Are you ready to sell your business? It may be time to pass your family firm to the next generation. What do you do? Where do you begin? How can you ensure that you follow your values and transition your business with purpose, kindness, and profit? Maybe it is time to meet Erika Baez Grimes.

What is the Human Side of Business Transitions?

In this compelling episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, we delve into the human side of business transitions with Erika Baez Grimes, a seasoned business broker, M&A specialist, and purpose-driven entrepreneur. Erika's extensive experience as a Senior Certified Mergers and Acquisitions Professional with Transworld Business Advisors, and as the founder of The BPH Group and The Buyer's Agency, makes her a trusted voice in the industry. Her mission is clear: to help people do good deals with good people—transactions rooted in legacy, emotion, and values, not just numbers.

Erika and I first connected at the Entrepreneurs with Companies of Purpose event, and I knew she had a story to share right away. In this episode, she opens up about her journey from helping her grandfather run fashion boutiques in Orlando to rising as a respected voice in the business brokerage industry. Her early exposure to entrepreneurship gave her a lifelong passion for business and sales, a path she blended with her experience in banking and corporate leadership.

Some Practical Advice is Essential to Transition your Business

Throughout our conversation, Erika offers practical advice—and heartfelt wisdom—for business owners contemplating an exit and aspiring buyers looking to acquire a company. She discusses the "silver tsunami" of baby boomers preparing to retire, legacy businesses' emotional and strategic complexity, and the rising interest among women in acquiring established enterprises. Erika shares three essential things every seller should do before they decide to sell:

1. Start the conversation early—if you're considering selling, it's time to talk.
2. Work yourself out of the business—the more your business can run without you, the higher its value.
3. Keep clean, transparent financials—they are the real story buyers will trust (or not).

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But Erika also goes deeper. She highlights how business owners often feel lost after they exit. Their identity has been deeply tied to their company, and the vacuum that follows can be disorienting. That's why Erika emphasizes the importance of planning for the transaction and the transition. Who will you be when you're no longer the CEO?

How Does Culture Share Your Succession Plan?

We also explore how culture shapes succession planning, particularly in family firms. Erika works closely with multigenerational businesses and understands the delicate dynamics between personal relationships, employee loyalty, and strategic vision. She emphasizes the importance of finding the right buyer—someone aligned not only with the financials but also with the founder's legacy and values.

Avoid Buyers Remorse

For buyers, Erika offers clear guidance: prepare before you pursue. Get financing lined up, know your strengths, and approach the opportunity with transparency and intention. Sellers want to know their business will be in good hands. And increasingly, those hands belong to women—smart, driven, and ready to lead.

Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur looking to exit or someone considering buying their first business, Erika's insights are honest, helpful, and deeply human. This episode is a masterclass in purpose-driven dealmaking and the art of helping others transition from one chapter to the next with clarity, care, and confidence.

Key Takeaways:

• Why the timing of a business sale is both emotional and strategic
• What makes a business attractive to buyers—and how to increase your value
• How Erika helps bridge the gap between a seller's legacy and a buyer's vision
• The growing role of women in M&A and business acquisition
• Why coaching and self-discovery are vital post-exit tools for sellers

You'll leave this conversation with a clearer understanding of the M&A process, the questions you should be asking (whether buying or selling), and a renewed appreciation for the human side of business transitions.

Contact Erika Baez Grimes:

📧 Email: [email protected]   🌐 Website: erikathebroker.com 🔗 LinkedIn: Search Erika Baez Grimes 

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Additional resources for you:

• My two award-winning books: Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business and On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights
• Our latest book, Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success, co-authored with Edie Fraser and Robyn Freedman Spizman
• All of our white papers, particularly those on Blue Ocean Strategy and Culture Change
• Our website: Simon Associates Management Consultants

Connect with me:

• Website: www.simonassociates.net
• Email: [email protected]
• Books:  Learn more about these books here:
  • Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business
  • Women Mean Business
  • On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights

Listen + Subscribe:

Available wherever you get your podcasts—Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, YouTube, and more. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share with someone navigating their own leadership journey.

Reach out and contact us if you want to see how a little anthropology can help your business grow.  Let's Talk!

From Observation to Innovation,

Andi Simon, PhD

CEO | Corporate Anthropologist | Award-Winning Author Simonassociates.net [email protected] @simonandi LinkedIn