Inside BS Show

“Succession planning is the key to unlocking freedom and value in your family business.”

What You’ll Discover Today:
If you own a family business and want to protect its legacy and value, you need a rock-solid succession plan. In today’s episode, Dave Lorenzo walks you step-by-step through the exact process he uses with his clients to build a succession planning program that works.

Key Topics Discussed:
-- Why every position in your company must have a written job description
-- How to track and document real-world tasks to align with role expectations
-- The three task buckets: Admin, Management, Leadership
-- How to build training programs around these roles and tasks
-- When to start training someone for their next position
-- Why 80 percent mastery is the magic number for promotion
-- How this system builds business value and leadership continuity

Links and Resources:
Subscribe Via Email: GetInsideBS.com
Listen on Spotify: Inside BS Show on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts: Inside BS Show on Apple Podcasts
Call Us: (305) 692-5531

Call to Action:
Succession planning isn’t just for retirement. It’s how you build a business that can run without you. Tune in to this episode and take the first step toward building a sustainable and scalable company.

We’re taking a break from your regularly scheduled show notes. No tidy bullet points. No calm summaries. No hand-holding MBA nonsense. Today, we’re cracking open the skull of succession planning and scooping out the raw brain matter. Gonzo-style. If you’re looking for a spreadsheet, go back to accounting. This ride is for the mad ones.

It started, as these things often do, with a wiseass comment under a video:

“Am I supposed to just find somebody tomorrow to take over for me?”

That’s when Dave—our ever-composed consigliere of capitalism—snapped back with the kind of clarity you only get after wrestling a business to the mat and making it tap out.

No, you’re not finding a savior tomorrow. You start contingency planning tomorrow, which is corporate-speak for what happens when you get hit by a bus and can’t check Slack for a week.

First 24 hours: Who runs the asylum?
 One week: Who’s got the keys to payroll?
 One month: Who’s making sure the ship doesn’t sink from operational rot?

If nobody can step in and keep your circus running without the ringleader, you’re not a leader. You’re a hostage.

And that’s just the warm-up act.

Succession planning, real succession planning, goes beyond handing off tasks like you’re dealing cards in a smoky backroom. It’s a three-stage metamorphosis:

-- First, dump the administrative hellscape on your would-be heir. Let them swim in the mind-numbing sludge of emails, calendar invites, and vendor contracts.
 -- Then, saddle them with the managerial grind. The daily headaches. The meetings that go nowhere. The babysitting.
 -- Finally, if they’re still breathing, slowly drip-feed the real poison—the leadership. That’s where most crash and burn.

Leadership isn’t about title. It’s what happens when your teammate screws up and the vultures circle. It’s the volleyball game where one girl makes the critical mistake and your kid has the chance to act like a leader, but misses it. It’s knowing when to stop the world and say, “That moment? That was your shot to show who you are.”

And this is where Dave turns from business guide to father-philosopher. He pulls back the curtain, tells a story about his daughter, and reveals the secret sauce of succession:

You don’t just teach leadership. You point it out when it happens. You pause the world, hold it up like a snow globe, and say, ‘See this? This matters.’

Succession isn’t a checklist. It’s cultural warfare.

You build a culture of continuous leadership development or you die buried under your own brilliance.

This episode isn’t about tasks. It’s a war cry for business owners who think their brilliance is their value.

It’s not.
 
It’s your bottleneck.

So go ahead—ditch the quarterly reviews. Burn the org chart.

Start asking yourself: Who takes over when I vanish?
 
If you don’t have an answer, congratulations, you’re the risk.

 You want to see the chaos in motion?
 Watch the full episode.

👉 GetInsideBS.com
 
The revolution meets at 6 a.m.

On this episode, Dave Lorenzo explains what succession planning really means inside a family business—and why most people are doing it wrong. He breaks down how to prepare every role in your business for both short-term backup and long-term succession, from frontline workers to leadership positions.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The real definition of succession planning in a family business
• Why it matters whether you're selling the business or handing it off
• How to build a contingency plan for every position, even the janitor
• The difference between a backup and a successor
• What "80% readiness" means for future role holders
• Leadership development and succession planning in management roles
• How to conduct performance reviews that promote growth and succession
• Why Exit Success Lab’s method creates a lasting competitive advantage

Links and Resources:

• Subscribe via Email: GetInsideBS.com
• Listen on Spotify: Inside BS Show on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts: Inside BS Show on Apple Podcasts
• Call Us: (305) 692-5531

Call to Action:
Subscribe at GetInsideBS.com to receive Dave's daily email and get your exclusive invitation to the monthly private meeting for family business owners and the professionals who serve them.

In this insightful episode, we delve into the pivotal reasons why engaging a professional business broker is crucial when selling your business. We explore the complexities of the sales process, the value a broker brings in navigating negotiations, and how their expertise can lead to a more profitable and efficient sale.

Key Topics Covered:

• Understanding the Sales Process: An overview of the steps involved in selling a business and where common pitfalls occur.
• Valuation Challenges: How business brokers assist in accurately valuing your business to attract serious buyers.
• Marketing Your Business: Strategies brokers use to market your business confidentially and effectively.
• Negotiation and Deal Structuring: The role of brokers in negotiating terms and structuring deals that align with your goals.
• Due Diligence and Closing: Assistance provided by brokers during the due diligence phase and ensuring a smooth closing process.

Call to Action:

If you're considering selling your business and want to ensure a successful outcome, consult with a professional business broker to guide you through the process.

How Exit Success Lab Helps Family Businesses Grow, Transition, and Thrive

On this episode of the Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo breaks down the three core ways Exit Success Lab supports family-owned businesses. Whether you're trying to unlock growth, preparing to transition to the next generation, or planning a sale, Dave shares how his team guides you every step of the way. You'll also hear how Exit Success Lab coaches professionals who want to work with family businesses—and how business brokers and M&A advisors collaborate with the firm to prepare companies for market.

What You’ll Discover Today:

• Why family businesses require a unique approach to coaching and consulting
• The three specific types of support Exit Success Lab offers family business owners
• How professionals can get certified to work with family businesses through Exit Success Lab
• Why brokers and M&A professionals send clients to Exit Success Lab for preparation

Key Topics Discussed:

• Growth consulting for family businesses
• Generational succession planning
• Preparing for a strategic or financial transition
• Certified coaching program for professionals serving family-owned companies
• Partnerships with M&A professionals and business brokers

Links and Resources:

• Subscribe via Email: GetInsideBS.com
• Listen on Spotify: Inside BS Show on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts: Inside BS Show on Apple
• Call Us: (305) 692-5531

Call to Action:
If you're a family business owner, a professional looking to serve that market, or a broker with a client who needs help getting ready for a sale, call Dave Lorenzo at (305) 692-5531 to start the conversation.

Thinking about selling your business? Not so fast. In this episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo walks you through a comprehensive readiness assessment for business owners—especially those running family-owned companies. With decades of experience advising entrepreneurs, Dave shares the 13 critical signs that you might be ready to sell, plus the 7 warning signs that say you're not there yet.

What You’ll Discover Today:

• Four emotional readiness questions every owner must answer before listing their business
• The importance of having a clear “what’s next” plan after exit
• How to know if your business has truly outgrown you
• The key operational and financial markers that increase buyer interest
• What recurring revenue, clean books, and SOPs say about your value
• The danger of customer and supplier concentration
• Why you must diversify your wealth before selling

Key Takeaways:

• Selling a business isn't just about the money. Emotional readiness plays a huge role.
• If you can leave your company for 90 days and it runs without you, you likely have a sellable asset.
• Buyers want predictability. Recurring revenue, systems, and tight financials are essential.
• Skeletons in the closet—legal, compliance, or HR—must be addressed before going to market.
• Whether you're selling or handing the business to the next generation, these checks still apply.

Links & Resources:

• Watch our episode on SOPs and scaling your company
• Connect with Dave: GetInsideBS.com

Subscribe and Share:
If you're a family business owner, advisor, or entrepreneur, hit subscribe and share this episode with someone who's on the fence about exiting.

In this powerful episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo and Harry Cendrowski break down the mysterious world of family offices. Whether you're a professional hoping to work with one or a business owner who's just had a liquidity event, this episode provides clarity, direction, and actionable insights.

📌 Key Topics Discussed:

• The four types of family offices (embedded, single, multi, and virtual)
• Why every liquidity event over $50M should trigger a conversation about forming a family office
• How family offices provide investment discipline and lifestyle guidance post-exit
• The role of the family office as a filter to manage constant investment pitches
• What professionals need to know before approaching a family office
• Why trust is the cornerstone of every family office relationship
• How top talent is recruited and retained in high-performing family offices
• The importance of being a true specialist (and not pretending to do everything)
• The best ways to get invited into the world of family offices without “selling”
• The most common advisory roles family offices hire for (tax, M&A, legal, estate planning, aviation, and more)
• How Cendrowski Corporate Advisors conducts operational reviews of existing family offices

🔗 Links and Resources:

• Subscribe via Email: GetInsideBS.com
• Listen on Spotify: Inside BS Show on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts: Inside BS Show on Apple Podcasts
• Call Us: (305) 692-5531

📣 Call to Action:

Are you working with a family business that just experienced a major liquidity event? Or are you trying to break into the world of ultra-high-net-worth advisory? This episode is your crash course in what it takes to earn trust, add value, and make a lasting impact. Reach out to Harry at Cendrowski Corporate Advisors for guidance on setting up or reviewing a family office.

5 Reasons Every Family Business Needs SOPs to Grow, Stay Safe, and Sell for More

Are you running a family business without written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)? That’s a costly mistake.

In this episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo breaks down the five powerful reasons why SOPs are critical for any family-owned company. From ensuring consistency and safety to training new team members and preparing your business for sale, SOPs aren't just paperwork—they're the blueprint for growth, freedom, and lasting value.

If you’ve ever said, “Everyone already knows what to do,” this episode will change how you think about operations. You’ll learn:

• How SOPs improve day-to-day efficiency and protect your brand
• Why SOPs are the foundation of effective training and leadership transitions
• How documented processes increase the value of your business for a future sale or succession

Whether you're building a legacy or preparing to step back from daily operations, this episode is a must-watch for every family business owner.

👉 Want to turn your family business into a self-sustaining investment? Connect with Dave: (305) 692-5531

🎯 Subscribe for daily strategies on scaling your business and protecting your legacy. https://GetInsideBS.com

"You're not just building income — you're building impact that outlasts you."

What You’ll Discover Today
In this episode, Dave Lorenzo shares three essential strategies for family business owners who want to create generational wealth and leave a lasting legacy. These practical steps help ensure your business continues to thrive long after you're gone, whether it's passed to the next generation or sold for maximum value.

Key Topics Discussed

• Why Legacy Matters
  A family business isn't just about today's income — it's about building something that lasts for generations.
• Step 1: Build a Leadership Bench
  The business must run on systems, not personalities. From frontline employees to executives, everyone needs to understand the mission and culture.
• Step 2: Treat the Business Like an Investment
  Replace yourself. Your business should generate passive income, not depend on your daily involvement.
• Step 3: Professionalize Governance
  Formal boards, family councils, and decision-making processes turn informal operations into scalable, transferable enterprises.

Links and Resources

• Subscribe via Email: GetInsideBS.com
• Listen on Spotify: Inside BS Show on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts: Inside BS Show on Apple Podcasts
• Call Us: (305) 692-5531

Call to Action
If this episode gave you value, share it with another family business owner. Forward the link, send a text, or email the episode. Help someone else secure their legacy.

What You’ll Discover Today:
In this special throwback episode from 2022, Dave Lorenzo sits down with Steven Glick, the most trusted real estate expert in the Chicagoland area. From his roots in apartment rentals to his experience as a developer and investor, Steven shares the insider strategies and hard-won lessons that have earned him a reputation as a go-to advisor in residential and commercial real estate. Whether you're buying your first home, selling a multifamily property, or looking for career advice in real estate, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Steven’s journey from apartment leasing to becoming a full-service real estate expert
• Insider tips for winning bidding wars, including the power of escalator clauses
• What to do when sellers demand unrealistic listing prices
• Why commercial real estate deals are driven by logic, not emotion
• A behind-the-scenes look at a multimillion-dollar referral that turned into a lasting relationship
• How to recover from losing a big deal—and turn disappointment into motivation
• Steven’s personal routine and why discipline, humor, and heart are essential in business

Quote of the Day:
“Tenacity is a necessity.”

Links and Resources:

• Subscribe via Email: GetInsideBS.com
• Listen on Spotify: Inside BS Show on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts: Inside BS Show on Apple Podcasts
• Call Us: (305) 692-5531

Call to Action:
If you’re in the Chicago area and need a real estate expert who brings deep knowledge, calm professionalism, and a consultative approach to every deal, call Steven Glick at (773) 727-7879. And don’t forget to subscribe at GetInsideBS.com for exclusive insights that help you grow your business and increase your freedom.