Why the Founder’s Transition Lab Isn’t Just Another CEO Peer Group
Most CEO peer groups are designed to help you run a better business. And if that’s what you need, there are excellent options out there—Vistage, EO and the many Family Business Center roundtables operating today.
I know this world well. For years, I’ve personally moderated family business roundtables through the Goering Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, helping owners navigate the unique opportunities and challenges that come with family enterprise.
But if you’re in the exit chapter—seriously considering a future without the business you’ve built—your needs are different. You’re not just refining operations or chasing growth targets. You’re navigating the complex, personal terrain of letting go.
That’s where the Founders Transition Lab (FTL) comes in.
We focus on your personal readiness.
The biggest reason founders get stuck isn’t a lack of buyers, succession plans, or operational readiness. It’s identity. Emotional attachment. Uncertainty about what comes next. We zero in on the human side of transition—because until you’re clear there, you’re unlikely to move forward anywhere else.
We’re built for the exit chapter.
Our members aren’t dabbling in “someday” scenarios. They’re actively preparing to leave their businesses. We guide you through the emotional, relational, and mindset work that makes a confident, regret-free exit possible.
We accelerate clarity and action.
Executive peer groups are ongoing, broad in scope, and valuable in their own right. But they’re not designed to get you out of limbo quickly. FTL is a concentrated, time-bound program. In a matter of months, you can answer questions you’ve been circling for years—and start acting on them.
We curate deep, relevant cohorts.
Our groups are small—six to eight members—non-competing, and matched by readiness stage and mindset. You’re surrounded by people who understand exactly what you’re wrestling with, because they’re wrestling with it too.
We integrate proven mindset and leadership frameworks.
As ICF-certified coaches trained in the Energy Leadership™ framework, we help members shift from Protective or Coping mindsets into an Empowered state so they can tackle the hard stuff with clarity and confidence.
We help you build a whole-life vision beyond the business.
While other groups may touch on personal goals, our primary outcome is a vision for your next chapter that is so compelling, you can’t wait to pursue it. It’s not just about stepping away—it’s about stepping into what’s next.
We leave you with practical, exit-ready outcomes.
You finish with a documented Readiness Roadmap that captures:
The issues you need to address.
Your plan for navigating these obstacles.
Your definition of success and the measures for monitoring progress.
Your vision, big-picture goals, and the steps you need to achieve them.
We build and track accountability leveraging the 90.io software—used by companies on the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)—but customized specifically for FTL. This is also where members access videos and related content to prepare for each monthly session.
If you’ve already taken the Founder’s Transition Readiness Assessment, you probably know where you stand. The question is—how long do you want to stay there?
You haven’t already taken the Founder’s Transition Readiness Assessment? Let’s take care of that right now.
