Succession Planning Archives - PowerTips Unscripted

Estate Planning 101 with Thomas Croessman – [PowerTips Unscripted] S4 E15

April 20, 2023 00:24:58

Today on PowerTips Unscripted, Thomas Croessman joins the show to discuss the need for small business owners to plan for their company’s transition in their estate plan. While your business might be humming along now, how will it perform if you’re not around? Unfortunately, most small businesses only survive the first generation because of estate planning and communication failures. Thomas explains Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Trusts, when those documents become effective. He also gives some practical tips to help the transition go smoothly.

Thomas Croessmann is the Managing Partner of Croessmann & Westberg, P.C., a construction law firm in the DC area. The firm is a full-service law firm for construction contractors.

Thomas, Victoria, and Mark talk more about:

What is an Estate Plan?
What is Power of Attorney, and when is it used?
And more…

Ep.100: The Drivers that Make for a Successful Exit with John Warrillow

February 19, 2020 00:26:25

It’s our 100th episode, and to mark the occasion, we’re welcoming back our first guest ever to talk about how to leave your business behind happily.

On average, 75 percent of founders who exit their company have regrets within one year of leaving, and only five percent are actually happy with the net proceeds of their exit.

In this episode, John Warrillow will discuss why this happens with Victoria and Mark, and how business owners can better prepare for an exit that will leave them with no regrets.

John is an entrepreneur and author with more than 20 years of research into the small- and medium-sized business market. He’s the founder of The Value Builder System, which aims to level the playing field for business owners as they approach their exits.

When you sell your company, there are factors that will dictate how happy you are after it’s no longer yours, says John. The first is that the business is ready to sell. The second is a little less clear-cut — the seller has to have done the psychological work that sets them up for success. John talks about what that means, and how to get to the point where you can make a successful exit, including:

Why there can be regrets
Being clear on what’s next
The “push factors” vs. the “pull factors”
Selling and staying or going
Why it’s not about the money
The biggest fears that come with selling
Dealing with private equity groups
The pitfalls of financing your buyer
How to treat your employees during the transition
The top three things that determine if your business is ready to sell
And more …

If you’d like to hear more about the first part of successfully selling your company — getting it ready to sell — listen to Episode 1. And to learn even more, go to John’s website, builttosell.com.

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Ep.99: Adapting and Leading Through a Health Crisis with Jef and Monica Forward

February 12, 2020 00:35:48

Being able to adapt and lead through a crisis — personal or business — is a critical skill for any business owner.

After their best year ever in 2018, Jef and Monica Forward were gearing up for an even stronger 2019. Everything was on course until two key players were diagnosed with cancer. One of them was Monica, who was the company’s only estimator at the time. The other was their lead designer.

One year later, everyone is alive, and despite all the difficulties, they also hit all of their business goals.

In this episode, Jef and Monica talk about the challenges with Victoria and Mark, and share insights into how they kept it all going.

Jef and Monica are business partners at Forward Design Build Remodel in Ann Arbor MI. Jef has participated in every level at Remodelers Advantage Roundtables and is a member of our MentorFor group. Over the last four years, Jef has focused on improving his coaching and leadership skills, resulting in improved client satisfaction, planned healthy growth and a positive team culture. Jef was recently a semi-finalist for the Fred Case Entrepreneur Award, and for the Remodelers Advantage Impact Award. Jef credits all of this success to his collaboration with Monica, their team, and Roundtables.

The team culture at their company was a key component of the company coming together and adapting to the emotional and business changes, Monica and Jef say. When her diagnosis came, they were about to implement The Great Game of Business, which empowers every employee to act like an owner and share in the profits. But then everything changed. Jef and Monica talk about how they got through the year, including:

Being prepared for the unexpected
Developing a strategy to get through
How to deal with work absences
The importance of cross-training
Figuring out who takes over the extra work
Tapping into the strength of your team
Being open about your tough times
Leading through vulnerability
Maintaining a positive attitude
Handling the emotional components
And more …

The company continues to perform at peak levels due to the strength of the company culture, and their proven processes and systems.

Cool Gear, Great Cause

If you’re looking for cool gear and apparel to show your Roundtables pride that also supports a great cause, check out our Shop. All of the proceeds go to our partner, The American Cancer Society. It’s a win-win!

Ep.72: [Unscripted Back-Up] Building a Successful, Profitable Remodeling Company with Brandon Bailey

July 17, 2019 00:27:19

It’s time for another Unscripted Back-Up. It’s a chance to revisit some of our best and most informative episodes. They’re jam-packed with information you can use — so if you missed it the first time around, here’s your chance to catch up.

Growing your remodeling company is filled with pitfalls and challenges that can prevent you from getting to the next level successfully. So many of our Roundtables members say it takes hard work, yes, but also a concentrated focus and a willingness to look for help from outside your organization when you need it.

In this episode, Victoria and Mark talk to Brandon Bailey, who’s a textbook example of a successful remodeler who made the right moves after deciding to significantly grow his business.

Brandon is an owner of Bailey Remodeling & Construction, a design build company in Louisville, KY. After starting his business in 2005, Brandon was where many of our members were when they were starting out — producing good, reputable work but spinning their wheels with long hours, no systems in place, and no predictable revenue model. Sound familiar?

In 2009, Brandon and his business partner, Jon Steimel, set out to significantly change and grow their business. They’ve done a fantastic job, their awards include being named the 2017 Remodeler of the Year by the Building Industry Association in Louisville.They won two project awards from BIA in 2019. They are now have 10 team members and are looking for more.

Brandon talks about how the company has managed its growth, things to look out for, and what it has meant for the business and his life, including:

The specific challenges when growing
Finding outside resources to help his business
What it was like working with a business coach and peer group
Which KPIs to keep an eye on
Growing his team beyond the two partners
Building a sales system
Establishing a consistent and predictable revenue model
Increasing net profit
What his business and day-to-day life is like now
And more …

Brandon’s story will sound familiar to so many remodelers, and the steps he has taken to build a more successful, profitable remodeling company can be guide your own journey.

Join Remodeling’s Top One Percent

Brandon is a fantastic example of a business owner who took advantage of the Power of Roundtables. Our program is a world-class peer advisory service that brings together smart, motivated remodeling professionals, just like you, to help one another grow.

Want to learn how you can participate in this experienced braintrust? Learn More Here >>

Ep.17: Building a Sustainable Family Business with Wayne Rivers

May 16, 2018 00:38:27

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, roughly 90% of U.S. businesses are family-owned and the Remodeling industry is well represented by closely-held firms, typically started by a founder and then handed down through multiple generations.

Family-owned businesses often run into obstacles and challenges, usually driven by “soft issues” such as communication, emotions, past conflicts, bringing spouses into the business, etc. However, what many of these struggling firms lack is a common vision or mission from a business perspective.

In Episode 17, Victoria and Mark welcome Wayne Rivers, President of The Family Business Institute, to the show to discuss more about his unique approach in working with these types of businesses.

Wayne’s approach is very different and he talks about his tried and proven, step-by-step strategic planning method for maximizing BOTH the success of a business AND their family harmony.

Wayne is a well-known thought-leader, speaker and author on the subject of family-owned businesses; his latest book is Our Family Business Crisis: and How It Made Us Stronger. Wayne is a Wall Street Journal Expert Panelist and has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and the Retirement Living Network.

Victoria, Mark and Wayne discuss the Institute’s unique way of working with their clients; topics include:

Identifying reasons why family-owned business struggle
Transitioning from one generation to the next
The importance of the founder establishing vision early and often
The dangers of working AT the business instead of working ON the business
“The Magic Bullet” – Business planning methodology and subsequent positive side-effects
Going in through the “business door” vs. “family door” when dealing with conflict
Dealing with and resolving “soft issues” families face when working together
Describing a few steps in the Institute’s 10 step process of working with businesses
And more…

A great episode regardless of whether your company is family-owned or not. Many of the concepts discussed about business planning methodology will apply to any business, regardless of ownership structure.

We loved having Wayne as a guest… and we’re even more excited to have him as a featured speaker at the 2018 Remodelers Summit in New Orleans in September.

If you are interested in working with Wayne, his Information is below:

Wayne Rivers
President, Co-Founder
The Family Business Institute
4050 Wake Forest Rd, Ste 110
Raleigh, NC 27609
877-326-2493
Website: www.FamilyBusinessInstitute.com

Ep.13: Buying Out Your Business Partner with Rick Goldstein

April 18, 2018 0:27:34

Business partnerships are a foundation that so many of our R/A Roundtables Members have built their remodeling businesses on… Whether it’s a family or a group of professionals coming together to form a business, each has its own story along the way.

In episode 13 we take a closer look at a scenario where one partner wants to buy another out and take sole ownership of the business. Victoria and Mark welcome Rick Goldstein of Mosaic Design + Build to the podcast and discuss the process that Rick went through recently to buy his partner out of their firm in Atlanta, GA.

Rick has been the Co-Owner, and now sole owner, of Mosaic for more than 12 years and has been an avid member of the Remodelers Advantage family for many years. Rick and his partner made the decision to move toward a buy-out years ago and Victoria and Mark discuss and ask about the challenges they ran into and lessons-learned along the way.

Victoria, Mark and Rick talk more about:

Developing a shareholders agreement – covering ownership transitions, scenarios, exit strategies, etc.
Obstacles to overcome (timing, emotional steps, valuation, etc.)
Bringing in consultants such as a business valuation firm to get an agreed-upon base line
Factors that are calculated in the valuation process
How roles and responsibilities play-in to the buy-out process
Getting accountants and attorneys involved to hammer out how to physically make the transition
Communicating to the company’s leadership and team regarding the process
Top three pieces of advice for any owner looking to make this transition

Whether you are considering this move for your remodeling business or not, Rick’s story is fascinating and definitely worth a listen!

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Ep.12: Growing a Strong, Successful Family-owned Remodeling Business with Dolores Davis

April 11, 2018 00:23:17

Building a business can be both a challenging and fulfilling adventure; Hard work, long hours, doing the little things behind the scenes to help grow the business, etc.

Many remodelers out there have not only built strong and profitable businesses, they have done so with the help of family, often spanning multiple generations.

Episode 12 covers both topics as Victoria and Mark talk with Dolores Davis, General Manager of CG&S Design-Build, a very successful family-owned remodeling business in Austin, TX.

The CG&S success story spans three generations of the Guerrero family. Dolores has been with the firm for 25 years, starting as a Production Assistant, learning the business from all areas and working her way up to her current role of General Manager. Dolores is a R/A Roundtables Member and is very active in industry associations such as NARI.

Victoria and Mark discuss 3-4 keys to success with Dolores and delve further into what has made CG&S so successful, not only a remodeling business, but also some of the challenges that working in a family-owned business can bring.

If you are a remodeling company that wants to take their business to the next level, this episode offers great insight into how to get there.

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Ep.07: Is an ESOP Right For Your Remodeling Business?

March 7, 2018 00:26:56

When it comes to succession planning and determining an exit strategy from your remodeling business there are plenty of options to consider.

Many of our Roundtables members have either sold or handed their businesses off to the next generation, for example… but all of them will tell you that making that determination early in your company’s lifespan can be critical to the success of your plan.

In today’s Episode of PowerTips Unscripted, Victoria and Mark explore an area of succession planning that is somewhat new to the remodeling industry, by talking with Anthony Mathews, a thought-leader in the area of creating and maintaining ESOPs, or Employee Stock Ownership Plans.

Anthony has spent the past 40 years helping business owners and employees transform their companies into communities of stakeholders through the creation and maintenance of ESOPs – many of them for construction companies. Most recently Anthony has spent the last decade at the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego, teaching future business leaders and advisors.

Anthony describes what he refers to as a “Succession Crisis” in this country where closely held companies get to the end of their life span and simply close or liquidate. When that happens, the owners may (or may not) receive full value in the business, employees lose their jobs and towns and cities are faced with yet another business that is no longer a part of their business community.

Anthony, Victoria & Mark discuss:

What type of company sets up an ESOP? Size? Number of Employees? Characteristics?
What is the process of establishing an ESOP?
What are some of the challenges companies face?
What makes an ESOP different than a 401K, Profit Sharing or other plan?
What are the Tax Advantages that companies and employees will see?
How does having 10-30 owners effect the company culture?
Anthony’s 4 phase process of determining if an ESOP is right for a business

Is an ESOP right for your remodeling business?

If you are a current R/A Roundtables Member, Anthony has offered a FREE initial consultation to help determine if an ESOP is the right solution for your company.

Anthony can be reached using the following contact information:

Anthony Mathews
Rady School of Management
University of California, San Diego
Office: (858) 822-6010
E-mail: amathews@ucsd.edu

Succession Planning