Deciding to sell your family business can be one of the hardest and most emotional decisions an owner will ever face.

In this episode of Family Business Breakthroughs, host Jim Berner sits down with Ken Koger, Partner at Meridian Associates, to pull back the curtain on what really happens during the sale process.

With over 30 years serving multi-generational companies, Meridian has guided countless families through business valuations, transitions, and mergers with confidentiality, care, and clarity.

Jim and Ken unpack the real-world signs it may be time to sell, from burnout and shifting markets, to lack of succession plans, and share practical ways to increase your company’s value before you sell.

You’ll learn how to:

• Spot early indicators it’s time to consider an exit
• Avoid “expense creep” and strengthen profitability
• Reduce risk from customer concentration
• Navigate the emotional ups and downs of selling
• Protect confidentiality while preparing your team and family

Whether you’re thinking about succession, curious about mergers and acquisitions, or simply want to understand how to maximize business value, this conversation offers insight only decades of hands-on experience can provide.

Listen now for your next family business breakthrough!

_____

Are you a family business owner? Improve your business TODAY with our time tested and tailored solutions:

Visit our website to get started at www.AskMeridian.com

or call us at 817-594-0546

What happens when you sell your family company—then have to win it back?

Jodi Scott, CEO of SpryLife and cofounder of Green Goo, tells the riveting story of selling to a “values-aligned” acquirer, watching it unravel, firing her entire legacy team in under 24 hours, and battling for 18 months to buy the business back in December 2024.

Rooted in health psychology and integrative medicine, Jody blends science and soul to build plant-based, efficacy-first products that grew from farmer’s markets to shelves at Walmart, CVS, and Target. She opens up about military-family systems that shaped their culture, the hard boundaries that keep love and leadership intact, and the mentors and practices (hello, cold plunges) that kept her present when everything was on the line.

You’ll hear:

• Why they sold - and why they had to buy it back
• The operating system that protected family relationships and fueled retention
• How “efficacy first” won natural + conventional consumers in OTC
• Rebuilding reality: from 40 employees to 6, production first, purpose always
• Jody’s SHAMAN reset (Sleep, Hydration, Antioxidants, Mindset, Avoid, Nature) for resilient leadership
• Innovation sparks: nutritive deodorant, botanical research, and philanthropic training for women abroad

If this episode helped you think differently about continuity and control, follow Family Business Breakthroughs and share it with a fellow owner or next-gen leader.

_____

Are you a family business owner? Improve your business TODAY with our time tested and tailored solutions:

Visit our website to get started at www.AskMeridian.com

or call us at 817-594-0546

What happens when a family business faces a turning point no one saw coming? In this episode of Family Business Breakthroughs, host Jim Berner sits down with Gary Flynn, CEO and co-owner of M. Dumas & Sons—an iconic Charleston retailer with roots dating back to 1917.

When third-generation owner David Dumas developed a degenerative eye disease that left him blind, he was faced with a heart-wrenching decision: close the doors on his grandfather’s store or trust someone outside the family to carry the legacy forward. Enter Gary Flynn, whose experience at Nordstrom, Hugo Boss, and beyond prepared him to step into a family business with a last name that wasn’t his own.

Together, David and Gary forged a partnership built on trust, curiosity, and a relentless focus on customers. In this episode, Gary shares how he honored tradition while helping the business evolve, scaled operations beyond a single storefront, and stayed true to the family’s vision through every challenge.

Listeners will gain timeless lessons on:

• Building trust when leadership extends beyond bloodlines
• Balancing legacy with innovation
• The power of listening, learning, and staying curious

If you’ve ever wondered how to protect and grow a family legacy when circumstances force change, this conversation is filled with insights you won’t want to miss.

_____

Are you a family business owner? Improve your business TODAY with our time tested and tailored solutions:

Visit our website to get started at www.AskMeridian.com

or call us at 817-594-0546