What if the hardest part of succession isn't strategy but identity?

In this episode, Elizabeth Ledoux sits down with Dennis Passis to explore the concept of "founder paralysis," the very real inability of founders to step away from the business they built. At the heart of it? A question most founders avoid: What am I going to do for the rest of my life?

Dennis shares how founders often stay stuck not because they lack capability, but because they lack clarity on what comes next. From fear of irrelevance to lack of trust in the next generation, this conversation gets into the emotional realities behind succession and what it takes to move forward with confidence and purpose.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

• What "founder paralysis" really is and why it's so common
• The hidden question that keeps founders stuck
• Signs a founder is holding on too long (and what it costs the business)
• Why founders are "fixers" and how that shapes their next chapter
• The role of identity, ego, and fear in succession
• Why having something meaningful to move toward changes everything

Connect with Dennis Passis

• Family Wealth Library: https://www.familywealthlibrary.com/
• Book "Founder Paralysis" : https://www.amazon.com/Founder-Paralysis-Business-Founders-Identity/dp/B0D9P68R8J

Connect with Elizabeth Ledoux and The Transition Strategists

• Website: https://transitionstrategists.com/

Subscribe to "The Business Transition Roadmap"

• Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3MxSYA2
• Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3IhMMux

Our Sister Show: Your Next Gen Friend

Hosted by Andrea Carpenter, Your Next Gen Friend is for the next generation stepping into leadership in family and private businesses. If you're a successor figuring out your path, this show is for you.

• Website: https://yournextgenfriend.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yournextgenfriend/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournextgenfriend
• Andrea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreakcarpenter/
• Spotify: https://yournextgenfriend.com/open-spotify
• Apple Podcasts: https://yournextgenfriend.com/apple-podcast