
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


Most entrepreneurs build their business for freedom—but end up creating a prison they can't leave.
In this episode of CPG Insiders, Dr. Mark Young and Justin Girouard sit down with Greg Heeres, author of Passing the Baton, to unpack one of the most overlooked—and emotionally complex—parts of entrepreneurship: what happens when you step away.
Whether you plan to sell, pass the business down, or simply step back, Greg explains why succession is not a financial decision—it's an emotional one. From identity loss and leadership dependency to family dynamics and post-exit regret, this conversation reveals the hidden challenges most founders never prepare for.
You'll learn why every entrepreneur needs not one—but three plans: a short-term contingency plan, a long-term exit strategy, and a personal "next chapter" plan that replaces purpose after the business is gone.
The episode also explores:
Why most businesses are dangerously dependent on the founder
The four "unpredictable events" that can force an unplanned exit
Why selling your company can strain (or even break) relationships
How to prepare your team—and your family—for what comes next
The biggest mistake founders make after a liquidity event
If you're building a business to eventually exit, this episode will challenge how you think about success—and what comes after it.
Because the real question isn't "How do I sell my company?" It's "Who am I when I no longer run it?"
By Mark Young, Justin Girouard4.5
1010 ratings
Most entrepreneurs build their business for freedom—but end up creating a prison they can't leave.
In this episode of CPG Insiders, Dr. Mark Young and Justin Girouard sit down with Greg Heeres, author of Passing the Baton, to unpack one of the most overlooked—and emotionally complex—parts of entrepreneurship: what happens when you step away.
Whether you plan to sell, pass the business down, or simply step back, Greg explains why succession is not a financial decision—it's an emotional one. From identity loss and leadership dependency to family dynamics and post-exit regret, this conversation reveals the hidden challenges most founders never prepare for.
You'll learn why every entrepreneur needs not one—but three plans: a short-term contingency plan, a long-term exit strategy, and a personal "next chapter" plan that replaces purpose after the business is gone.
The episode also explores:
Why most businesses are dangerously dependent on the founder
The four "unpredictable events" that can force an unplanned exit
Why selling your company can strain (or even break) relationships
How to prepare your team—and your family—for what comes next
The biggest mistake founders make after a liquidity event
If you're building a business to eventually exit, this episode will challenge how you think about success—and what comes after it.
Because the real question isn't "How do I sell my company?" It's "Who am I when I no longer run it?"

236 Listeners

30,233 Listeners

7,188 Listeners

8,876 Listeners

800 Listeners

120 Listeners

4,433 Listeners

5,576 Listeners

25 Listeners