Navigating a generational leadership transition
Josh Stahl |
President, Reviva
Summit
Summary:
The Challenge
Transition a family business from second- to third-generation leadership
The Work
Listen more closely, work on yourself and not just your business, and weigh every angle before moving forward
The Results
A smooth leader ship transition and strengthened family bonds
CO2 helped me successfully navigate a generational transition to become the CEO of the family business and consolidate ownership from my siblings. Best of all, we have a great relationship now.
Josh Stahl |
President, Reviva
The challenge
Josh sought a resource to help him navigate the transition from the second to the third generation of leadership in his family’s manufacturing business. The existing ownership structure—dispersed among his siblings—wasn’t only inefficient from a business perspective, it was causing strain in his familial relationships.
Though Josh was already involved in a CEO peer group, he knew that he needed more consistent, one-on-one time to work through these challenges. A trusted friend referred him to CO2 Coaching, where he was paired with Managing Partner and Coach, Gary B. Cohen.
The work
Josh describes Gary’s coaching style as structured yet even-keeled. His attentiveness during their coaching sessions and the ease of conversation between them made the process smooth—even when Josh had to make tough decisions at forks in the road.
Gary helped Josh clearly visualize the pros and cons that lay ahead of him, always keeping in mind Josh’s end goal for his business. This helped Josh make decisions based on his ultimate, most important goals, with the confidence of knowing he’d weighed all sides before acting.
By putting his trust in the process, Josh became a better listener, a healthier leader, and forged a stronger connection with his family.
The results
While working with CO2, Josh successfully transitioned into his new role as the third-generation leader of Reviva. And maybe more importantly, he was able to consolidate ownership from his siblings while strengthening the relationships between them.
The biggest surprise for Josh on his ascent with CO2 was discovering how much his personal life played a role in the success of his business. During his time with Gary, Josh poured a lot of energy and focus into his personal wellness—and quickly learned how intertwined business and self really are. By putting his trust in the process, Josh became a better listener, a healthier leader, and forged a stronger connection with his family
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There’s an old expression: Those who can’t do, teach. My partner and I encountered a lot of coaches like that, but that’s not the case at CO2. We wanted someone who had experience scaling a business and had also been in a partnership. It was a tall order, but Gary was a great fit.”