1
Make yourself unnecessary, deliberately
List everything only you do. Hand over one relationship or decision a month. Then test it: does the business run during a two-week absence?
Guide · 5 min read
Preparing to step back
Whether the business goes to family, managers or a buyer, the preparation is the same, and it takes longer than most owners expect.
2
Get the paper in order
Three years of audited statements, GST reconciled, contracts signed and filed, licences current, employee agreements in place. Most diligence delays are documentation, not disagreement.
3
Build the second line
Name a deputy for operations, sales and finance. Give them real authority and let them make mistakes while you are still there to absorb them.
4
Decide what you want afterwards
Full exit, advisory role, part-time: your preference shapes which paths fit. Owners who decide this early negotiate better and regret less.
What the assessment shows you
Your readiness plan turns these into dated tasks with impact scores, shareable with your CA if you choose.
Check my succession readiness →Free · 7 minutes · private by default