When I speak to Essex business owners about their exit, they often feel like they are failing a test. They look at the standard academic models of succession and wonder why their reality feels so chaotic in comparison.
Usually, they have been shown the famous “Three Circles Model.”
If you look at this image, you would think it straightforward to divide up the roles. It looks logical, fair, and tidy.
WRONG.
Real life is not a Venn diagram. If we look at a typical family succession scenario, perhaps a founder handing down to their children or selling to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT)…….what it really looks like is this.
This “mess” is where the real work happens. The textbooks try to solve succession with logic, but humans operate on emotion.
The issues blocking your exit are rarely just about a valuation figure. They are psychological. They are the questions that keep you awake at 3 AM:
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“Will I still have a say in the company I built, or am I being removed?”
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“Is it fair to treat my children equally if only one works in the business?”
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“Who am I if I am not ‘ The Boss’?”
The messy diagram represents the Human Dimension. Ignoring it doesn’t make the mess go away, it just ensures the deal will stall when emotions run high.
At Succession Plan Coach, we don’t try to force your family into a neat academic box. We help you navigate the messiness, protecting both your legacy and your relationships.