For business owners, succession has always mattered, but today, it is mission-critical. With an unprecedented transfer of wealth ahead, owners face both the greatest risk AND the greatest opportunity of their lifetime: to leave their companies stronger, more resilient, and aligned with their long-term vision.

Why succession matters now

In the next two decades, more than $84 trillion will move from Baby Boomers to heirs, much of it locked inside privately held businesses1. Yet, 70–80% of businesses that go to market never sell — not because they lack value, but because they lack readiness2.

For owners, this “Great Wealth Transfer” will be the defining event of their legacy. Done poorly, it can unravel decades of work. Done well, it can unlock the 30–50% of intangible value often trapped inside private companies, safeguarding wealth, and leadership for generations.

The stakes of inaction

Unlike liquid assets, businesses cannot simply be handed down. Without a plan, 50% of family transitions fail in the first generation, and 90% fail by the third, mostly due to poor succession and governance. Even when a sale is completed, 75% of owners regret their decision within 12 months, largely because they never clarified their goals or prepared for life after the business2.

How to take control

The most successful transitions start years in advance:

• Engage the next generation — readiness can lift enterprise value multiples by 20–30%2.
• Address governance and leadership to prevent disputes, which derail nearly 60% of family transitions2.
• Integrate estate, tax, and operational strategies to protect both wealth & control.
• Assemble a trusted advisory team to close the “Readiness Gap” and ensure independence is secured.

The path forward

Succession is more than a technical plan, it is a leadership handoff and a cultural transfer. Owners who prepare now not only protect family wealth but also preserve their values and position the next generation to lead with confidence. With foresight, discipline, and the right partners, succession becomes not a risk, but the ultimate expression of leadership and legacy.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in Milwaukee, WI. Members of Beauchamp Maleki Group use Beauchamp Maleki Group as a marketing name for doing business as representatives of Northwestern Mutual. Northwestern Mutual Private Client Group is a select group of NM advisors and representatives. Beauchamp Maleki Group and Northwestern Mutual Private Client Group are not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, insurance agency, federal savings bank or other legal entity. To view detailed disclosures regarding individual representatives, view their information at bmg-nm.com.

1 Cerulli Associates
2 Exit Planning Institute

731 N Jackson St., Ste 200 • Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 270-1890 • bmg-nm.com • [email protected]