Search
Related Links

 

 

Informative Articles

Job Search Lessons from The Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is a game but, like sports in general, it offers useful life lessons that we can take with us . . . if we only look below the surface. As I watched the game, I saw a number of things. How many did you see? 1. Winning is a team...
OE Consultants: Is There a Future for Them?
Since my "Death of the OD Practitioner" article was published about a month ago, I have been asked whether Organizational Effectiveness (OE) consultants will experience the same fate. My answer is "no." Of course, that assumes that OE consultants do...
Strategic Planning Basics
Strategic planning is vital while starting a new business or expansion of an business or planning to boost the performance of an existing business. But it requires detailed strategic planning and controlled deployment activities. Strategic planning...
Temporary Staffing Agency: How to Start
The temporary staffing industry continues to expand, with yearly double-digit growth being commonplace. Companies find it convenient and cost-effective to work with a temporary staffing agency to fulfill unforeseen demand, fill short-term...
The Role of the Business Model and Strategy for Business
People will always stress that having a well researched business plan is key before you start your business. Although creating a business plan is often an important step in the evolution of a business, particularly if you need financing or you...
 
Succession Planning: Problems Getting Started

A survey released by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in the spring of 2005 illustrates a widespread problem on the lack of succession planning [deciding who will take over running the firm when the current managers die or retire]. The survey found that 60% of responding certified public accountant (CPA) firms have owners who are in the 55-to-62-year-old age bracket, and more than half (56%) have at least one partner who will retire in the next five years. However, according to the survey, 81% of these firms still do not have a written succession plan in place. Among those firms with annual revenues under $150,000, the percentage rose to 96%. If we polled small businesses in other fields, the percentages would be comparable: around 80% of small business owners have no succession plans.

Similarly, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) reports about 40% of small and medium business owners in Canada plan to leave or retire in the next five years, and 70% plan to leave or retire within 10 years. However, roughly two-thirds of the 4,300 Canadian businesses that responded to the federation’s survey have completed no succession planning. Small and medium businesses account for about half of the jobs in the Canadian economy, and potentially more than two million jobs could be at risk to inadequate succession planning.

For many of these small and medium business owners, the practices they have built up are their most valuable assets as well as their primary retirement assets. But these owners believe they have plenty of time to arrange for succession. Many business owners put off dealing with succession because it is the least urgent matter on their plate. Too often business owners cannot stand the idea of letting go of an entity they created and for which they toiled to achieve success. Apparently, these small and medium business owners need assistance both in formulating plans and in actual transitioning to future managers and owners of the firm.

Succession planning, like tax planning, is just good common sense and should be a natural part of good business practices. As soon as business owners take out life insurance policies to protect their assets for dependents left behind, they need to think of succession planning.


If business owners have children who do not wish to follow in their parent’s business, then the business owners need to think realistically about the price they would be willing to sell the business to outsiders. In one sense, these business owners who plan to sell to outsiders are lucky that they can avoid the emotionally divisive issue of having to select a business heir from competing adult children or competing managers.

Succession planning would not be needed if the owner intended to wind down operations upon his retirement, but only 4% of the Canadian small and medium businesses that responded to the CFIB plan to close down their firms. The response from American small business owners would probably be similar. Yet without adequate succession planning, the firms could be in disarray upon the owners’ retirement and unfortunately the businesses might fade away.

Inevitably, succession planning forces many owners to agonize over whether to pass on their business to family, employees, or a private buyer. They also worry about selling at the right price and finding a buyer who will treat the business and staff well. All of this planning occurs at a time when they are considering retirement and the other changes in their life that will occur when they are no longer running a business. As a rule of thumb, business should start developing a succession plan at least five years before the owner hopes to step aside or as soon as the corporation acquires capital assets with significant value. It can take up to two years to sell a small business.

About 30 per cent of successions feature the previous owner advancing a loan or seller financing to the buyer, because small business bank loans are difficult to get from a bank. When there are no family members interested, small business owners should consider handling their succession through life insurance. But few small and medium business owners have that kind of foresight.


About the Author

Dr. Michael A. S. Guth, Ph.D., J.D., is a risk management consultant and practicing attorney at law based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He specializes in developing investment strategies and strategic plans for small and medium-sized companies.He can be reached through web page http://riskmgmt.biz/economist.htm

 

Strategic Planning (in nonprofit or for-profit organizations)
Adapted from the Field Guide to Nonprofit Strategic Planning and Facilitation. ... First, a Point About For-Profit and Nonprofit Strategic Planning ...
www.managementhelp.org
 
Basic Description of Strategic Planning (including key terms to know)
Adapted from the Field Guide to Nonprofit Strategic Planning and Facilitation. ... Strategic planning often includes use of several key terms. ...
www.managementhelp.org
 
Strategic Planning, Strategic Plan, Business Strategy, Strategic ...
Strategic planning advice with free strategic planner & sample strategic plan covering mission statement, SWOT analysis with business plan software for cash ...
www.planware.org
 
Strategic Planning
FAQs regarding strategic planning - geared primarily toward non-profit organizations but with enough detail and general information to provide useful ...
www.allianceonline.org
 
Frequently Asked Questions
Strategic Planning · Fundraising · Financial Management · Risk Management · Credit Card Acceptance. The FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) listed on this ...
www.allianceonline.org
 
Strategic planning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Strategic planning involves defining objectives and developing ... Strategic planning uses "the big picture" to pursue large scale, long term objectives. ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
08/26/96 STRATEGIC PLANNING
You guessed it: strategic planning. Suddenly, the idea of rising above the ... But if strategic planning is back with a vengeance, it's also back with a ...
www.businessweek.com
 
Dr. Strategy - Dr. Pete Johnson, Keynote Speaker, Marketing ...
StrategicPlanning.com “Turning Change Into A Competitive Advantage”. Dr. Pete's Preview Video Click Here. Take-Away Value Sample Program Handouts ...
strategicplanning.com
 
Strategic Planning Society: Strategy Development and Implementation
Strategic Planning Society: Strategy Development and Implementation.
www.sps.org.uk
 
Guide 7
Strategic Planning in Smaller Nonprofit Organizations ... In short, as a result of a strategic planning process, an organization will have a clearer idea of ...
www.wmich.edu
 
STRATEGIC PLANNING MANUAL
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
Your browser may not have a PDF reader available. Google recommends visiting our text version of this document.
 
BPubs.com: Strategic Planning & Business Planning Articles
Business Publications related to Corporate Strategic Planning.
www.bpubs.com
 
Strategic Planning Tools
Strategic Planning is a method for positioning an organization to take ... A strategic planning process incorporates an in-depth planning model that takes ...
www.nsba.org
 
Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc.
The Center for Simplified Strategic Planning offers training, seminars, consulting, speakers, workshops, a book and a newsletter on strategic management for ...
www.cssp.com
 
LEADERSHIP: Strategic Planning and Strategic Management
Introduction: Is strategic planning really worth it? ... The purpose of strategic planning is to encourage thinking about your organization's "big ...
vskn.ca
 
The CEO Refresher Archives - Strategic Planning
When done right, the integrated strategic planning process can take a ... Strategic Planning and Project Management: The Key to Successful Implementation ...
www.refresher.com
 
HEFCE : Publications : 2000 : 00/24 - Strategic planning in higher ...
This guide reviews good practice in strategic planning in higher education (HE). It originated in a consultation exercise which we held in 1998 to review ...
www.hefce.ac.uk
 
The Association for Strategic Planning
The Association for Strategic Planning (ASP), is a non-profit professional society whose mission is to enable people and organizations to succeed through ...
www.strategyplus.org
 
Amazon.com: Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A ...
Amazon.com: Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A Practical Guide and Workbook: Books: Michael Allison,Jude Kaye by Michael Allison,Jude Kaye.
www.amazon.com
 
Amazon.com: Simplified Strategic Planning: A No-Nonsense Guide for ...
Amazon.com: Simplified Strategic Planning: A No-Nonsense Guide for Busy People Who Want Results Fast!: Books: Robert W. Bradford,Robert W. Bradford,J. Peter ...
www.amazon.com
 
 

 
Content Menu

  • 10 lessons for every shoestring entrepreneur

  • 10 reasons why time and attendance systems are not just substitutes for clock cards

  • 10 tips for managing your time

  • 10 ways to help you plan your home office for productivity and comfort

  • 2005 economic update industry specific 2005 total compensation budget predictions

  • 5 steps to powerful negotiating feature article

  • 5 warning signals your business might have a cash flow problem

  • 6 steps to laying out your competitive strategy

  • 7 essential elements of leading change

  • 8 reasons the holidays are a great time to build your business

  • achieving competitive advantage through collaboration with key customers and suppliers

  • affluent market may disappoint retailers by spending less for december holiday gifts

  • affluent men spend twice as much on holiday gifts for their spouse as women do

  • affluent name recipients of december holiday gifts in new survey

  • affluent turn cautious in outlook for personal spending and the economy

  • attract and retain top talent

  • a cyber staffing solution for small businesses

  • a guide to performance management

  • a real business coach

  • a renewed view of the modern business culture

  • a strategy for success

  • balanced scorecard strategic planning

  • barriers to effective planning

  • being a home based business owner whats not to love

  • being stressed out may not be all that bad

  • best practice benchmarking the path to excellence

  • blueprint for change

  • book summary mind your own business

  • bottleneck oriented business management

  • bridge loans everything you wanted to know

  • building win win alliances

  • build winning alliances

  • business 101 passion before planning

  • business growth through strategic merger and acquisition

  • business intelligence advancements transform corporate decision making

  • business or leisure make sure you get the best stay

  • business planning 101

  • business planning myopia

  • business plans what consultants dont tell you

  • business plan basics

  • business process automation bpa

  • buying a business advice for the first time buyer investor

  • buy now retire later an investment in your dreams

  • cash flow profits and the cash conversion cycle

  • change management can lead to rigidity and resistance to change

  • change may be your ace in the hole

  • chasm of change restructuring the goliath of change

  • choking on itil a menu for success

  • client service as a competitive advantage

  • coaching an adapting tool for attaining fulfillment in the global economy

  • coaching for lawyers 10 ways a lawyer can benefit from working with a professional coach

  • collaboration not competition

  • common sources of financing for small business

  • comparing corporate and personal goal attainment programs that have developed over thousands of years with modern day programs

  • compensation committee 101 what does it do

  • competitive marketing analysis

  • creating a business strategy

  • creating a vision

  • cultivating your pathway to success dont leave your companys future to chance

  • dealing with anger

  • developing your mission

  • develop a successful business foundation second to none

  • discover the coach within you

  • does your culture support or sabotage your strategy

  • dont allow yourself to get burned

  • embrace diversity to build effective teams

  • entrepreneur to employer considerations

  • famous business strategies

  • fatal mistakes to avoid when writing a business plan

  • finding and keeping good people

  • five strategies to strengthen your companys financial management

  • focus on results not money

  • four reasons why small businesses succeed or fail

  • franchises exit strategies

  • franchises whats the exit strategy

  • generating publicity will the media be interested in my product business

  • getting and keeping good people

  • getting together the importance of business relationships

  • have you ever thought of joining or forming a consortium

  • help wanted new business leadership required to jumpstart the american economy

  • home business grants

  • how effective is your leadership style

  • how joint ventures can catapult you to success

  • how not to let powerpoint kill your presentation

  • how to accelerate the return on investment roi of your senior talent

  • how to create a great mentoring relationship

  • how to develop a successful board of advisors and why you should

  • how to develop multiple streams of 100 000 home business income

  • how to easily accelerate your profits

  • how to use graphs and charts in your business plan

  • hr off shoring outsourcing a buyers market

  • human resource communication pays off

  • ideas are free a book summary

  • identifying candidates for leadership

  • if one does not do any planning one is planning to fail

  • improve profitable roe with retention

  • index

  • investing in the czech republic outside of prague part 1 brno property

  • investments short term or long term

  • isg expands to include denovo bank consulting

  • its spring time for a compensation program tune up

  • its time to get all strategic small business marketing stategy

  • i wanna hold your hand first time homebuyers

  • i want to get a mortgage fast online

  • job search lessons from the super bowl

  • job talk the heart of productivity

  • leadership and customer service is there a link

  • leadership development turn on your employees

  • leading with power and authority energize others with deep green leadership

  • learn to manage your projects with project management training software

  • living life in a time starved world

  • lone wolf lead wolf

  • make your mark how to attract clients and grow your business

  • making the most of your year

  • making your item get the best bid on e bay

  • management span of control and the power of models

  • managers have you been shortchanged

  • managers lets call a spade a spade

  • managers should your pr budget stress tactics or strategy

  • managers you know your job but what about public relations

  • managing the human resource project

  • managing transformational change within the public sector

  • managing with vision

  • marketing planning and control systems from agency style to nerve center

  • maybe you should worry about your pr

  • meetings bloody meetings

  • merger and acquisition an engine for corporate growth

  • millionaires name top choices for holiday gift wish list

  • mission and vision statements foundational to successful change

  • new years resolutions for your business

  • non profits need new strategies to weather budget crisis

  • not another ice breaker team building with a purpose

  • oe consultants is there a future for them

  • operational excellence for wholesale distributors

  • performance measures a key to organizational success

  • planning to make a decision

  • plan for business success 6 reasons to succession plan

  • practice on purpose working on your business

  • pragmatic consulting from the clients perspective

  • preparing to be an entrepreneur

  • printing offline

  • professionalizing the family business

  • professional intervention in the family business

  • profit the goal and more than margins

  • pr lets dump the smoke and mirrors

  • public relations a natural phenomenon

  • public relations converting the non believers

  • public relations defining your organization from the inside out

  • public relations power tool for the 21st century

  • quality consulting major consumer products company

  • quick books and finances

  • ready fire aim

  • ready setwait

  • renovations and upgrades bring it to the bank part 2

  • resolve to focus on results in 2006 website results that is

  • rotator

  • rules to setting business goals and objectives why and how to be smart

  • secrets to successful publishing

  • selling your business for the best price

  • selling your technology company why earnouts make sense today

  • sell a business 10 steps to maximize selling price

  • setting goals and implementing change

  • setting you sails the mission statement

  • should you write your own business plan

  • six disciplines for excellence

  • small business planning three myths

  • small business q a swot analysis is no magic 8 ball

  • small business q a the business autopsy a fact of life

  • so you dont have a business plan why not

  • starting a small business is just like running the peachtree only tougher

  • starting your business avoiding the me incorporated syndrome

  • start thinking strategically about your business

  • strategic clarity for communication management

  • strategic internet marketing 5 basic keys to online business success

  • strategic organizational learning

  • strategic planning and consulting

  • strategic planning basics

  • strategic planning for salespeople

  • strategic planning steps for optimum business management

  • strategies to time management

  • succeeding as a seller on e bay

  • succession planning problems getting started

  • succession three tips to ease the transition

  • succss tip business plannning 101

  • survival without computers

  • surviving survival

  • swot analysis is no magic 8 ball

  • swot analysis strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats

  • tactical hints for succession planning

  • tales from the corporate frontlines try try again

  • temporary staffing agency how to start

  • ten tips for creating a terrific employee appraisal system

  • ten ways to sharpen your business edge

  • the 7 traits of an exceptional and successful entrepreneur

  • the 7 traits of an exceptional successful entrepreneur

  • the art of succession planning

  • the business autopsy a fact of life

  • the case of the vanishing technology

  • the challenges of human resource management

  • the collapse of enron

  • the crisis of modernity

  • the dos and donts of creating business partnerships

  • the five biggest mistakes an hr professional can make from the clients perspective

  • the inferno of the finance director

  • the magic and mystery of teams

  • the project management mindset

  • the role of the business model and strategy for business

  • the ten pillars of leadership and business development

  • the three factors of leadership motivation

  • thoughtleading the art of separating yourself from the pack

  • three planning myths

  • three steps to give your strategic plan traction

  • time management is a work of art

  • tips to maximize the sale of your business

  • top tips for effective time management

  • to all managers how does add affect your workplace

  • trade show exhibit booth 7 tips to improve yours

  • trade show victory

  • trend setting how office art improves productivity

  • understanding financial statements when approaching lenders

  • useful tips for evaluating your meeting venue options

  • what are we teaching pr students

  • what could macedonia learn from a tiger the asian tigers and the phenomenon of uninterrupted economic growth

  • what if peter drucker were your ceo

  • what is a trainer what is a facilitator

  • what is google adsense

  • what to consider before approaching lenders

  • what your home based business plan can do for you

  • what you must do for one whole day every week for your business

  • when and where the affluent shop for december holiday gifts

  • when tactics are not enough

  • who do you talk to

  • why bother with customer centricity

  • why have a mortgage coach

  • why just the right ppc campaign management brings in lots and lots of cash

  • writing a business plan

  • your 7 minute mba

  • your business or your life why not both

  • your online fortune is just a click away