What closely-held business owners have to say about
The Succession Solution…
“On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give The Succession Solution a 12. The insight, guidance, wisdom, and understanding of every key stakeholder involved was outstanding. Transitioning a business from the founder to the next generation can be filled with many land mines and they navigated everyone.
For context, our business focuses on leadership development and strategic planning. While “we have done this before” that was for our client’s strategy, and not our own. One might be tempted to think they can do something like this for themselves, but in my opinion, one would be wrong!
There is an old proverb that says “the lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client”. In many ways that could be the same for developing a succession plan. The Succession Solution truly lived up to their name, they provided solutions and guidance for a very significant event.
A solid 12 out of 10!”
— Buddy Hobart, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Solutions 21
“Brad Franc produced one of the best presentations in AFHE conference history. His “THE SUCCESSION SOLUTION” program is the Roadmap to Success for business owners and the compass for business advisors. He captivated our attention with his insightful, interesting, and colorful strategies and practices in helping business owners and their families navigate to achieving success and executing the best outcome in the succession process.
His presentation was a master class in understanding the dynamics of the family enterprise!”
— Peter Dougherty, Board member and Conference Co-Chair of the 2024 Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises (AFHE) Fall Conference
“Our family-owned construction firm was at a crossroads, facing not only complex business challenges but also intricate family dynamics and key employee relationships. This is where Brad Franc stepped in and truly transformed our path forward.
From our first meeting, Brad impressed us with his deep understanding of both the business and human aspects of succession planning. He approached our situation with empathy, recognizing the unique personalities involved and carefully navigating the sensitive aspects that come with a family-run business.
Brad's expertise in succession planning was evident as he carefully assessed our current structure and future goals. He didn't just provide a one-size-fits-all solution; he tailored strategies that addressed our specific needs, ensuring a seamless transition for our company. By aligning the interests of both the family and key employees, Brad fostered an environment of collaboration and commitment.
What stood out was Brad's ability to communicate complex concepts in a clear and relatable manner. He facilitated open discussions, allowing family members and employees to voice concerns and aspirations without fear of conflict. This open dialogue was instrumental in creating a shared vision for our firm's future.
Throughout the process, Brad's professionalism and dedication were unwavering. He remained a steady guide, offering insightful advice and actionable recommendations. His thorough understanding of financial and legal considerations, paired with his emphasis on preserving family harmony, proved invaluable.
Thanks to Brad Franc's exceptional work, our firm is now equipped with a strong succession plan that ensures continuity, growth, and a united family vision. We are grateful for his contributions and enthusiastically recommend his services to any family business seeking to navigate the complexities of succession planning.
Brad, thank you for being not just a consultant, but a trusted partner in our journey. Your impact on our business and family has been nothing short of transformative. ”
— Joe Leonello Jr., President of Franjo Construction
“Working with Brad Franc of The Succession Coach on our succession plan has been transformative for Byrnes & Kiefer Company. As a fourth generation family-owned global leader in baking supplies, ensuring a seamless transition of ownership was vital. The Succession Coach guided us through the development of a more formal governance structure, an effective plan for the transfer ownership to the next generation, and secured our current CEO’s role during the transition. Their expertise and dedication have strengthened our foundation and paved the way for a future of continued success. We are grateful for their invaluable support at this critical juncture.”
— Edward Byrnes, Chairman of the Board, Byrnes & Kiefer Company
“The myriad of alternatives to transitioning a successful and growing business to the next generation of leaders and ownership is daunting. Brad Franc did a great job navigating my executive team, family, financial/legal advisors and other stakeholders through the process of how to transition an 105 year old, 3rd generation family business to the 4th.
I found Brad’s advice and leadership to be invaluable. I especially liked his tried and proven methodology. Working and meeting with my leadership and financial teams periodically over the course of 12 months left all us with time to research relevant topics and options - strategically planning for the eventual transition - while still running our demanding day to day business. His vast experience, general business and extensive succession knowledge, and patient guidance while facilitating encouraged full participation and enabled my teams to generate a viable plan. With Brad’s help, we managed to please all the stakeholders and set the path for the next 100 years of success at ECA!”
— A. Roy Kern, Jr., President / CEO of Equipment Corporation of America
“I was referred to Brad by a few family business owners who were very pleased with his work. Even though our boys are still young, all under 21, we wanted to get ahead of the process and not play catch up after issues arise. We also felt it was important for our children to have an understanding of opportunities and expectations before they made decisions about schools, majors and careers. Brad encourages you to bring senior managers and additional advisors into the process which is very helpful. He has a real process that helps you build to your final goals. In our case we wanted input and buy in from non family leadership and we wanted a clear plan for bringing family members into the business, if they were interested. This process helped us write a family constitution that we will share with the next generation to communicate clearly our values, history, expectations and opportunities. We believe this will allow them to make much better decisions and avoid many conflicts in the future. I can highly recommend Brad to help you plan and navigate for any family business transition.”
— John Henne, President of Henne Jewelers
“My Company completed a 1 year planning period deploying The Succession Solution.
From day one, Brad, with the use of The Succession Solution, generated motivation and optimism in regards to increasing profitability and strategic departmental and company-wide planning.
The 12-month result was sensational and eye-opening to say the least.”
— Robert J. Wade, President of Wade Heating and Cooling Inc. and Pittsburgh Ductless LLC
“At almost 70 years old, I had six of the next generation working in our family construction company without a clear succession plan in place. The goal was to pass on leadership from Gen 2 to Gen 3, and have all the stakeholders buy into it!
Brad Franc personally led us through a multi-step process using The Succession Solution guidelines to not only develop but to implement a sound plan. It’s working, and has alleviated a great deal of stress common in family businesses.”
— Clifford Rowe, Executive Chairman of Trumbull, PJ Dick, Lindy Paving
“We have somewhat of a complex family business and for several years we had the basic thoughts for our estate and succession planning, but could not find the right person to help guide us through the process.
We found that person in Brad Franc. He took a complex and emotional topic and simplified it for us. We now have a plan in place that should enable our family business to succeed and continue to thrive and survive in the future.”
— Steven R. Stuck, President of Stuck Enterprises, Inc.
“The process of succession in a closely held business is particularly difficult. Many factors add to the complexity of the process including divergent shareholder financial goals, varying time frames, family considerations and insecurity in how to proceed. In addition, the shareholders need to maintain focus and commitment to the process while doing all the other things we need to do to continue to have the business thrive.
Brad’s proven Succession Solution process addresses all of these complexities in a highly organized, effective manner. This organized and focused process has allowed our shareholder group to analyze, determine and execute our succession plans.”
— Curt Marsh, Vice President and General Manager of Pittsburgh Air Systems, Inc.
“Having spent the past 25 years in a 75 year old family owned business, I’ve seen generational transitions go well and thrive, and I’ve seen them destroy relationships. As a third generation owner, I feel tremendous responsibility to my family, coworkers, customers and suppliers and I realized I’m a caretaker of a wonderful asset that takes care of over a 100 families.
I've wrestled with how to thoughtfully and properly make sure my business is vibrant and sustainable for the families that rely on the company for their livelihood for many years to come. Thankfully, Brad Franc has written an excellent book, The Succession Solution, which explains how to transition a business to the next group of leaders.”
— Scott Heeter, President of Heeter Printing Company, Inc.
“As a retired business owner and a current Board member, I have experienced firsthand the importance of succession planning. Leaders are the stewards of the future and have the ability to continue to create value to all the stakeholders through creating and implementing a succession plan, yet [they] often lack the tools to implement a sound plan.
Brad Franc’s book shares a powerful message about the importance of succession planning and methods on how to develop, implement and monitor a sound plan.”
— Joseph P. DiBianco, Chairman of Global Tax Management, Inc.
“We can’t thank Brad enough for his creative approach as he took us through the succession planning road map. He always kept us on task with a plan to get us to the end goal. Brad was easy to work with, detail-orientated and most importantly a genuine and caring person to work with. We truly feel that Brad has prepared us with the knowledge and a plan for long-term success.”
— James Scalo, President/CEO of Burns Scalo Real Estate
“The Succession Solution and the concepts that Brad Franc developed were applied with great success to help lead our professional services company through the transition and the election of new leadership. In an organization where all Managing Directors have an equal voice, Brad and the Succession Solution provided a framework to address the vison and goals of the company within a successful leadership succession process.”
— Dave Laurinaitis, CEO of Global Tax Management, Inc.
“During our first meeting with Brad, we were impressed by his direct approach and ability to ask the “tough” questions—questions that needed answers in order to advance the succession planning process—but in a manner that did not alienate any of the stakeholders. At times it would have been easier to focus on the present state of the business and not think about the future, but Brad’s professional demeanor combined with his sensitivities to family dynamics helped to take the sting out of some difficult conversations our family members had to have.”
— Bruce Edwards, Brookside Lumber Company
“Business is always full of uncertainty. One of the biggest is how to transition a family business into the next generation. With Brad’s help, my business is already well into Act II. While my children are managing the business today, it won’t be long before Brad will be helping them prepare to the third generation.”
— Michael Baker, Baker Gas
“My business is celebrating 50 years in operation, and we have been engaged with Brad Franc for almost half of that time span. Initially, we worked with Brad on corporate organization and planning, then embarked on business succession planning as the next natural step. Granted, succession planning doesn’t need to take the 20 years we have dedicated to it, but, with Brad’s help, we have made a number of significant decisions—and implemented resulting actions—in that time to smoothly transition our business from first to second generation. We’re focused now on second to third generation transition and, again thanks to Brad, we’re confident we will be one of the few businesses nationally that successfully carry a family business to the third generation.”
— Glenn Kress, Kress Brothers Builders, Inc.
“When we were introduced to Brad Franc, we had no idea where to start planning for our succession needs. Brad was wonderful in taking the time to explain the options and benefits of different ideas we each had. We continue to work with Brad in making sure our succession planning is current as well as other business related issues that arise.”
— Lisa Skander, Skander Tire Service, Inc.
“I want to express the tremendous impact that Brad Franc had on our succession planning initiative. His ability in orchestrating meetings was excellent. Brad not only skillfully facilitated discussions but fostered an environment where every participant felt valued and heard.
In addition, Brad’s ability to distill complex concepts into actionable strategies was outstanding, ensuring that each meeting was not just productive but also insightful. Brad displayed a commitment to excellence throughout the entire process, steering our succession plan towards a resoundingly successful outcome.
The culmination of Brad’s efforts is a testament to his expertise and dedication. The well-crafted succession roadmap stands as evidence of the thorough understanding of our organization's needs. Thanks to Brad’s leadership, our organization not only addressed our immediate transition needs but also lays a strong foundation for sustained success in the future. Brad’s contributions have helped transformed our approach to succession planning, leaving an indelible mark on our organization's trajectory.”
— Bill Hunt, Elmhurst Group, President and CEO