#03 - No a Happy Ending... But Maybe a Salvation

In this candid conversation, I sit down with Mitch Sowards, who sold his 30-year-old IT services firm and transitioned to executive coaching. Mitch shares the unvarnished reality of business succession - from navigating partner dynamics and valuation surprises to the difficult decision of finding the right buyer.

Beyond the transaction itself, this episode explores critical coaching lessons: the importance of involving your leadership team in major decisions, the paradox of transparency versus confidentiality during a sale, and how introversion can limit a leader's ability to gather unfiltered feedback from employees.

Mitch reflects on the cultural due diligence that should precede any merger, the inevitable disappointment that comes with business sales, and a surprising silver lining; how dispersed employees carried his legacy forward in unexpected ways.

Whether you're a business owner contemplating a sale, a leader navigating organizational change, or a coach supporting clients through major transitions, this episode offers practical wisdom on decision-making, communication, and the human cost of business transformation.

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Learn more about coaching, mentoring, and human–AI collaboration in Michael Hoffman’s book: The Power of Coaching and Mentoring: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C28S43G5?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_FJSXJ63FPQA26258WQJC

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