The company is becoming liquid wealth.
You need a plan before deal terms dictate the tax, estate, and investment decisions.
Independent planning · Chicago
Decisions that cross the business and personal line.
We advise owners before, during, and after a major transition—when company decisions and family decisions become the same decision.
Good fitOwners within five years of a sale, succession, recapitalization, or leadership transition.
Who we serve
Complexity with a deadline.
Family and leadership are changing together.
Succession affects ownership, compensation, governance, and relationships at once.
Your advisers are each solving one piece.
We build the shared decision map across legal, tax, banking, risk, and investment work.
The work
Planning before products.
Every engagement begins with decisions, responsibilities, and timing. Investment management is available when it belongs in that plan.
Anonymized case notes
Context before outcome.
These composite examples illustrate our process. They are not client testimonials or promises of results.
Manufacturing succession
- Context
- Two siblings, one operating company, uneven family participation.
- Work
- Governance map, liquidity scenarios, estate coordination.
- Result
- A shared decision sequence adopted before negotiations.
Founder recapitalization
- Context
- Minority sale with concentrated post-close wealth.
- Work
- Proceeds policy, tax reserve, risk transfer, family education.
- Result
- Roles and investment policy established before closing.
Partner transition
- Context
- One partner retiring; one acquiring over four years.
- Work
- Cash-flow modeling and coordinated insurance review.
- Result
- Agreed funding path and annual review checkpoints.
Engagement
Three deliberate stages.
No transfer paperwork in the first meeting. We begin by deciding whether the problem and relationship fit.
Fit conversation
Forty-five minutes to understand the transition, timing, current advisers, and unanswered questions.
Decision map
A fixed-fee project that organizes priorities, dependencies, owners, and next actions.
Ongoing counsel
Quarterly coordination and investment work when both sides agree it adds value.
The team
Small enough to stay in the room.
Every client works with a principal. Specialist legal and tax work remains with your chosen professionals.
Nadia Brooks, CFP®
Principal · transition and family planning
18 years advising closely held business ownersElliot Park, CFA
Principal · investment counsel
Portfolio policy and post-liquidity implementationStart here
A first conversation, not a funnel.
Tell us the transition, approximate timing, and who is already advising you. Do not send account statements or confidential deal documents by email.
Request an introductionPlanning projectFixed fees generally $12,000–$30,000 after scope
Ongoing counselAnnual retainer or advisory fee, disclosed before engagement
OfficeChicago · meetings by appointment