You've spent decades building this business. Don't leave the transition to chance.
A complete guide to preparing yourself and your company for an ownership transition, on your timeline.
We understand
You know this conversation is coming. You've been putting it off because the whole thing feels too big, too permanent, and too loaded with consequences. That's normal. Every owner we've worked with has felt the same way before they started.
Why this kit exists
Byron McFarland has guided closely held business owners through over $3B in ownership transitions across 30 years. This kit contains the frameworks, checklists, and thinking he uses with clients before a single decision gets made.
After reading this kit, you'll know how to
1
Know whether your business is transferable today, or what needs to change before it is
2
Understand the three paths forward (management buyout, external sale, or gradual transition) and which one fits your situation
3
Have a clear picture of your personal, financial, and leadership readiness, so you can start planning from a position of clarity, not pressure
What's in the kit
1 white paper + 28 articles, free
White Papers
Succession Planning: The CEO's Guide to the Future
A research-based look at why most succession plans fail and what separates the companies that get it right, drawing on data from Vistage CEO peer groups.
Articles (28)
A Good Business That Still Runs Through You: Issue 02 of the Transferable Value Index
The second issue of our quarterly index measures 121 closely held businesses and finds one in six is built to last and still runs through its owner. The dividing line is who makes the people decisions.
The McFarland Group Names Alex McFarland Partner
Alex McFarland, who leads the McFarland Method and built the Transferable Value Index with Founder Byron McFarland, has been named a partner of The McFarland Group.
The McFarland Group Plans a Leaders Retreat on Nebraska's Snake River
Founder Byron McFarland's property south of Valentine, Nebraska, will host client working sessions and leadership gatherings beginning in summer 2027.
+ 25 more articles included
Owners who wait lose options. Every year without a plan, the business becomes harder to transfer, key people get restless, and your leverage narrows. This kit costs you nothing but an hour of reading. Not having a plan could cost you years.
Get the Exit Planning Kit
One white paper and eleven articles. Everything you need to start thinking through this with confidence.
You'll know where you stand, what to work on, and when to start. No pressure to make a decision. Just the clarity to make a good one when the time comes.
