Center for Private Business Owners
For private business owners, succession is not a single transaction — it’s a defining moment that touches family, leadership, employees and personal legacy. Our Center for Private Business Owners works alongside you to help you navigate these moments with clarity, confidence and intention.
Across every succession path, one principle holds true: value is built long before it is realized. Through thoughtful preparation, disciplined execution and trusted advisory relationships, you can protect what you’ve built and shape what comes next. If you missed our Second Annual Succession Academy last quarter, we encourage you to view the below webinar replays, featuring practical guidance and real-world case studies. We also share our Book Club pick.
Webinar Replays
- Session 1 – Intra-Family Succession
Statistics show that only about one-third of family businesses successfully transition from the first to the second generation — underscoring the importance of intentional planning and engaging trusted advisors early. Explore strategies for family business succession planning, including transitioning ownership and leadership within the family. Learn how to identify successors, manage leadership changes, navigate legal and tax considerations and address family dynamics.
- Session 2 – Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) & Partner and Management Succession
For many private business owners, succession planning presents a fundamental challenge: how to achieve liquidity while protecting the company’s culture and employees, along with sustaining long-term value. ESOPs have emerged as a compelling ownership succession strategy — particularly for owners not ready or willing to pursue a third-party sale. Learn about ESOP structures, tax strategies, pros and cons and key players.
- Session 3 – Selling the Business
Selling a company is often the most significant financial transaction an owner will undertake. Yet the difference between an average outcome and an exceptional one is rarely timing alone — it is preparation, clarity of objectives and disciplined execution. Watch the final session of this series to understand why and when to pursue an exit and how preparation supports a successful business exit strategy.
Book Club
Contact Us
We offer a broad scope of services designed specifically for private business owners. We invite you to learn more by visiting the Center for Private Business Owners on our website.
Please also let us know about specific topics you would like us to cover in future issues of Successful Transitions by contacting either of us directly:
Stephen Prostano, CPA, JD, LLM
Partner-in-Charge, Center for Private Business Owners
PKF O’Connor Davies Family Office
sprostano@pkfod.com | 914.421.5615
Cynthia Adams Harrison, Ed. D., LICSW
Managing Director, Center for Private Business Owners
PKF O’Connor Davies Advisory Services
charrison@pkfod.com | 914.575.2744