A practical succession readiness assessment for founder-led manufacturing, industrial, and B2B companies — so you find and fix the owner-dependency risks before a sale, retirement, or the unexpected forces the decision.
Your advocate — not a broker. We work only for you.
Built for privately held, founder-led companies in the Midwest & Nationwide.
If any of these give you pause, your business is more owner-dependent than a buyer, successor, or your own retirement plan can afford.
Are key decisions still stuck with one person?
Is customer knowledge documented, or relationship-dependent?
Can your managers read the numbers and act on them?
Is the next leader truly ready to operate the business?
The Succession Readiness Assessment identifies owner dependency, leadership gaps, process risk, and transferability issues before they become expensive problems.
A concrete read on how much of the business runs through you — and where that concentration puts value and continuity at risk.
An honest look at whether the people around you can carry decisions, operations, and customer relationships without you in the room.
A prioritized plan separating urgent transition risks from nice-to-have improvements, so you know exactly what to fix first.
We're not business brokers. Good ones help get a business sold — but they're paid on commission, so preparing your company to command its strongest value isn't always where that model points. We work only for you — protecting the business and guiding you through whatever comes next: a future sale, private equity, an ESOP, or handing it to the next generation, with seasoned attorneys and accountants brought in when you need them. That can include strengthening the core first — weighing whether to divest a non-core division or deploy capital into a well-chosen acquisition.
Interview ownership and key managers, review operations, and evaluate owner dependency.
Separate urgent transition risks from nice-to-haves and build a practical roadmap.
Install operating rhythms, decision structures, KPIs, and documented accountability.
Support the founder, successor, or operator through the change in authority.
Meet the founder
Shaun McCarren is a family-business owner himself — he's run a company, met a payroll, and lived the same highs and lows the owners he works with face every day. Part succession planner, part hands-on management consultant, he fills the gap that usually sits between an owner's attorney and accountant.
He pairs real-world operating experience with a formal finance education, and digs into the operations side — ERP systems, best practices, and AI — bringing an outside set of eyes that spots the small tweaks that add real value or cut substantial cost.
"I have worked with Shaun since July 2007. He has delivered at or near 100% on-time and complete. His communication and organization skills are excellent, and he is always willing to work with me to improve the process."
A short, practical self-assessment you can complete in 10 minutes to see how transferable your business really is — and the three areas most owners need to fix first.
Start with a confidential readiness conversation. We'll discuss where the business is most dependent on you and what would need to change before succession, sale, or transition.
Schedule a Confidential, Complimentary Call