Succession Stories

Sixteen years ago, Nelson Anderson bought a small printing franchise from his father-in-law. And for 10 years, he did it all - from sales to operations and more. With the helpful guidance of trusted advisors, Nelson built a team and processes that enabled him to step back, a hard thing to do but has enabled their growth through acquisition. He shared how these strategic acquisitions fit within the...

On this "What's Next" episode, Laurie Barkman is joined by Jon Dwoskin, business coach and author of the Think Big Movement. Jon shared his experience selling his first company, and the cancer diagnosis that changed not only his career, but his outlook on life. Facing death head-on made Jon realize how his biggest fears were holding him back. Instead, he turned it into a mission helping people get...

For many business owners, selling your company is typically a once in a lifetime transaction. But it's hard to know how it all works until you're in it. On this episode, Laurie Barkman talks with M&A and boutique investment banker, Dave Eichenlaub from Confluence Advisors, about deal dynamics and what makes a business ready for sale. They explore what can make or sink a deal, and the role of trust...

Laurie Barkman is joined by Kevin Urrutia, CEO of Voy Media, and co-founder of Maid Sailor, a NYC cleaning services company that he sold last year. Kevin details his experience in building the business from scratch, running it for six years with his brother, and having an exit amidst the pandemic.    Listen in to learn more about: How a fearless, willing-to-learn mindset can fuel success Why you s...

Successful M&A deals begin with a deal making mindset. Find out the measures you need to take to make a winning deal. Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, deal-maker, attorney and consultant. He shares how his background in law ultimately led to his success in helping clients iron out the most critical aspects of business deals. What does it take to truly build value and get offers that match you...

Laurie Barkman announces a new partnership with Stony Hill as a mergers and acquisitions advisor. Laurie talks with Paul Visokey, Founder and President of Stony Hill Advisors, about guiding entrepreneurs how to exit their business in the future and access the wealth they've created. Listen in as they discuss: Supporting business owners in the lower middle market, $5 million revenue to $50 million...

Listen in to this special "What's Next" episode as Laurie Barkman talks with Hal Riley, team captain for the World's Toughest Race Eco Challenge in Fiji 2020. Hal led a team of disabled veterans and civilians who competed against 65 other teams to go across 400 miles of dense jungles, steep mountains, winding rivers, oceans and dangerous swamps. An incredible experience full of extra challenges. H...

Karen Norheim is the President of American Crane and Equipment Corp, a specialized manufacturing company, founded by her father. Karen shared her story as the next generation and how she's taking the company to the next level. In early 2020, the company launched an Innovation Lab and has started to implement digital transformation technologies like IoT and virtual reality. One of Karen 's favorite...

Laurie Barkman talks with Dr. JT Kostman, CEO of ProtectedBy. AI and global expert in Artificial Intelligence and Psychology . JT's unique story began as a homeless nine year old in New York City. During the early part of his career, JT dedicated his life to rescuing others as a paramedic, deep-sea diver, police, and US Army Special Forces. Eventually, that led to a career using data intelligence...

You might be surprised by the statistic that 50% of business owners are unhappy after the sale of their company. Dann Scheiferstein is a serial entrepreneur who scaled up and sold three companies. He would describe himself as being in the half that felt satisfied afterwards. Listen in as Laurie Barkman and Dann discuss what he would have done differently. For business owners thinking about selling...

I meet a lot of people who inspire me by their accomplishments in business. Others who inspire me by how they've changed their life and the lives of others. Tana Greene is all of above and more. Tana shared her personal story about her teenage pregnancy and leaving an abusive marriage at the young age 18. When she fled with her son, she left with nothing but dreams. One was to start her own busine...

Lloyd Wolf started his consulting business in 1989. Over 30 years he grew Wolf Consulting from a one-man show to a leading regional provider of computer support and cloud services. Lloyd talked with me about his slow and steady philosophy to growth and avoiding risks like customer concentration. But one thing was standing in his way - himself. Realizing that he had to let go of the vine for the co...

Laurie Barkman talks with Neil Sahota. Neil helped create the artificial intelligence ecosystem that famously won Jeopardy called Watson. He's an IBM Master Inventor and artificial intelligence subject matter expert with the United Nations. Neil's written a book called Own the AI Revolution . We talked about ways to learn about AI so we don't fear the changes it can bring. AI is doing a lot of goo...

Laurie Barkman interviews William and Christopher Yanakos of Reli. Father and son share pivots in the company's 40-year history that transformed the business. At the heart of Reli's success is a strong leadership bond that has steered them through significant transitions. Harnessing powerful technologies like machine learning and predictive analytics was key. More than technology, Bill acknowledge...

When it comes to transitioning your closely held company, it's great to have options. You've probably heard about strategic acquisitions - like Facebook buying Instagram - or financial buyers like private equity firms acquiring companies. Have you heard about ESOPs, employee stock ownership plans? An ESOP allows employees the opportunity to buy stock in a closely held company to facilitate success...

First it's dollars. Morale and attitudes affect employee productivity, which can negatively affect your customer service, quality, reputation, and ultimately your profits. The other "why" is related to succession. You need a good culture for your company to thrive without you one day. Listen in for actionable ideas for creating a positive and productive culture in your business. julieannsullivan.c...

Did you know that unresolved conflict costs organizations about $359 billion in paid hours every year? Laurie Barkman talks with Bonnie Artman Fox, author of How Did My Family Get In My Office? Bonnie is a workplace conflict resolution expert from her experience as a psychiatric nurse and family therapist. Listen in as they talk about how we handle conflict results from how our family handled conf...

On this episode of Succession Stories, Laurie Barkman is joined by Kent Johnson, the fourth-generation CEO of Highlights, best known for its children's magazine. Listen in as they explore how Highlights' mission and values foster a culture of empathy, innovation, and customer focus that has strengthened their resolve throughout the pandemic and for generations to come. Listen in to learn more abou...

In this episode of Succession Stories, Laurie Barkman is joined by Dr. Kelly Henry, a successful chiropractor and entrepreneur. Dr. Henry shares how a customer service culture led his practice to be among the top 10% chiropractic clinics in the US. He also talks about his experience selling the practice and how to harness the power of customer service to drive value in your business. Listen in to...

Want to differentiate your business? Build a competitive moat by mapping out your customers' journey to discover what matters most to them. Laurie Barkman, host of Succession Stories, talks with Phillip Swan about creating competitive differentiation through deep customer understanding. From his experience with global companies and high growth startups, Phillip shares insights on how customer expe...

Laurie Barkman is joined by Ann Bernard, author and creator of the 365 Firsts challenge. Ann shares her life journey and how she navigated several transitions in her personal and professional life. Her story will inspire and challenge you to re-evaluate your own and find the strength within to press on even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Listen in to learn more about: How self aware...

On this episode of Succession Stories, Laurie Barkman is joined by Beth Armknecht Miller, CEO of Executive Velocity, to unpack the issues surrounding succession planning. This episode delivers insights how to prepare for succession by identifying, addressing and avoiding the most pressing mistakes that can arise for business owners and entrepreneurs. Listen to learn more about: Understanding the s...

The pandemic has changed many things for small business owners. Comparing to pre-COVID data, a 2020 survey from the Value Builder System showed that more business owners are accelerating their succession plans, looking to sell their company to a third party within five years. Additionally, business owners define "wealth" differently than before, emphasizing freedom and time to do what you want. Wh...

Laird & Company is the oldest commercial distillery and the 26th-oldest family business in the United States. With an official founding date of 1780, the company history of apple brandy production stretches back to colonial times and George Washington. Laurie Barkman spoke with Lisa Laird Dunn, and her son, Gerard Dunn, ninth and tenth generation family members, about innovating with an eye toward...

Laurie Barkman talks about navigating business acquisitions and succession planning with Tom Hine, CEO of Capital Wealth Management, and author of The Zen of Business Acquisitions . Tom has acquired seven wealth management firms and conducted due diligence on more than 100 others. Tom draws from his black belt experience in M&A and karate. To increase your odds of success, you have to work at bein...