Succession Stories

"Don't just sit there and coast along thinking your financial prowess is going to win the day." Host Laurie Barkman sits down with Susan Latremoille, Founder of Next Chapter Lifestyle Advisors, and discusses the retirement myth and the conversation that the advisors are missing. Susan spent nearly four decades in financial services watching well-prepared clients fall apart emotionally after selling their businesses — and watching their assets walk out the door with them. After losing a $100 million client post-transaction to the bank that handled the deal, Susan pivoted her entire career to answer the question the financial services industry had been avoiding: what happens to your client — and your relationship — after the money lands? Laurie and Susan unpack the ugly myth of retirement, the factors affecting exit regrets, and exactly how financial advisors can turn this gap into their greatest differentiator. Key Insights The Hollywood version of retirement is a myth — and your clients believe it. The idea that selling the business means sailing off into unlimited golf, travel, and happiness is exactly the opposite of what many business owners actually experience. The sooner advisors challenge this narrative, the better positioned they are to serve their clients. 75% of business owners regret exiting within the first year. This figure has been consistent across surveys since 2013. It points directly to a planning gap that advisors are uniquely positioned to fill — if they're willing to have the harder conversation. The conversation about identity and purpose is not "soft" — it's the most critical planning work an advisor can do. When a founder exits, they don't just lose a company — they lose their social circle, their daily structure, their title, and their reason to get up in the morning. Laurie and Susan emphasize that advisors should stop dismissing this as someone else's job and start treating it as a core part of the transition conversation. Silence on the personal side has real, measurable consequences. The aftermath of an unplanned exit can show up as depression, broken marriages, health decline, and worse. This key message to advisors is clear: you are in the room, you have the relationship, and you have the responsibility to ask the harder questions — not just review the portfolio. The higher the achiever sitting across from you, the more they need someone to have that conversation with them. A $100 million wake-up call: the relationship ends at the transaction if you're not in the room. Susan lost her biggest client the day he sold his company because she had no role beyond managing his retirement money. Advisors who aren't engaged in the personal planning conversation have no seat at the table — and no leverage to retain assets after a liquidity event. Up to 80% of business owners change financial advisors within one year of a liquidity event. The advisors who survive that window are the ones who went beyond portfolio management and helped their clients build a life plan that outlasted the deal. This is the next frontier for advisor differentiation — and AI is accelerating the timeline. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction of Susan Latremoille 01:40 - The Retirement Myth 02:21 - Bucket List vs. A Real Plan 03:00 - The Ugly Truth About Retirement 06:25 - Personal Planning to Avoid Exit Regrets 07:31 - The Four Core Losses After Exit 12:41 - The Five Consequences of an Unplanned Exit 15:29 - Personal Transition Process and Coping with Exit Regrets 20:09 - The Financial Implications of Exit Regret 20:46 - When Should These Conversations Start? 23:24 - The $100M Lesson: What Susan Lost and Why 25:51 - How Financial Advisors Can Stay in the Relationship 26:28 - Why Early and Consistent Transition Conversations Matter 27:31 - The Financial Advisor's Role Is Shifting Is your business truly ready—and are you? Take the Succession Readiness Assessment to get a clear snapshot of where you stand and what to focus on next. https://btsherpa.com/succession P.S. Most owners don't realize where they stand until they're already in a transition. Take a few minutes now to understand your readiness—and give yourself more options later. Connect with Laurie Barkman: Website: https://lauriebarkman.me LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman YouTube: @LaurieBarkman_BTSherpa Connect with Susan Latremoille: Website: https://nextchapterlifestyleadvisors.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanlatremoille Email: Susan@nextchapterlifestyleadvisors.com 📣 Write a Podcast Review: ratethispodcast.com/successionstories 📖 Grab a copy of The Business Transition Handbook, go to https://lauriebarkman.me/book or search in Amazon. This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® Learn what every entrepreneur needs to know about building value and avoiding pitfalls!

"Exit planning is good business, not just about exits. Doing exit planning is going to help your business today." Too many founder CEOs pour years into scaling their company without ever building a plan for what comes next — and it costs them. Bruce Eckfeldt is a former Inc. 500 CEO who scaled, led, and exited his own company, and now coaches founder CEOs to do the same with intention. He faced the reality of an unplanned post-exit life firsthand — and what he discovered changed how he coaches everyone who comes after him. Key Insights: Exit planning improves your business today, not just at the finish line. Treating your business as if it could be sold tomorrow forces clarity in strategy, leadership, and operations — giving you a stronger company whether you sell or not. Develop a compelling post-exit vision first. When founders have a clear, exciting plan for what comes after, they become more motivated to grow faster, set tighter timelines, and make better decisions leading up to a transaction. Founder dependency in sales is the riskiest — and hardest — constraint to break. When the founder is the rainmaker, it suppresses valuation, complicates deals, and is fueled by a dopamine cycle that's genuinely difficult to step away from. Institutional knowledge must replace individual knowledge to scale. Brilliant technical founders often are the smartest person in the room — but a company built around one person's intellect cannot scale or transact at full value. Know where you fall in the valuation range — and move the levers. The market sets the multiple range; what you can control is whether you land in the bottom, middle, or top third of it by addressing the fundamentals buyers care about most. The "keep-sell posture" protects your negotiating power. Being genuinely ready to either sell tomorrow or hold for another decade removes desperation from the table and ensures you're choosing the right deal — not just the first one. Chapters 00:00 - 01:51 Introductions 01:52 - 05:24 Bruce's Founder Journey as Inc. 500 CEO 05:25 - 06:48 The Architectural Thinking Behind Scaling a Company 06:49 - 08:04 Why Scale and Exit Planning Are Connected from Day One 08:05 - 09:25 Building a Post-Exit Vision That Motivates Faster Growth 09:26 - 10:51 Founder's Identity and System Building 10:52 -12:30 Founder Dependency: The Sales Dopamine Trap 12:31 - 14:46 When Intellectual Capital Is Trapped in the Founder's Head 15:22 - 18:56 Exit Readiness and Push & Pull Factors across Generations 18:57 - 21:19 Legacy Building 21:20 - 24:33 What makes a Business Valuable 24:45 - 25:45 Bruce's Three Takeaways for Every Founder 26:00 - 26:36 Life After Exit: Himalayas, Adventure, and What Comes Next Is your business truly ready—and are you? Take the Succession Readiness Assessment to get a clear snapshot of where you stand and what to focus on next. https://btsherpa.com/succession P.S. Most owners don't realize where they stand until they're already in a transition. Take a few minutes now to understand your readiness—and give yourself more options later. Connect with Laurie Barkman: Website: https://lauriebarkman.me LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman YouTube: @LaurieBarkman_BTSherpa Connect with Bruce Eckfeldt Website: https://www.eckfeldt.com Email: bruce@eckfeldt.com LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/beckfeldt 📣 Write a Podcast Review: ratethispodcast.com/successionstories This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® Learn what every entrepreneur needs to know about building value and avoiding pitfalls!

"Profitability rewards the founder. Transferability rewards the future." In many founder-led businesses — especially those under $10 million — the owner is the strategy, the rainmaker, and the decision-maker. But what happens when the business can't operate without you? In this episode of Succession Stories, Laurie Barkman is joined by Steve Preda, Founder, Summit OS Group, to explore the role of structural capital in succession planning and exit readiness. They unpack the difference between building a profitable business and building a transferable one — and why reducing owner dependence is critical to increasing enterprise value. You'll learn: What structural capital really means for small, founder-led companies Why being indispensable can hurt your exit strategy The early warning signs that your business is too owner-centric How to build leadership, systems, and processes that increase valuation Why succession planning should start long before you're ready to exit Whether you're actively planning a business exit or simply want more freedom as a founder, this conversation will help you shift from operator to architect — and build a company that thrives beyond you. Because succession isn't an event. It's a design decision. This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® Learn what every entrepreneur needs to know about building value and avoiding pitfalls! 📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook https://lauriebarkman.me/book 📣 Write a Podcast Review: ratethispodcast.com/successionstories Connect with Laurie Barkman: Website: https://lauriebarkman.me LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman YouTube: @LaurieBarkman_BTSherpa Connect with Steve Preda: Website: https://stevepreda.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevepreda/

🎙️ Business growth and succession planning start long before an exit. In this special Succession Stories swapcast, Laurie Barkman introduces the B.U.I.L.T.™ Method, a practical framework for building value and preparing for business transition. 🔓 This episode features Laurie's guest appearance on The B2B Growth Podcast with Mark Osborne, where the mic is turned around and she shares the thinking behind the B.U.I.L.T.™ Method for Business Growth and Transition. Designed for founder-led and closely held companies, the framework helps owners reduce dependency on themselves, strengthen operations, and prepare for leadership transition or exit — on their terms. 🎯 This conversation is especially relevant for owners in the built environment, including construction, engineering, architecture, and related professional services, where complexity, people, and relationships make transition planning both critical and challenging. 📊 The B.U.I.L.T. Method explained… Why succession planning should be integrated into business growth How the B.U.I.L.T. Method helps build transferable enterprise value Common transition challenges for built-environment companies How owners can prepare for what's next without rushing an exit 💬 Standout insight: "Gen X business owners have seen what happens when owners never step away — and we want something better." - Laurie Barkman 🧭 If you're thinking about business growth, succession, or transition planning, this episode offers a clear, structured approach to building a stronger, more resilient company — long before an exit is on the table. This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® Learn what every entrepreneur needs to know about building value and avoiding pitfalls! 📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook https://lauriebarkman.me/book 📣 Write a Podcast Review: ratethispodcast.com/successionstories Connect with Laurie Barkman: Website: https://lauriebarkman.me LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman YouTube: @LaurieBarkman_BTSherpa

🎧 Tune in to learn the realities of entrepreneurship through acquisition, from the search process to surviving economic uncertainty in the first year. Laurie Barkman sits down with Aashay Kumar, owner of Tri-Form, Inc. Aashay shares his story of leaving a corporate career to buy an existing manufacturing business. He demystifies the process of entrepreneurship through acquisition. Listen in as Aashay reflects on his acquisition journey including stealth search process, securing an SBA loan, diligence misses, and the ups and downs of the first 15 months of ownership. 💬Quote from Aashay Kumar: "Take the approach of being a learner from day one. Always ask questions. Always do more research than you think you have to, and be humble throughout the process." ________________________________________________________________________ Key Takeaways: 💡 Why buy vs. start: The value of buying a business with positive cash flow, especially if you don't have a specific problem you are trying to solve. 👥 Independent search vs. search fund: Why Aashay chose an independent path to maintain full ownership and control, rather than being diluted by a search fund. 💰 How to finance the deal: A look at navigating SBA loans, negotiating with multiple banks, and using a seller financing note to structure the deal. 🏦 The diligence "misses" to watch for: Aashay shares what he overlooked, including the condition of the building and smaller assets like a company truck. 🤝 "Fit first, financials second": Why the cultural fit and relationship with the prior owners (and their family members in the business) was a critical, non-negotiable part of the deal. This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® Learn what every entrepreneur needs to know about building value and avoiding pitfalls! 📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: btsherpa.com/book 📣 Write a Podcast Review: ratethispodcast.com/successionstories Connect with Laurie Barkman: Email: laurie@btsherpa.com LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman Book: Free Download YouTube: @TheBusinessTransitionSherpa Connect with Aashay Kumar: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/aashaykumar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tri-form-inc/

Host Laurie Barkman welcomes Brandon Stanchock, CEO of SWF Industrial Inc. Brandon discusses his journey to take the helm of a family business. He emphasizes the importance of leadership, employee development, and implementing innovative collaboration strategies in the industrial sector. The conversation also highlights Brandon's commitment to providing support for employees and internal promotion programs. Brandon shares how his personal interests in travel, gaming, and podcasting align with his broader mission to help people reach their full potential both inside and outside the workplace. Takeaways: Embrace the entrepreneurial gene. Leadership, innovation, and employee development are key traits for entrepreneurial success. Navigating leadership challenges. Leading a family business requires adaptability and a focus on collaboration to drive growth. Support employee growth. Providing support and promoting from within strengthens company culture and fosters employee loyalty. Focus on performance management and succession planning. Proper planning ensures long-term success for both leadership and employees. Align personal passions with business goals. Staying connected to passions like travel, gaming, and podcasting helps balance professional and personal growth. Quote of the Show: " Give yourself some grace, give yourself some time." - Brandon Stanchock This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® 100 percent of owners will leave their business one day. But few are prepared. Are you? Get your copy of the Amazon best-selling book by nationally recognized expert, Laurie Barkman that reveals how to build business value and plan for succession, transition, or selling the business on your terms....what every entrepreneur needs to know. ✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: btsherpa.com/book 📣 Write a Podcast Review: ratethispodcast.com/successionstories _________________________________________________________________ Connect with Laurie Barkman: Email: laurie@btsherpa.com LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman Book: Free Download YouTube: @TheBusinessTransitionSherpa Connect with Brandon Stanchock: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonstanchock/ Company website: https://www.swfindustrial.com/

" Treat people well, work hard, have a plan." Host Laurie Barkman welcomes Travis Howerton, a technology and security expert with over 25 years of experience. Travis shares his journey from federal service and the nuclear weapons program to becoming the Co-Founder and CEO of RegScale. They discuss the entrepreneurial gene, personality assessments in team dynamics, and the challenges of scaling a business. Travis emphasizes the importance of empathy, hard work, and strategic planning. He also highlights the potential of automation and AI in the compliance industry. Travis discusses his future goals of starting a venture capital arm to support aspiring entrepreneurs in East Tennessee and provides advice on problem-solving and growth. The conversation provides valuable insights for entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of building and scaling a business. Takeaways: Embrace risk-taking and innovation as key traits for entrepreneurial success. Cultivating a mindset that encourages experimentation and learning from failure can drive growth and open doors to new opportunities. Use personality assessments to enhance team collaboration. Understanding individual motivations and strengths helps build a more cohesive and effective team, ultimately contributing to a healthier company culture. Be prepared for the challenges of scaling a business. Focus on creating clear plans and strategies to navigate obstacles while emphasizing empathy and hard work to keep the team aligned and motivated. Consider giving back by supporting future entrepreneurs. Starting a venture capital arm or mentoring new talent can create a positive impact on your local community and contribute to the growth of the next generation of leaders. Quote of the Show: "Treat people well, work hard, have a plan." - Travis Howerton This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® 100 percent of owners will leave their business one day. But few are prepared. Are you? Get your copy of the Amazon best-selling book by nationally recognized expert, Laurie Barkman that reveals how to build business value and plan for succession, transition, or selling the business on your terms....what every entrepreneur needs to know. ✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: btsherpa.com/book 📣 Write a Podcast Review: ratethispodcast.com/successionstories _________________________________________________________________ Connect with Laurie Barkman: Email: laurie@btsherpa.com LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman Book: Free Download YouTube: @TheBusinessTransitionSherpa Connect with Travis Howerton: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travishowerton/ Company website: https://regscale.com/

"We're in the business of making people happy!" John and Mark X. Cronin are father-son co-founders of John's Crazy Socks. Host Laurie Barkman talks with John and Mark about the inspiring story of their unique business model, inclusion, and commitment to spreading happiness. Over half of their employees have differing abilities. The discussion covers innovative approaches to customer satisfaction, success metrics, notable initiatives like the Unity Sock, and their role as advocates for people with disabilities. The episode also touches on their engaging community activities such as the weekly dance party and custom sock designs. Mark and John highlight the profound impact entrepreneurship can have on individuals and communities. Takeaways: Focus on the positive impact your business can have in the community. A strong mission can differentiate your offerings from competitors. Know why you are in business and ensure your values are clear and driven through every action you take. Consider hiring people with different abilities. It can lead to better business practices and a highly motivated workforce. Engage with your customers on a personal level. Small touches like handwritten notes, added candies, and personalized messages can make a big difference. Quote of the Show: " The customer can be dead wrong, but we're not in the business of being right. We're in the business of making people happy." - Mark Cronin This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® 100 percent of owners will leave their business one day. But few are prepared. Are you? Get your copy of the Amazon best-selling book by nationally recognized expert, Laurie Barkman that reveals how to build business value and plan for succession, transition, or selling the business on your terms....what every entrepreneur needs to know. ✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: btsherpa.com/book 📣 Write a Podcast Review: ratethispodcast.com/successionstories _________________________________________________________________ Connect with Laurie Barkman: Email: laurie@btsherpa.com LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman Book: Free Download YouTube: @TheBusinessTransitionSherpa Connect with John's Crazy Socks: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mxcronin/ Website: https://johnscrazysocks.com/

What does six generations of entrepreneurship get you? Find out as Host Laurie Barkman talks with Jim Haviland, Business Operating System Coach at Impact Architects and Chief Operating Officer at CallPlease. Jim shares his insights on building and exiting organizations, the entrepreneurial gene, and the importance of exit planning. He discusses the significance of having a clear purpose, the necessity of mentors and operating systems, and offers advice on long-term planning for entrepreneurs. Tune in for valuable lessons and inspiration for both budding and experienced entrepreneurs. Takeaways: Implementing a structured operating system can greatly enhance your business's efficiency and success rate. It helps you grow faster and minimizes the risk of business failure. Define what 'done' looks like for your projects. Be clear and specific about your objectives to ensure everyone in the organization is aligned. Regularly dedicate time to long-term planning. Consider both a 10-year and a 3-year horizon and actively work towards those goals. Aim to build a business that is not just profitable but also a valuable asset that can be transferred or sold in the future. This includes minimizing owner dependency and investing in aspects that increase business value. Quote of the Show: " If you want to build something that's really valuable, you can do that but you have to be serious about it. You don't just show up and punch the clock." - Jim Haviland This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® 100 percent of owners will leave their business one day. But few are prepared. Are you? Get your copy of the Amazon best-selling book by nationally recognized expert, Laurie Barkman that reveals how to build business value and plan for succession, transition, or selling the business on your terms....what every entrepreneur needs to know. ✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: btsherpa.com/book 📣 Write a Podcast Review: ratethispodcast.com/successionstories _________________________________________________________________ Connect with Laurie Barkman: Email: laurie@btsherpa.com LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman Book: Free Download YouTube: @TheBusinessTransitionSherpa Connect with Jim Haviland: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimhaviland/ Website: https://www.impactarchitects.io/

" The flip of one-to-one communication to a one-to-few communication is going to become priceless. It's all about connection." - Casey Cheshire What kinds of risks are the ones worth taking when it comes to entrepreneurship? Casey Cheshire, CEO of Ringmaster Conversational Marketing, believes smart risks are the key to success. Host Laurie Barkman talks with Casey about the importance of risk tolerance, learning from failures, and the need for smart risk-taking in business. They also explore the future of marketing with the advent of AI and the significance of maintaining human connections in an increasingly automated world. Casey's military background, personal entrepreneurial journey, and passion for authentic marketing strategies provide a rich and engaging discussion on what it truly means to be an entrepreneur. Takeaways: Focus on creating meaningful relationships through various mediums to foster long-term success. View entrepreneurship as a muscle that can be developed with practice and effort. Engage in activities that build skills necessary for entrepreneurship, such as problem-solving and risk management. Take calculated, smart risks rather than reckless ones. Although challenging, niching down can lead to better targeting and business efficiency. Test narrow focuses to see if they drive better results without betting the farm. This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® 100 percent of owners will leave their business one day. But few are prepared. Are you? Get your copy of the Amazon best-selling book by nationally recognized expert, Laurie Barkman that reveals how to build business value and plan for succession, transition, or selling the business on your terms....what every entrepreneur needs to know. ✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: btsherpa.com/book 📣 Write a Podcast Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories _________________________________________________________________ Connect with Laurie Barkman: Email: laurie@btsherpa.com LinkedIn: in/lauriebarkman Book: Free Download YouTube: @TheBusinessTransitionSherpa Connect with Casey Cheshire: LinkedIn: in/caseycheshire Website: ringmaster.com

" When it's built with your own hands or with your own will, I felt like it was a little bit more of my own success than somebody else doing it for me." - Matt Chiaradonna Have you ever been thrown into running a business? Matt Chiaradonna, a family business entrepreneur leading JC Fence and Founder of Elite Technique sure has. Host Laurie Barkman talks with Matt about his journey from growing up in a family business, the impact of his father's tragic accident, and his path to operating two successful businesses. He offers advice on developing leaders, balancing legacy, and finding purpose both within and outside the business. This episode delves into the importance of grit, mentorship, and strategic growth in entrepreneurship. Takeaways: For entrepreneurs, establishing clear processes early on in the business can facilitate growth and make it easier to delegate tasks. Focus on identifying and nurturing potential leaders within the organization to drive future growth. Highlight the importance of traits such as determination, grit, and setting one's own destiny, which are prevalent in successful entrepreneurs. Emphasize the value of having a mentor who has successfully navigated similar challenges. This can provide guidance and insights that are pivotal for growth. This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® 100 percent of owners will leave their business one day. But few are prepared. Are you? Get your copy of the Amazon best-selling book by nationally recognized expert, Laurie Barkman that reveals how to build business value and plan for succession, transition, or selling the business on your terms....what every entrepreneur needs to know. ✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book 📣 Write a Podcast Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories _________________________________________________________________ Connect with Laurie Barkman: Email: laurie@btsherpa.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriebarkman/ Book: https://btsherpa.com/book YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBusinessTransitionSherpa Connect with Matt Chiaradonna: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-chiaradonna-0b9894339/ Website: https://www.getelitetechnique.com/ Website: https://www.jcfencenorthshore.com/

"I love giving voice to people who don't necessarily or historically have a voice with those who are selling to them." - Cooper Munroe Host Laurie Barkman speaks with Cooper Munroe, CEO of The Motherhood, a leading influencer marketing agency. They delve into Cooper's journey from corporate PR to creating The Motherhood, sparked from a blog post about Hurricane Katrina. Cooper discusses the unique challenges and attributes of women entrepreneurs, the evolution of influencer marketing, and her commitment to paying influencers for their valuable work. Tune in to hear how Cooper transformed her vision into a thriving business and what she envisions for the future legacy of The Motherhood. Takeaways: Entrepreneurs should aim to find the balance between time and treasure early in their journey to avoid burnout and ensure the sustainability of their business. Work towards making your revenue stream more predictable. This can help in financial planning and provide stability for the business. Storytelling can be a powerful tool for connecting with your audience. Consider how your business can leverage storytelling to build a strong brand and engage customers. Always ensure that those contributing to your business, especially influencers and content creators, are fairly compensated for their work. This can foster loyalty and a positive working relationship. This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® 100 percent of owners will leave their business one day. But few are prepared. Are you? Get your copy of the Amazon best-selling book by nationally recognized expert, Laurie Barkman that reveals how to build business value and plan for succession, transition, or selling the business on your terms....what every entrepreneur needs to know. ✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book 📣 Write a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories _________________________________________________________________ Connect with Laurie Barkman: Email: laurie@btsherpa.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriebarkman/ Book: https://btsherpa.com/book YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBusinessTransitionSherpa Connect with Cooper Munroe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coopermunroe/ Website: https://www.themotherhood.com/

"Simply treating people with respect, with dignity and agency, has been really counterculture and I hope that that becomes a more infectious and attractive way to work." - Brea Starmer Host Laurie Barkman interviews Brea Starmer, Founder and CEO of Lions and Tigers. Brea shares her experience of turning a layoff into a successful business, her passion for empowering careers for women and mothers, and the unique approach of intrapreneurship. The discussion covers Brea's personal journey, the challenges she faced, the importance of values in business, and the exciting future of the industry. Takeaways: Hire support staff early on, such as operations and HR personnel, to allow you to focus on strategic areas like business development and leadership. Recognize the different stages of your business and life. Sometimes you'll be optimized for growth and wealth, while at other times, the focus may shift to health and personal well-being. Maintain an active presence on professional networks such as LinkedIn to share your journey, connect with other entrepreneurs, and attract potential clients and employees. Concentrate on tasks that only you can do and delegate others. This ensures you are working on the most impactful areas of the business. This Show Is Sponsored by The Business Transition Sherpa® 100 percent of owners will leave their business one day. But few are prepared. Are you? Get your copy of the Amazon best-selling book by nationally recognized expert, Laurie Barkman that reveals how to build business value and plan for succession, transition, or selling the business on your terms....what every entrepreneur needs to know. ✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book 📣 Write a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories _________________________________________________________________ Connect with Laurie Barkman: Email: laurie@btsherpa.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriebarkman/ Book: https://btsherpa.com/book YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBusinessTransitionSherpa Connect with Brea Starmer: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breastarmer/ Website: https://lionsandtigers.com/