Founders struggle to let go because the business is their identity, their community, and their sense of purpose, not just their livelihood. Understanding this is the first step. Disruptive Successor by Jonathan Goldhill addresses the psychological and practical dimensions of founder resistance, and outlines how successors can create the conditions that make letting go feel safe rather than threatening to the outgoing generation.
Jonathan Goldhill is a family business advisor, coach, and author of Disruptive Successor. He helps next-generation leaders and founders navigate succession, leadership transition, family conflict, professionalization, and growth. His work is shaped by his own family’s multigenerational apparel business, which, after eight decades of operation, did not successfully continue into the next generation. Through The Goldhill Group, Jonathan helps family businesses strengthen communication, develop future leaders, reduce dependence on the founder, and build companies that can thrive across generations.
