You Won’t Leave Until You Know Where You’re Going
I talk to a lot of families and business owners who tell me, “I know I should be thinking about transition, but I’m just not ready yet.” And every time I think, of course you’re not ready. Humans don’t leave something comfortable unless we believe there’s something better waiting ahead for us. And it’s not […]
Business Transition Roadmap for Private Company Owners
If you own a private or family business, you’ve probably thought about the future of your company more than once. You may have wondered who will lead it after you, how the transition will unfold, and what your own life will look like on the other side. These are big questions, and they deserve more […]
How to Transition a Family Business to the Next Generation
Approximately 75% of all family businesses fail to survive past the first generation of owners. More than 85% fail by the third generation. And more than 95% fail beyond that. Those statistics are uncomfortable, and they are worth sitting with for a moment. Because behind every one of those failed transitions is a family that […]
The Missing Link in Family Business Transition: Emotional Governance with Franco Lombardo
Episode Description: In this powerful and emotionally honest conversation, Elizabeth sits down with family business advisor and author Franco Lombardo to explore what may be the most overlooked factor in successful transitions: emotional governance. With over two decades of experience working with affluent families, Franco shares why unaddressed emotions, not strategy or structure, are often […]
Having a Plan on Paper Is Not the Same as Having a Family That’s Ready
Transition is a journey, not an event. I say that often because I mean it. When it becomes an event, it tends to catch everyone off guard, even when a plan technically exists. And what I see most often is that the plan was built around the business and the wealth, with very little thought […]
Being Responsible Without Declaring You’re Done
We get asked a lot about what it means to be responsible. Gosh, what a big word. Especially when you’re leading a business or guiding a family through a transition. For most of the owners I work with, the word “responsible” sits right next to a quiet fear. They’ve built something meaningful. They provide for […]
What Comes After the Sale? One Business Owner’s Honest Account of Finding His Next Chapter
When John Arnolfo called me a couple of years ago, he had just sold the Silver Grill Cafe in Old Town Fort Collins, a restaurant he’d stewarded for more than four decades. The Silver Grill, which has been open since 1933, is one of those places that becomes part of a town’s identity. Famous for […]
Finding Your Ikigai After the Sale: Life Beyond the Silver Grill with John Arnolfo
Episode Description: In this candid and deeply human conversation, Elizabeth sits down with longtime entrepreneur John Arnolfo, former owner and steward of the iconic Silver Grill Café in Fort Collins. After more than 40 years of growing the beloved restaurant—from one small building to five—John shares the surprisingly simple moment that sparked the sale… and the far more complex […]
What Does A Business Transition Consultant Do?
I get this question a lot. Sometimes it comes from a business owner who’s heard the term but isn’t quite sure what it means in practice. Sometimes it comes from someone who already has an attorney, a CPA, and a financial advisor lined up — and they’re genuinely wondering what on earth they’d need another […]