Ever felt like the transition timeline is moving impossibly slow—while your career clock is

ticking fast?

AJ Treleven (EVP, Sprague Pest Solutions) walks us through the governance backbone of a century-old family enterprise: outside directors to buffer family from operations, a two-meeting cadence that separates fiduciary work from family dynamics, and a long-view philosophy that treats roles as stewarded “seats,” not permanent thrones. We dig into next-gen readiness, why “happiness is dictated by expectation,” and the underrated power of choosing to be in the business—rather than feeling forced.

You’ll learn:

• How family governance (annual family meetings + owner education) pairs with business governance (outside board, comp committee) to reduce friction.
• The two-meeting system: unit holder (fiduciary) vs. family meeting (relationships/learning).
• Why stewardship > ownership: leave the seat better, and measure leaders by the people they promote.
• The “nose in, fingers out” model for elder generations (grandparent the business).
• The mindset shift: choose to be there; align expectations or expect resentment.
• Personal growth math: if the business grows 10%, grow yourself 11%.
• 
  

Connect with AJ Treleven:

Sprague Pest Solutions — https://www.spraguepest.com/

Pacific Family Business Institute — https://www.pacificfamilybusiness.com/

Connect with Andrea Carpenter and Your NextGen Friend:

Website: https://yournextgenfriend.com/

Your Next Gen Friend on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yournextgenfriend/

Your Next Gen Friend on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournextgenfriend

Andrea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreashaver/

Subscribe to "Your Next Gen Friend" on your favorite podcast player:

Spotify: https://yournextgenfriend.com/open-spotify

Apple Podcasts: https://yournextgenfriend.com/apple-podcast

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

This solo episode is a little different. Andrea shares her personal answers to the three reflective questions she now asks every guest on the podcast—designed to move us through past, present, and future.

✨ Questions explored in this episode:

1. What have I chosen not to inherit?
2. What’s a part of my story that I’m learning to honor right now?
3. In one word, what am I the first of in my family?

Andrea opens up about letting go of the belief that success requires sacrificing family time, redefining what it means to be entrepreneurial, and stepping into the vulnerable role of being the “first” to go public about family, identity, and legacy.

If you’re a next gen navigating the tension of privilege, pressure, and possibility—this episode is for you.

👉 Leave a review, share this episode with a friend, and join Andrea on LinkedIn or Instagram (@yournextgenfriend) to keep the conversation going.

Connect with Andrea Carpenter and Your Next Gen Friend:

• Website: https://yournextgenfriend.com/
• Your Next Gen Friend on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yournextgenfriend/
• Your Next Gen Friend on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournextgenfriend
• Andrea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreashaver/

Subscribe to "Your Next Gen Friend" on your favorite podcast player:

• Spotify: https://yournextgenfriend.com/open-spotify
• Apple Podcasts: https://yournextgenfriend.com/apple-podcast

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

What if stepping into family business leadership meant putting on someone else’s suit every day—literally and figuratively?

In this episode, Andrea sits down with sixth-generation CEO Anne Bauer, who shares how trying to lead like her dad left her feeling disconnected and creatively stuck. Anne opens up about the moment she realized she needed to stop copying and start leading authentically—and how that shift changed everything.

We explore Anne’s Three Pillars of Legacy framework—clear communication, healthy boundaries, and energetic awareness—and how energy work can transform how we show up inside family systems. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to preserve legacy while losing yourself in the process, this one’s for you.

• Anne’s unexpected leap from “just helping out” to leading her family’s sixth-gen business
• What it feels like to lead in someone else’s shoes—and how to shed the “executive dude suit”
• Navigating sibling transitions across ranching, citrus, and aviation companies
• Her Three Pillars of Legacy—and why energy work matters more than you think
• The difference between being a steward and tying your identity to the business
• How to lead while raising the next generation—and why you don’t have to inherit what doesn’t serve you

Website: https://thelegacyevolution.com/

Free resources: Quarterly magazine, blog, podcast, and more.

Spotify: https://yournextgenfriend.com/open-spotify

Apple Podcasts: https://yournextgenfriend.com/apple-podcast

Spotify: https://yournextgenfriend.com/open-spotify

Apple Podcasts: https://yournextgenfriend.com/apple-podcast

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

00:00 Introduction: Meet Anne Bauer, Sixth-Generation CEO

01:27 Anne’s Unexpected Path into Family Business

06:34 The Difficult Conversations That Made Transition Possible

08:52 Wearing the “Little Executive Dude Suit” - The Authenticity Challenge

13:42 What Support Could Have Changed Everything

15:01 Sibling Dynamics and Multiple Business Transitions

19:18 From Coaching Herself to Helping Other Family Businesses

24:29 The Three Pillars of Legacy Framework

28:58 Getting Started with Energetic Awareness

35:50 Rapid Fire: What Haven’t You Inherited?

38:12 Learning to Honor Your Story While Leading

39:33 Being the First: Building Bridges Between Past and Future