How to Talk to Your Adult Children About Wealth: A Guide for Parents Who Feel Stuck
I’ve been working with wealthy families for over 30 years, and there’s one conversation that causes more anxiety than any other: telling your adult children about the wealth they’ll inherit.
Just this week, I spoke with a father—let’s call him Robert—who’s in his late sixties with four children in their late twenties and early thirties. He has roughly $300 million in family assets. His kids are thriving in their careers, building their own lives, finding their own way. And they know almost nothing about what’s coming.
Liminal Space: Navigating the Human Side of Business Transition with Susan K. Bradley
Episode Description: In this episode, Elizabeth Ledoux welcomes Susan K. Bradley, founder of the Sudden Money® Institute and Financial Transitionist® Institute, whose pioneering work reframes how professionals support clients through financial and life transitions. Together they explore how disruption becomes creation and why learning to live in the liminal space—the threshold between “what was” and […]
Your Reputation Is Your Most Valuable Asset in Business Succession Planning
Most business owners approach succession planning with a focus on financial structures, legal documents, and leadership training. These matter—no question. But we see transitions struggle or fail because of something that’s been decades in the making and can’t be reduced to a line item on a balance sheet. It’s reputation. Recently, I had the privilege […]
Brand = Reputation: Making Trust Transferable in Succession with Meghan Lynch
Episode Description: How do you transfer trust—built over decades—without losing clients, team confidence, or momentum? In this conversation, Elizabeth and brand strategist Meghan Lynch dig into the human side of brand during succession. Meghan reframes “brand strategy” as the practical process of making a company’s reputation transferable—pulling stories and decision rules out of a founder’s […]
Planned Procrastination: Why Waiting Can Be Part of Your Family Business Succession Plan
What Is Planned Procrastination in Family Business Succession? Family business succession planning doesn’t have to happen all at once. In fact, one of the most powerful tools in successful transitions is something we call Planned Procrastination—the strategic decision to wait on certain aspects of your transition until the timing is right. If you’ve been feeling […]
Who Should Take Over Your Family Business? How to Answer the Most Critical Succession Question
Family business succession planning often fails not because of poor financial planning or inadequate legal structures, but because business owners make dangerous assumptions about a deceptively simple question: Who should take over?
After guiding hundreds of family businesses through successful transitions over 30+ years, I’ve learned that “the who” is actually two distinct questions disguised as one—and understanding the difference can mean the difference between a successful transition and one that tears your family apart.
Stop Assuming They All Want It: Getting Clear on ‘The Who’
Episode Description: Who’s next? It’s one of the most powerful—and loaded—questions in any family business transition. In this episode, Transition Guides Marcy McNeal and Deborah Davis unpack “The Who,” a cornerstone of the Transition Compass, and reveal why clarity around ownership, leadership, and stewardship is the true foundation of a successful transition. Tap or click […]
What Does Legacy Really Mean for Business Owners?
I had a fascinating conversation recently with Kasia Flanagan, founder of Everyday Legacies, on the Business Transition Roadmap podcast. We talked about something that’s been on my mind for the past three decades of working with family business owners: what business legacy really means.
Most of the business owners I work with have built something remarkable. They’ve created companies that employ people, serve communities, and generate significant wealth. Many have their names on buildings, university wings, or industry awards. These are meaningful achievements, and I don’t want to diminish them for a second.
Legacy That Lasts: Storytelling, Identity & Family Connection with Kasia Flanagan
Episode Description: What if the most valuable legacy you leave behind isn’t financial at all—but the stories that shape identity and connection? Tap or click the play button below to listen to Legacy That Lasts: Storytelling, Identity & Family Connection with Kasia Flanagan. In this episode, Elizabeth sits down with historian and founder of Everyday […]