Succession vs Selling: Navigating an Owner’s Journey

This roundtable discussion will cover lessons learned in transitioning a business, with Bill Smith and Karla Aaron, owners who sold their respective companies in 2020, and hosted by Troy Roberts (CEO, Beanstalk Collaborative Community Wealth, LLC). The event will discuss Bill’s and Karla’s exit experiences at a pragmatic level with time allocated for Q&A.

Troy Roberts (CEO, Beanstalk CCW, LLC; Former President/COO, Aida America Corporation) has 35 years of experience in start-up, turnaround and rapid growth environments exclusively in manufacturing. At Aida America, Troy oversaw a $200+ million manufacturer of metalforming equipment servicing automotive, electronics and industrial parts manufacturers. Troy graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1983 with a dual BBA in Accounting and Finance, obtained Certified Public Accountant (Ohio).

Bill Smith (Co-Founder, Beanstalk CCW, LLC; Former Co-CEO and Chairman of the Board of Termax Corporation) has over 30 years of experience in finance, financial consulting, mergers and acquisitions and leadership, including 21 years at Termax, a manufacturer of engineered fasteners primarily for the automotive industry. Bill grew Termax from a $3 million family-owned company, to a $95 million mid-level automotive leader. In June 2020, Bill sold Termax to Lisi Corporation. He is a member of the Federal Reserve Board, Manufacturing Council and has been a member of the board of the International Council of Sheet Metal Producers (ICOSPA).

Karla Aaron (CEO of Aaron Consulting Group, Former President and Owner of Hialeah Metal Spinning) has over 30 years’ experience in the metalforming industry, working at Hialeah Metal Spinning (HMS), a company specializing in CNC metal spinning and precision deep drawing for the aerospace, medical, and appliance industries. Ms. Aaron sold her business in July of 2020. Karla is CEO and founder of Aaron Consulting Group, assisting small manufacturing companies with assessing, identifying,  and executing a successful exit strategy.