Client stories
What family owners say after sitting through succession sessions—and two longer accounts of how handovers actually moved.
Voices from the room
“The roadmap forced dates onto a conversation we had avoided for a decade. I still wish we had started earlier, but at least the bank and our kids now hear the same story.”
“Callum’s ownership sessions were useful, though I found the homework between meetings heavier than expected. Worth it when our solicitor finally had a clear brief.”
“We used next-gen coaching before promoting our daughter to GM. The readiness note named gaps we were polite about at home—especially supplier relationships still tied to my phone.”
“Family governance gave us a charter. Meetings are shorter. We still disagree on dividends, but we disagree on a schedule instead of at every Sunday lunch.”
Extended story: Waikato engineering firm, five-year share path
Keeping the workshop open while shares moved
A second-generation precision engineering company came to us with two sons on the tools, a daughter in finance, and parents ready to reduce hours but not yet ready to sell control. The sticking point was not talent—it was whether non-working cousins who held small parcels should have a veto on capital expenditure.
Through a Succession Roadmap engagement we separated operating authority (a new managing director role for the elder son) from economic ownership (a staged buy-down of parental shares over five years, with a right of first refusal for active siblings). The daughter remained CFO with a board seat; cousins retained economic interest but agreed information rights rather than day-to-day votes.
Work already booked in the workshop never paused. The family still debates dividend levels each year—that mild friction remains—but capital projects no longer require a twelve-person text thread.
Extended story: Bay of Plenty wholesaler, family council first
Council before titles
Helen R.’s produce wholesale business needed a successor conversation, yet three households could not agree who should even attend. We began with family governance sessions, not a full roadmap. After a charter named who sits on the council, the group could nominate a successor shortlist without every spouse feeling excluded.
Only then did they commission the Succession Roadmap. Helen later noted that decision rights on paper reduced arguing more than any single “who becomes CEO” announcement.