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 […]
Transition Doesn’t Have To Be Heavy
If you’ve been thinking about transitioning your business but keep putting it off, you’re not alone. Most owners don’t avoid transition because it’s complicated. They avoid it because it feels final. Heavy. Like the beginning of an ending they’re not ready for. And once that feeling sets in, next year has a way of becoming […]
Transition Doesn’t Have to Be Heavy: The 4 Principles & 3 C’s That Change Everything
Episode Description: In this solo episode, Elizabeth reframes business transition as something far more human—and far more energizing—than most owners believe. Instead of treating transition as a heavy event defined by tax documents and exit dates, she introduces four foundational principles and the three C’s—clarity, confidence, and communication—that transform transition into a purposeful journey. This […]
Why Most Transitions Fail (And What Actually Works)
Most transitions fail for one reason. It’s not because the legal documents were wrong, but because the relationships were not done and looked after properly. I’ve been doing this work for over 30 years, and I’ve watched brilliant technical advisors create perfect estate structures, flawless tax strategies, and airtight legal documents—only to see those transitions […]
What Does a Family Business Consultant Do?
A lot of business owners find themselves lying awake at night, turning over the same question: what happens next for the business, and for the family. It’s more common than most will ever say out loud. At some point, the idea of bringing in a consultant crosses their mind. And then comes the doubt: is […]
Transition 3.0: Why Succession Planning Isn’t Enough
Most business owners believe that succession planning is succession planning. A good attorney, a solid estate plan, the right financial structure, and you’re covered. Yet when you look closer at how transitions actually play out, something important emerges: the way you approach the process shapes everything. It shapes whether your transition brings clarity or confusion. […]
Transition 3.0: Why Succession Planning Isn’t Enough
Episode Description: In this solo episode, Elizabeth Ledoux introduces Transition 3.0, a framework that reframes succession planning as a leadership process rather than a technical event. She walks listeners through the three dominant transition models—1.0, 2.0, and 3.0—and explains why even well-documented plans fail when they ignore people, assumptions, and unspoken expectations. This episode offers clarity for owners, successors, and advisors looking for […]