We Help Family Businesses Live Longer

Practical Strategies to Help You Overcome Challenges, Grow Your Business, and Exit When Ready

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Overcome Challenges
Exit When Ready
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FAMILY BUSINESS CAN BE HARD

Do any of these sound familiar?

  • Business decisions that should be simple become complicated because of the family history and relationships that are involved
  • It's time for the business leadership to transition to the next generation, but the current leaders aren't ready to let go
  • You have people in roles that are performing poorly but you find it difficult to give feedback and you can't consider terminating them because they're family
  • You're at a stalemate because part of the family wants the business to go in one direction while the rest of the family wants to go in another (or stay the same)
  • You're experiencing "regular business problems" like a drop in revenue, new competitors, changing markets, economic impacts - and it's all made more complicated and confusing because of family relationships

We can help!

Book a Call

Rob’s your guy if you have a family in conflict and you want to save the business

He can quickly get to the root cause of disruption in a family owned business. He brings focus to what should be driving decision making – often with his very first question: do you want to be a business first family or a family first business?

Rob is even-keeled when things get tough, or a situation is difficult. He always has the client’s best interests at heart, and he offers a calm and comforting presence. This work is personal to Rob, you’re not just a transaction, the relationship matters to him.

~ Alison Moss Comstock, Comstock Partners

Rob helped our company make a tremendous turnaround

I especially valued having someone to talk to who understood my industry. Rob was helpful for bouncing ideas and asking me questions to make me think instead of just giving me the answers.

Rob is gifted in communication skills, relationships, and business – and he’s not just “book smart” – he has experience running a $200 million company with 1,000s of employees.

Without Rob to help us overcome our weaknesses, the value of our 50-year-old company would have suffered.

Rob helped our company make a tremendous turnaround. Including changing us to a board run company, with outside members.

~ Randy Gilde, Delray Plants

The work was hard but worth it

Rob’s mentorship helped us weather some really hard times.

This is a tough business with low margins that are constantly being squeezed and high labor requirements with people not always available.

Others in our industry went under, we’re not sure we’d still be here if it hadn’t been for Rob.

~ Neil & Tommy Marek, Magnolia Gardens

READY TO GROW? TAKE YOUR FAMILY BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Are you seeing an opportunity to expand or grow? Need help with any of these:

  • Creating a strategic plan
  • Developing "next level" leadership or bringing in non-family leaders
  • Installing more sophisticated governance
  • Upgrading your financial management and reporting systems
  • Implementing more robust processes and better defined roles
  • Getting executive or management coaching
  • Conducting team behaviour assessments to create better alignment
  • Borrowing money for expansion or acquisition
Book a Call
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Since we started working together, profit has doubled each year

We use the systems and tools he taught us EVERY day. We measure everything. We use our mission and vision to obtain alignment throughout the organization.

Since we started working together, profit has doubled each year (and tripled in one particular year) – partially due to Rob’s impact.

What I appreciate most about Rob is his honesty and his unbiased perspective. It’s incredibly valuable to have an experienced business executive to help with day-to-day decision making. Rob points out things I don’t see and asks questions to help me focus.

~ Jeff Maxey, InsurMark

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TIME TO EXIT? WE CAN HELP WITH SUCCESSION OR SELLING

Is it time for ownership or leadership transition?

We offer assistance with:

  • Evaluating exit options (there are more than you think!)
  • Developing succession plans
  • Next generation leadership training and support
  • Business valuation and M&A intermediary services to help you sell all or part of your business
Book a Call

Thanks to Rob’s negotiation skills, we ended up selling our company for more than twice what we were originally offered.

Our business lawyer told us that “Rob was the best intermediary he ever worked with."

When I first hired Rob, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I wasn’t even sure what an intermediary is or what they do. Through the potential sale process, I quickly learned the importance and value of what a great intermediary can do.  He took much of the work off of our plates, so we were able to continue to successfully run our business while he worked the negotiations.

Thanks to Rob’s negotiation skills, we ended up selling our company for more than twice what we were originally offered.

~ Derek Sunderland, The Sunderland Group

MEET THE FERGUSON ALLIANCE

Seasoned family business leaders with deep industry experience.

BOOK A CALL

Focus on Results

Challenges can be overcome. When you're deep in the thick of the day-to-day its easy to get lost in the weeds. We offer a fresh perspective, new ideas and a focus on results.

Honesty and Candor

We’re known as straight shooters. Our only agenda is helping you get what you want. You can expect our unbiased perspective - delivered in a tactful and diplomatic way.

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Deep Experience

Our advisors know how to run a business – because we’ve done it ourselves. We bring practical knowledge gained through years of hands-on experience.

Network Synergy

We are a true alliance - your partners in success. Our associates come together as a team to support you. We work with a network of high quality, trusted service providers.

OUR STATISTICS

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Completed Projects
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Years Average Client Tenure
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$
Million in Client Value Growth
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+
Years in Business

On average, $1 invested in Alliance fees = $9 in value growth*

Tom Anderson's expertise in finance, accounting, and compliance was invaluable.

We engaged Ferguson Alliance to help us with succession planning.

Our goal was to develop a comprehensive framework and infrastructure that would set a solid foundation for a successful future transition from father to son.

Tom Anderson's expertise in finance, accounting, and compliance was invaluable. He has been there every step of the way, providing support to help us build a robust financial platform for our succession plans.

Tom was pivotal in our search for the right accounting firm. He controlled and guided the meetings to ensure we met our outcomes and made sure that the deliverables were crystal clear. He knew exactly what questions to ask and how to evaluate the various value propositions to get the best return on our investment.

His experience as a seasoned business executive shone through in every interaction. He has a cool, calm, professional demeanor – along with deep knowledge and wisdom. He understands not just the technical aspects of business but also the human element and how to motivate people.

The insights I’ve gained from Tom’s business thinking are already making me view our business transactions in a new light. I find myself applying more common-sense analysis and sharper business acumen in my day-to-day decision-making.

I look forward to continuing to learn from Tom and Rob as we move into the next phase of our work together.

~Juan Silva, DEPCO Power Systems

Prosperity Plan Ebook

Tired of working too hard for too little? Register below for instant access

The Prosperity Plan

The process we use to help our clients overcome their challenges and create a prosperous business

  • The first and most important decision you need to make if you want business growth & prosperity

  • The three pillars that make prosperity inevitable and can sustain an infinite legacy

  • How to escape the hamster wheel of "working to hard for too little" and get your business into the "Prosperity Zone"

LATEST ARTICLES TO HELP YOU SUCCEED WITH YOUR FAMILY BUSINESS

Why Leadership Matters
By Rob Ferguson | April 16, 2024

Why Leadership Matters in Your Family Business

The quality of your leadership impacts everything in your family business. Here are some insights to help you develop better leadership in your company.

Read More...
By Ferguson Alliance | April 9, 2024

6 Ideas for Extending the Lifespan of Your Family Business

Organizational longevity is usually a pretty good measure of success in the business world. It speaks of resilience, adaptability – and the ability to weather storms in an ever-changing economic landscape.

Read More...
By Tom Anderson | April 2, 2024

Financial Fundamentals for Family Businesses: A Simple Guide

Financial capital is the lifeblood of every family enterprise, just like any other business. And to guarantee the progress and longevity of your family business, it is crucial to maintain healthy financial fundamentals over the longer period of time. Here’s what you need to know.

Read More...
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