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You've been considering what it would take to exit the business you built. But you're not ready yet.
You're just ready for things to be different.
We help founders explore and build what comes next, without rushing the ending.
You're exit-curious. You don't want to burn it all down. But you don't want to give your whole life to your business anymore.
Maybe you're wondering:
- If I didn't have to run this business, would I?
- What role does this company need to play in my life now?
- Am I allowed to want something different?
- Will I matter when I'm no longer running the show?
These aren't tactical questions.
They're identity questions.
And they're exactly the ones you've been trained to avoid.
You built something out of nothing - with your vision, your time, your energy, your bank account, and your identity wrapped into every step.
You created jobs. Made payroll when it hurt. Landed clients with your bare hands. Skipped vacations, missed sleep, absorbed risk. Because that's what founders do.
And now the business works. You've won (at least for now).
But no one talks about why it's so hard to figure out what comes next.
We've been in your shoes. It can be agonizing. We wish we had a partner to help us see the path forward in our first three businesses.
You know that something gets to change, but you can't see the path clearly. It's more than analyzing numbers and making logical decisions.
You can't talk about it with your employees. It's tough to confide in a spouse or a family member. Friends don't understand. Business peers have their own agendas.
It's lonely. That's why we created Canoan Strategy.
The reality is that you have lots of options. But those options aren't always evident. We help you see those options, weigh those options, and stand by your side as you figure out what you want. We share the weight of the decision with you.
Research by the Exit Planning Institute indicates that 75% of business owners regret selling their business within a year of the transaction.
At some point, you want to exit the business. But is that exit now?
Maybe you still love parts of your business. Or you want to reprioritize your family and friends, but you're not ready to hang up your hat. And what in the world will you do if you aren't running your business?
Deciding what your next phase is for you and your business is tough. We'll work with you to evaluate all of your options so you can move forward with confidence.
We call it the Founder's Evolution Path - a process to clarify what you truly want, what the business needs to become, and what your life looks like beyond "the hustle."
Sometimes that leads to scaling.
Sometimes to succession.
Sometimes to a sale.
Sometimes...to something else entirely.
But it always leads to clarity - the kind that no spreadsheet and logical reasoning can give you.
It's easy to veer from the planned path. Things change. You second-guess yourself. Emotions take over.
That's why we stick with you. We are your unbiased guides that keep you on track.
If you decide you want to scale to the next level...we help you build that plan.
If you decide you want to sell...we help you get ready.
If you decide you want to evolve your role...we help you design that.
Our specialty is walking with you through the messy middle and maximizing the value and joy that your business can bring you.
"We struggled for years to figure out how to exit our 30+ year old business. The business was mostly strong, but we wanted to retire. Buyers weren't knocking on our door. Within a year of hiring Canoan Strategy, we grew revenue by 20%, increased our net margin from 12% to 40%, and found a buyer to continue the business. We thought we might have to wind down operations and take the cash in the bank, but in the end, we sold the business for substantially more than we ever thought we could...and our employees still had a home."
We're a husband-and-wife team who have spent years inside founder-led businesses (our own and others), building, operating, and selling them.
Canoan Strategy was founded because we kept meeting founders who were ready for the next phase, but were unsure of what to do next. As business owners ourselves, we struggled for years with this question, and we wish we would have had an unbiased adviser to help us.
This drove us to create the structure, tools, and thinking space that founders oftentimes don't know they need.
When we work with our clients, the only end-game in mind is getting you what you want and need. We come with questions, tools, and a genuine desire to help you build what frees you.
Kathleen has the rare ability to quickly cut through things standing in the way, but with exceptional empathy and compassion. She typically is the first person that you'll talk to and will work with you in the beginning stages of our partnership.
She started her career as a CPA at KPMG where she handled a variety of public and private clients in multiple industries.
In 2008, she bootstrapped her own marketing firm and grew it over the next 10 years before selling her shares to her business partner. During this time, she also co-owned fitness gyms and martial arts studios with her husband.
After leaving her marketing firm, she intensely studied emotional intelligence - more specifically the impact that it has on business and how to effectively coach business leaders. She's professionally coached and advised business leaders on growth, transformation, and exits since 2018.
Josh is talented in taking big-picture concepts and ideas and figuring out how to put them into action. He combines leadership experience, strong business acumen, and technical knowledge to make the ambiguous clear and structured. Josh is typically the one that will lead you through the detailed planning to get you where you want to go.
Josh's career has afforded him many diverse opportunities - enterprise sales, marketing leadership, retail management, and small business ownership. This diversity allows him to approach challenges from multiple angles and hone in on specific and creative solutions that may not be readily apparent.
Josh is experienced in creating growth plans and building revenue systems for small and medium-sized companies.
It means you’re open to change, but not sure what that looks like yet. Maybe you’re thinking about selling, stepping back, or just want something different. We help you explore every option, so you can move forward with confidence.
We start by listening to you. Through thoughtful conversations and practical tools, we help you uncover what matters most, address your concerns, and map out next steps—at your pace, with no pressure.
Nope. Many founders we work with aren’t ready to sell—they just want change. Whether you’re considering a sale, a new role, or a fresh direction, we help you figure out what’s right for you.
We work with founders of privately-held businesses, typically with annual revenue of $4M and above, who are involved with daily operations and can't just submit their two week notice.
We don't just help you make a decision and plan. We help you avoid costly wrong turns. Our clients gain clarity, save time, reduce stress, and often uncover or create new value in the business they've already built. For many, the return comes in the form of smarter decisions, faster progress, a better quality of life, and potentially higher payouts at the point of exit.
We put you first—not just your business. Our process is all about helping you avoid regret by exploring every option, understanding what matters most, and building a plan that’s truly yours. No one-size-fits-all answers.
All play important roles, but each one has a specific function and may have a bias (albeit unintended) on your next step. We look at the whole picture and support you in making the decisions that are best for you financially and emotionally. Then we build a specific plan to get you there...working with your trusted team of advisers or bringing the right partners to the table.
We are not licensed brokers. We are independent, unbiased advisers focused on helping you make the right decision for your goals. If selling is the outcome you choose, we have relationships with reputable brokers and are happy to facilitate the introduction and, if needed, support you through the process.
Let's talk. Request your free conversation to start moving forward.