The Owner's Foundation

Grow it. Sell it. Or pass it on.™

They all start with the same foundation.

You don't build one kind of business to grow and another kind to sell.

You don't need a completely different business to pass it to the next generation.

The fundamentals of a strong business remain the same.

The six fundamentals

People
Build the right TEAM.
The right people in the right seats. Clear expectations, honest feedback and the willingness to make hard calls when someone isn't the right fit.
Culture
Create an environment where great TEAM Members can succeed.
Culture is how the business behaves when the owner isn't in the room. It decides who stays, who leaves and how customers are treated.
Leadership
Develop leaders so everything does NOT depend on you.
If every important decision runs through the owner, the business is capped at the owner's capacity. Strong leaders below you change that.
Systems
Build repeatable processes which make the business stronger.
Documented, repeatable ways of doing the work. They protect quality, make growth manageable and make the business easier to hand off.
Numbers
Understand the numbers which drive performance and value.
Know your margins, cash and the few measures that tell you how the business is really doing. Buyers and successors will look at them closely.
Strategy
Know where you are going and what matters most.
A clear direction and a short list of priorities. It keeps the TEAM focused on what moves the business forward.