The most rewarding and successful succession plans are those that are started several
years in advance of the projected business transition and therefore, implementation should be viewed as a process versus a one-time event. Whether the planned exit is 6 months or 15 years from now, an owner needs to be proactive. The more time that a business owner has to create and implement the succession plan, the greater the opportunities will be to maximize the business value, eliminate emotionally charged family issues, minimize tax liabilities, and avoid key employee turnover.