Daniel McCarthy @ Founder Succession World
Founder Succession is the single biggest value moment in a private company's life.
Your vision built something extraordinary.
But what got you here won't get you to the next level.I help founders protect value, build durable organisations, and create future optionality - without losing control, culture or momentum.
The Hidden Barriers to Value Transfer
Value is trapped in the founder.
Leadership depth remains unproven.
Cash flow and execution rely on heroics, not systems.Succession is not a role change. It's a value strategy
Ready to transform yourself from
Chief of Everything to
Chief of Vision?
The most successful Founders recognize a critical turning point, when their greatest strengths – driving innovation, inspiring teams, and spotting opportunities – start competing with the increasing demands of day-to-day operations.This isn't failure. It's a sign of success.Yet bringing in a CEO too soon can derail everything you've built.The key? A value-led succession plan well executed so that it preserves your vision while building the operational excellence needed for scale.This isn't about stepping aside – it's about stepping up to lead at a higher level.
How Value is Built (and Protected)
Stabilise and De-Risk
Build Transferable Value
Create Optionality
Reduce fragility and founder dependencyVisibility across people, performance, and cashOperating cadence, governance, and accountabilityTrust in leadership and financial realityReduced key-person and execution risk
Ensure the business works without the founder in the middleLeadership depth and decision ownershipRepeatable processes and disciplined executionPredictable revenue and margin qualityFounder shifts from operator to true Visionary
Put the founder back in control of their futureBusiness can scale, recapitalise, or exit without disruptionFounder moves into Visionary, Chair, or portfolio roleValue is no longer trapped in the founderDecisions are made from choice, not pressure
Each Phase deliberately reduces founder risk and increases transferable valueEOS is the Operating System. Value Acceleration is the Outcome.
Track Record of Outcomes
Stopped 7 years of 20% YoY decline and returned business to growth.Upgraded leadership and operational capability, whilst increasing margin.Prepared the way for industry CEO to join after 18 months.Doubled the size of the business globally.Allowed Founder to move to US and startup the US business using ANZ cashflows.Won Global Microsoft Partner of the Year in our category during COVID period.Reduced cash burn by 35%, improving capital efficiency and runway.Doubled new customer acquisition and repositioned Value Proposition.Re-Signed most significant customers, locking in 80% of revenue for 2+ years.
Testimonials
As a Founder and CEO of a business going through transition, I found Daniel’s insights and experience dealing with Founders incredibly refreshing. He helped me push my thinking, stress tested my ideas and enabled me to separate my role as Founder from my role as Manager. Daniel’s practical, honest and deep understanding of people, business and process made our working relationship easy and enjoyable. I would recommend him to any Founder.Richard Conway, Founder & CEO, PureSEO, Digital MarketingDaniel has been a strong yet calm guiding force for myself and my cofounder in our journey of handing over the reigns to a management team. His experience working with founders has been invaluable. He knows how to firmly keep the heat on to let go and trust while making sure we put in place good guard rails to prevent the business getting off track. He helped broker tension between myself and my cofounder to ensure one party did not derail. It is so good having someone who has been there and done it.Alan Henderson, Founder & CEO, Erskine+Owen, Property Investment & ManagementI was fortunate to be mentored by Daniel at a critical stage of our growth and maturity. I needed fresh thinking and perspective to understand my role and how to create a high-performance culture that didn’t rely on me, and Daniel provided great insight and direction. He has deep experience working with company founders and understands their unique challenges and opportunities. I highly recommend his services.Helen Mackay, Founder & CEO, Juno Legal, Professional Services
How I Work with Founders
ADVISOR
Board and Senior Level value stewardshipCONSULTANT
Targeted de-risking and capability buildingTRANSITION CEO / COO / PRESIDENT
Full accountability where value is most exposedI work with a small number of founders at a time to stay close to where value is at risk.
Meet an Expert in Founder Succession
Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA)Experienced EOS* IntegratorOperating under the EOS* framework with multiple FoundersPrivate Business Leader
as a succession and transition CEO.Global Strategy Advisor
across Europe, USA and AsiaPacGlobal Corporate Experience in the UK, USA and AsiaPac
*eosworldwide.com
Let's start a value-led conversation.Contact me for a free consultation on your succession journey.