How do I sell my business? How can I make my business more valuable? When should I plan to exit my business? All these questions and more are covered on The ExitEngine™ Podcast. Join M&A and Exit Planning experts Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe, the co-founders of ExitEngine™, as they introduce you to Exit Planning as the most important business planning exercise that you can do to ensure that you control your business destiny.
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How do I sell my business? How can I make my business more valuable? When should I plan to exit my business? All these questions and more are covered on The ExitEngine™ Podcast. Join M&A and Exit Planning experts Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe, the co-founders of ExitEngine™, as they introduce you to Exit Planning as the most important business planning exercise that you can do to ensure that you control your business destiny.
Ep 60: Family Business Chaos: Turning Dysfunction Into a Sellable Company
The ExitEngine™ Podcast
1 hour 10 minutes 20 seconds
1 month ago
Ep 60: Family Business Chaos: Turning Dysfunction Into a Sellable Company
Family Business Chaos: Turning Dysfunction Into a Sellable Company
Family businesses are the backbone of the economy—but when it comes to growth, succession, and exit planning, they face unique challenges that can make or break their legacy. In this episode of the ExitEngine Podcast, hosts Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe sit down with Scott Gingold, Principal of Gingold Advisors, a seasoned business troubleshooter and growth strategist who has spent decades guiding family-run and closely held companies through some of their toughest transitions.
Scott pulls back the curtain on the dynamics that define family businesses—from unspoken conflicts and generational clashes to succession pitfalls and the emotional ties that complicate exit decisions. He explains why revenue issues are rarely just sales problems, how to uncover the real obstacles holding companies back, and why ignoring uncomfortable truths can derail both growth and exit outcomes.
Key insights from this episode include:
The hidden challenges unique to family-run companies—and why they differ from traditional businesses
How generational shifts, innovation resistance, and old family wounds surface in leadership and strategy
Why succession planning often fails—and what it really takes to prepare the next generation (or decide to sell)
How dysfunction inside the family erodes company culture, valuation, and buyer confidence
Practical steps to realign goals, improve communication, and make a family business truly “sale-ready”
Scott also shares candid stories of client interventions—from employees trapped between warring family members to exit processes derailed by ego, fear, and hidden financial realities. Whether you’re building, leading, or preparing to exit a family-owned company, this episode delivers actionable wisdom on protecting enterprise value while preserving family relationships.
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The ExitEngine™ Podcast
How do I sell my business? How can I make my business more valuable? When should I plan to exit my business? All these questions and more are covered on The ExitEngine™ Podcast. Join M&A and Exit Planning experts Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe, the co-founders of ExitEngine™, as they introduce you to Exit Planning as the most important business planning exercise that you can do to ensure that you control your business destiny.
