5 Components of a Successful Succession Plan

A strategic plan examines the current state of the business and where it is headed over the next five years or so. The plan should consider the resources the company will require as well as potential future risks it may encounter in implementing its strategy. The need for resources, both financial and human talent, will inform other components of the succession plan.

A financial plan considers your life goals and determines the financial resources required to fund those goals. It also considers your current financial assets, future cash flows from the business, and the impact of tax, inflation and projected investment returns to determine if there is asset sufficiency to achieve your desired goals. Business owners often find this step provides the peace of mind they need to confidently step away from the business.

Ownership transition addresses the future transfer of business ownership to the next generation. This transfer often entails multi-year strategies aimed at tax efficiency – minimizing the impact of income gift and estate taxes. Typically, these strategies call for the transfer of business interests to trusts for the benefit of next generation family members. Often, the challenge is deciding who will hold voting control of the business interest. Members of the senior generation frequently retain voting control of the company during their lifetime, but this can affect tax planning.

One of the key elements of a succession plan is the transition of leadership responsibility to the next generation. This transition requires the identification of a family member willing and able to take on the leadership role in the family business. In some instances, a family may decide to hire a non-family executive to run the business while the family retains ownership. Regardless, a well-defined onboarding process helps transition responsibilities to the new leader. It’s a process that may also include your finding a new purpose in life, as you make your own transition into what comes next.

At its most basic level, governance addresses how key business decisions will be made. With a family business, this usually takes two forms:

• Business: Using an advisory board or formal board of directors to support current management and the succession process is a best practice since these outside members provide perspective and can serve as an impartial sounding board. The board can also ease the transition of a new family leader by providing continuity in business strategy and leadership while helping to mentor the new leader.
• Family: A family council provides the family group with a framework for communicating and reaching a consensus regarding significant decisions: cash flow needs, risk tolerance, the possible sale of business, etc. A unified voice on the part of the family helps inform the board’s decision-making process.