Unlock the story behind Reid Tileston's remarkable entrepreneurial journey in this episode of Succession Stories. Join Laurie Barkman, The Business Transition Sherpa®, as she sits down with Reid, a driven acquisition entrepreneur, to dive into his inspiring path from a 23-year-old with $100k to a thriving Anytime Fitness franchisee.    Through candid conversation, Reid shares the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey. From navigating the challenges of owning an Anytime Fitness franchise during the rough Great Recession to achieving top-tier success across multiple units, Reid ..read more

Host Laurie Barkman, The Business Transition Sherpa, talks with David Spray, Founder and President of Export Advisors, which serves the owners of privately-held, U.S. exporting companies. Over the past 20 years, the firm has created more than $400 million in wealth for hundreds of entrepreneurs and their families from the IC-DISC tax savings program.  They discuss value building and how David built a niche podcasting business with infinite ROI, and sold it within two years to his partner. Listen in to learn more about: Finding your niche and owning it Building a specialized business ..read more

Host Laurie Barkman, The Business Transition Sherpa, talks with Mike Malatesta, CEO of LJP Waste Solutions. Over the past 30 years, Mike's experienced the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. He built and sold two waste recycling companies that grossed more than $500M. He’s also an author, podcaster, and advisor to business owners. Mike talks about the unexpected death of one of his business partners due to a workplace accident. Dealing with the loss was challenging and accelerated their interest in a potential exit. You’ll want to hear why Mike believes entrepreneurs should not sell their busi ..read more

Succession Stories host Laurie Barkman, The Business Transition SherpaⓇ, sits down with JV Crum III, founder of the Conscious Millionaire Institute and Conscious World Foundation Inc.–a global non-profit that trains youth to become conscious leaders. What happens when you’re asked to join the family business but then discover there are BIG financial challenges? JV shares his experience how he helped turn around a family trucking company and became a millionaire by age 25. He overcame conflicts with his father, improved business performance, and sold to a larger family-owned trucking line, resu ..read more

Succession Stories host Laurie Barkman, The Business Transition SherpaⓇ, is joined by Meghan Lynch, the driving force behind Six-Point Creative, a marketing services firm dedicated to empowering family-owned and closely-held businesses. Meghan's mission is to help family businesses compete against industry giants. Listen in as they explore: The challenges that family businesses face in balancing sustainability and growth Strategies for family businesses to achieve 2X growth while maintaining control over relationships, messaging, and future direction 3 essential steps for family-held business ..read more

Welcome back to the Succession Stories podcast. If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe, and if you enjoy the show, please leave us a review! Go to RateThisPodcast.com/successionstories.  Host Laurie Barkman welcomes Max Lewis, entrepreneur and author of “Who Is Max Lewis?” Max shares what led to the eventual sale of his company for $37 million.  From selling mangos as a child to amassing millions by exchanging propane tanks, Max beat the odds and became one of America's ultra-high net-worth individuals by 36 years old. Through persistence, hard work, and a willingness to learn ..read more

Ralph Ward is the editor of the Corporate Board Magazine and an expert in corporate governance. He’s the author of six books on corporate governance and board issues. I asked him to join me on the show to talk about best practices for private company boards. It’s about governance and strategic guidance. Boards aren’t just for large public companies. Even newer, privately held firms can benefit from having a board. Boards also get involved in CEO succession planning. We address challenges faced by family businesses and how boards can help navigate these complexities. Enjoy this Succession Stori ..read more

Succession Stories host Laurie Barkman, The Business Transition Sherpa™, welcomes Cesar Quintero, a serial entrepreneur in the foodservice industry. At age 24, Cesar moved to Miami given the economic turmoil in Venezuela to pursue his dream of starting a business and helping others achieve a healthier lifestyle by founding Fit2Go - the first corporate healthy meal delivery service in Miami.  Nearly 10 years later, he launched two new companies: RawBar2Go, the first licensed food boats in Florida, and The Profit Recipe, a coaching firm empowering entrepreneurs to work ON the business and n ..read more

Succession Stories host Laurie Barkman, The Business Transition Sherpa®, welcomes Jane Hanson, a nine-time Emmy award winning correspondent. She has an amazing resume as a network co-anchor in New York, and has covered events ranging from the tragedy of 9/11 to the joy of the Yankees victory parades. She has interviewed presidents, business leaders, prisoners, and celebrities. She’s currently a much sought-after communications coach working with top-tier leaders in every field while continuing to emcee, speak and host broadcasts. Laurie and Jane discuss how leaders have tough conversations, es ..read more

Succession Stories host Laurie Barkman, The Business Transition Sherpa®, welcomes David Newman, author of the business bestseller "Do It! Marketing" and his new book, "Do It! Selling." He's the founder of the Do It! MBA mentoring program and the host of The Selling Show, a top-rated business podcast.  Laurie and David discuss his take on how business owners can avoid a common succession pitfall related to sales. It’s called the “Rainmakers Dilemma” and happens when the owner of the business drives the sales process and most of the revenue.  The risk is that if the owner isn’t there ..read more