Jim Erben publishes book on business succession planning

Erben Associates President Jim Erben has released Succession by Design, a new guide for privately held business owners on succession, continuity and financial preparation. The book goes on sale July 28, 2026, as more owners face pressure to plan for sales, retirements and unexpected leadership changes.

Why it matters: - Private business owners often delay succession planning until a sale, retirement or crisis forces decisions. - The book is aimed at helping owners protect business value, personal wealth and the people who rely on the company. - Succession planning can shape how much value is preserved during an ownership or leadership change.

What happened: - Erben Associates announced the publication of Succession by Design: How Visionary Leaders Prepare Their Organization for What's Next. - Jim Erben, president of Erben Associates, wrote the book. - The book is scheduled for hardcover and eBook release on July 28, 2026. - Mission Driven Press published the book and Simon & Schuster is distributing it. - More information is available at the book's website.

The details: - The book draws on more than 30 years of Erben’s work with privately held business owners. - It covers succession planning, business continuity and related financial planning. - The book addresses preparation for a company sale, a transfer to family members or employees, retirement, or an unexpected leadership change. - Topics include writing a succession plan, improving business value, aligning personal financial needs with an exit, building continuity and emergency operating plans, and coordinating advisors. - The book also examines the link between a business owner’s company planning and personal financial planning. - Erben introduces the “Happily Ever After Wealth Number,” a framework for estimating the personal wealth needed after leaving a business. - Succession by Design includes examples of succession and continuity challenges and planning considerations for owners at different stages of transition.

Between the lines: - Erben’s focus on succession planning was shaped in part by an early experience with a business owner who suffered a serious health crisis without a clear transition plan. - That situation underscored how the absence of a plan can affect a company, employees and an owner’s family. - The book reflects the same coordination-first approach Erben Associates uses with attorneys, CPAs, investment advisors and other professionals. - The message is clear: transition planning works best before an owner is under pressure.

What's next: - The book is now available in hardcover and eBook formats. - Erben Associates is positioning the book as a planning tool for owners who want to prepare before a transition becomes urgent. - The firm continues to focus on exit and succession planning for business owners and high-net-worth individuals.

The bottom line: - Succession by Design is designed to push privately held business owners to plan earlier, coordinate advisors and define both business and personal financial goals before a transition begins.