Preparing a Second-Generation Business for Its Next Stage of Growth

The business had built a strong reputation over decades of success and was entering a
new stage of growth. As they began serving larger, more complex clients, it became
clear that the business needed greater structure, stronger planning, and clearer
accountability to continue scaling successfully.

The implementation of a new ERP system created an opportunity to rethink how the
business operated. Leadership wanted to clarify roles and responsibilities, improve
cross-functional collaboration, and establish a more consistent approach to planning
and execution across the organization.

At the same time, the owners were preparing for the next generation of leadership and
wanted to build a business that relied less on a handful of key individuals and more on a
strong, aligned leadership team.

Allen Leigh partnered with the business to help strengthen its leadership, improve
alignment, and build the discipline needed to support its next stage of growth.

• How do we grow without losing the culture that has made us successful?
• How do we integrate new leaders and new capabilities while respecting what has
  worked for decades?
• How do we create greater ownership and accountability throughout the
  leadership team?
• How do we formalize our approach to leadership and people as the business
  becomes more sophisticated?
• How do we build a business that isn’t dependent on just a few key individuals?
• How do we prepare the next generation while bringing the current leadership
  team with us?

Like most Business Advisory engagements, we began with a Business Diagnostic to
understand the business, its leadership team, and the opportunities that would have the
greatest impact.

What started as a diagnostic evolved into a multi-year advisory partnership. Together,
we used a period of significant change, including the implementation of a new ERP
system, as an opportunity to strengthen the business, not just its systems.

Over the course of the engagement, we partnered with the owners and executive team
to:

• Establish a clear strategic direction and planning rhythm.
• Build a leadership structure capable of supporting continued growth.
• Integrate third-generation family leaders with greater clarity, traction, and
  accountability.
• Clarify functional leadership, roles, and decision-making across the business.
• Design a new organizational structure aligned with future growth.
• Modernize the compensation framework and career advancement pathways.
• Formalize people systems and leadership practices while preserving the
  organization’s family culture.
• Provide ongoing CEO advisory, executive team facilitation, and strategic decision
  support.

Over the course of the partnership, the business:

• Achieved consistent year-over-year double-digit revenue growth.
• Successfully integrated third-generation leaders into the business with clear
  roles, responsibilities, and accountability.
• Implemented a new leadership structure that improved ownership and cross-
  functional traction.
• Established formal people systems, skills assessment, and leadership practices.
• Successfully implemented a new ERP system while strengthening planning,
  communication, and execution across the organization.
• Reduced reliance on a small number of key leaders by building greater
  leadership capacity throughout the business.
• Preserved the family’s values and culture while creating the structure and discipline needed to support the next stage of growth.