when selling a business and speaks with two colleagues from Wessel & Company, a regional tax and accounting firm in Pennsylvania- Joel Valentine, President and CEO, and Christopher Weir, Partner. Wessel provides corporate tax, business valuations, mergers and ac...

Solocast with Laurie Barkman, show host and business transition sherpa. Laurie discusses a critical owner succession pitfall to avoid. You don't know what you will do after you leave the business. Personal readiness is an important aspect of business transition planning, and it's often overlooked. Being emotionally unprepared for the transition can lead to feelings of loss and a lack of purpose. M...

What is it like to sell your same business twice? As CEO of a pharmacy software company, Tim Tannert led the business through two successful transactions. Key to their success was having a differentiated niche and strong market position. This enabled them to construct a sale process where they could select a partner that was the best fit. Tim talks about being open and honest with yourself. Evalua...

Most successful business owners spend their time running their business. Their expertise is not planning how to exit, or planning what might happen to the company, their family, employees or customers if something unexpectedly happens to them. That is the expertise of Pass It On, Inc. Laurie Barkman speaks with father-daughter team, Don See and Misty Meschter. Since 1947, their company has helped...

Solocast with Laurie Barkman, show host and business transition sherpa. In this solocast, Laurie talks about her new book, "The Business Transition Handbook," and discusses a critical owner succession pitfall to avoid – your company needs you too much. A business that relies too heavily on the skills or relationships of the owner is a less transferable and valuable business. Laurie dives into seve...

When it comes to evaluating the risk profile of a business, buyers look at the potential pitfalls starting with cash flow. Cliff Spolander, author of The Cash Flow Code, is the CEO of Business By Design, an exit planning advisory company in the UK. He has started, bought and sold several companies across a range of sectors including retail, education, health and construction. Cliff helps business...

US Army Veteran Stephen Bollinger is a serial entrepreneur in the medical device industry. Stephen's superpower is discovering market opportunities to help people live better lives. During his career, he sold three medical device companies. He found a market niche by increasing the availability of medically proven approaches. Enjoy this "What's Next" Succession Stories episode about finding a pass...

Automation can free up hundreds of hours per individual employee every year. Better systems create operational efficiencies that make businesses more scalable. Shanice Miller is a business productivity consultant, specializing in project management, who helps clients ranging from small startups to multi-million dollar businesses save hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars. Over the last 10 yea...

In today's solocast, I discuss topics from my upcoming book, The Business Transition Handbook The focus of the book is how to avoid succession pitfalls. Prepare yourself and your company to minimize value derailers, and prepare for a future transition. Regardless of when you intend to exit, you will benefit by following these time-tested best practices to create a more profitable and enjoyable bus...

Succession Stories host Laurie Barkman talks with Tsitsi Mutendi about addressing the challenges of entrepreneuring families. Tsitsi is an internationally recognised Family Business Expert and Family Office Advisor focused on building multigenerational family wealth. Two past generations of her family were entrepreneurs but faced various challenges. Tsitsi did not inherit financial wealth but did...

What can go wrong if you wait too long to plan your exit strategy? Executive coach and organizational consultant, Bill Prinzivalli, joins Succession Stories host Laurie Barkman to discuss why your entrepreneurial journey is not just the start but also the exit. Bill grew a software company to a $30 million valuation but eventually, the doors of opportunity closed and so did the company. Bill share...

How can you position your family's business to successfully transition between generations and begin to grow for the future? Innovation, transition, growth. These are the key drivers of disruptive succession that help businesses evolve and continue to thrive.   This week on Succession Stories, Jonathan Goldhill joins host Laurie Barkman for a conversation on moving businesses forward in the face o...

Catch up on the Succession Stories Podcast with highlights from recent episodes. Host Laurie Barkman spotlights the challenges of business transition, M&A exits, and succession in this special Rewind episode. Topics include building a more sellable business with Jeffrey Feldberg, how to value a business with Fred Kaplan and Kristi Poszlusny, and spotting hidden risk factors in business transferabi...

A.J. Lawrence is the host of the Beyond 8-Figures Podcast. Having sold several companies for 7-figure exits, A.J. continues to explore opportunities to reach $10 million and beyond and calls himself a journeyman entrepreneur finding joy in learning from others and implementing these insights. Listen as host Laurie Barkman talks with A.J. about his experience building and selling businesses, dealin...