Business Succession Planning That Protects What You Built
Selling, stepping back, passing to family, or planning for the unexpected - a proper succession plan turns a vulnerable business into a durable one.
- Exit plans for owner-operated businesses
- Family business transition strategies
- Buy-sell agreements and shareholder exits
What's included
- Business structure review
- Succession roadmap (3-5 year timeline)
- Buy-sell agreement drafting
- Shareholder agreement updates
- Key-person insurance recommendations (via your broker)
- Business transfer clauses in your will
Most businesses have no succession plan - until it's too late
The single biggest threat to an owner-operated business isn't the market - it's what happens when the owner dies, divorces, falls ill, or simply wants out. Without a succession plan, what took decades to build can unwind in months. Tax bills, family disputes, and forced sales happen because no one had the conversation until it was too late.
- 70% of family business transitions fail at the next generation
- Forced sales on death typically return 40-60% below value
- Co-owner disputes without buy-sell agreements end up in court
- Tax planning for succession takes years to put in place
A clear process, not a legal maze.
Understand the business
We start with how the business is structured, who owns what, who works in it, and what you want to happen - sale, family transition, wind-down.
Map the succession
Sam drafts a succession roadmap: buy-sell agreements, shareholder exits, family transition structures, insurance to fund buyouts, tax implications.
Execute the documents
Shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, updated constitutions, and - where relevant - testamentary business transfer clauses in your will.
Here's what you get when you work with Sam.
I run a family business and was putting off the succession conversation. Sam made it manageable by breaking it into smaller steps. We've got the shareholder agreement signed and the transition roadmap in place.
Frequently asked questions
Business succession planning is the process of preparing a business for a change in ownership - whether that's sale, family transition, retirement, or unexpected events like death or incapacity. Done properly, it protects the business value and the owner's family.
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Most Australian companies run on the replaceable rules - a generic default that wasn't designed for your business.
Learn moreStrategic Restructuring
Whether you're planning a sale, preparing for family succession, or just cleaning up a structure that's grown organically, strategic restructuring puts your business on firmer ground.
Learn moreProtect the business you built
Book a confidential conversation with Sam. We'll talk through what you've built and map out a path that keeps it intact.
- Free 20-minute initial conversation
- Fixed-fee quotes before any work begins
- Home visits available across Adelaide
- Typically 2-3 weeks to signed documents