The Role of Human Capital in Successful Business Exits, with Steve Keck and Maria Forbes (The Exit Exchange, Episode 24)
In this episode of The Exit Exchange, host John Ray sits down with experts Steve Keck, President of Span the Chasm, and Maria Forbes, President and Founder of FIREPOWER Teams, to discuss the significance of human capital in planning for business exits. Steve and Maria, both members of XPX Atlanta, delve into how understanding and optimizing human capital can impact the exit process. They offer insights into how cultural data and human performance science are vital in preparing a business for sale, highlighting the importance of addressing owner dependency and role clarity within organizations. The discussion emphasizes the collaboration of financial and human capital assessments to enhance business value and address potential buyer needs, ultimately improving both financial outcomes and overall satisfaction with the exit process.
The host of The Exit Exchange is John Ray, and the show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®. John Ray is a Gold Sponsor of XPX Atlanta.
Maria Forbes, FIREPOWER Teams
Maria Forbes is the Founder and President of FIREPOWER Teams. Maria’s thirty-year consulting career serves privately held business owners in financial services and related fields across the U.S. Our mission is to integrate financial capital with human capital in planning for organizational growth and continuity. Maria’s work frames the long-term trajectory of business growth and succession through people-powered structures that enable an ongoing positive impact of talent through all business life cycles.
Maria and her teams provide expertise in expanding internal capacity through creative alignment of human values, making it possible for owners and key decision-makers to lead both their people and their businesses confidently toward the future. As a committed strategic partner to her clients, Maria makes visible the arrangement of human strengths as part of an innovative business strategy. This work optimizes organizational performance and builds transferable value as owners look toward a role transition and business succession.
Maria conducts a summer mentor program for college graduates and seasoned professionals who are navigating career transitions. The mentor process develops personal advantage in the career marketplace and fosters confidence in communicating the best roles for a successful new career.
Maria is a Kolbe Certified Consultant, Faculty member of The Life Transitions University™, mentor, and member of the Catholic Charities Atlanta Georgia Leadership Program.
Steve Keck, Span the Chasm
Steve Keck is the President of Span the Chasm, a company that uses a cultural data science methodology to integrate people data and data science for executive talent management, team alignment, and sales execution strategy development. Since December 2018, he has led efforts in team assessments, talent management, sales training, and executive coaching for high-growth companies. In addition to his role at Span the Chasm, Steve serves as Chief Revenue Officer at BoltCare, where he manages go-to-market strategy and sales initiatives.
He has also held leadership roles such as Chief Growth Officer at zPaper and Chief Navigation Officer at SRCC, focusing on aligning departments for growth and helping business owners implement ideas effectively. Earlier in his career, Steve was a Senior Training Architect at Payscape, designing sales training programs and managing learning systems. He has extensive experience in banking, having managed branches and business development at institutions like PNC, SunTrust Bank, and Atlantic States Bank.
A Georgia Tech graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Management and Finance, Steve is certified in BestWork Data Assessment and Salesforce, among other credentials. He combines expertise in sales strategy, talent optimization, and executive coaching to drive sustainable business growth and improve sales team performance.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Introduction and Show Overview
02:00 Meet the Guests: Steve Keck and Maria Forbes
02:17 Understanding Human Capital in Exit Planning
04:35 Identifying Company Shortfalls and Owner Dependency
10:42 The Role of Data in Team Dynamics
18:10 Engagement Process and Strategic Goals
22:43 The Importance of Human Capital in Business Succession
23:58 Defining Culture, Management, and Environment
26:27 The Real Meaning of Alignment and Optimization
28:28 ROI and the Impact on Business Exits
33:30 The Role of Human Capital in Due Diligence
39:45 The Emotional Transition from Business Owner to CEO
41:48 The Value of Collaboration in XPX Atlanta
43:56 Conclusion and Contact Information
The Exit Planning Exchange Atlanta
The Exit Planning Exchange Atlanta (XPX) is a diverse group of professionals with a common goal: working collaboratively to assist business owners with a sale or business transition. XPX Atlanta is an association of advisors who provide professionalism, principles, and education to the heart of the middle market.
Their members work with business owners through all stages of the private company life cycle: business value growth, business value transfer, and owner life and legacy. Their vision: to fundamentally change the trajectory of exit planning services in the Southeast United States. XPX Atlanta delivers a collaboration-based networking exchange with broad representation of exit planning competencies. Learn more about XPX Atlanta and why you should consider joining our community by following this link.
The host of The Exit Exchange is John Ray, and the show is produced by North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®, in Alpharetta. The show archive can be found by following this link.
John Ray is a Gold Sponsor of XPX Atlanta.
