Helping Family Businesses Thrive Across Generations
Stephen Shortt is a family business coach, strategist and speaker. He helps owners and next-generation leaders plan succession, develop strong leaders, strengthen family communication, and build businesses that last.
Stephen Shortt
Founder of Successful Succession
of family firms fail before Gen 2
countries spoken in
of businesses are family-owned
The Positioning
"Blood is thicker than water, but it boils quicker."
Most family businesses don't fail because of strategy, market conditions, or competition. They fail because families can't navigate the conversations that matter most - about identity, legacy, trust, and letting go.
The technical side of succession - tax, governance, ownership - is well-served. What's missing is someone who understands the human side.
Strategic planning meets emotional intelligence. That's what Stephen works on.
Succession isn't a business problem. It's a people problem.
Stephen Shortt
How Stephen Works With Family Businesses
Speaking, Consulting & Academy
Speaking
Keynotes That Make Family Business Leaders Think, Laugh & Act
Keynotes and workshops for conferences, family business associations, corporate events, and EOS/leadership gatherings. Stephen's flagship talk has been delivered across four continents.
Consulting
Private Family Deep Dives & Ongoing Coaching
Private Family Deep Dives, leadership coaching, and personality profiling for family business teams. Hands-on facilitation that helps families align around a shared vision.
Academy
The NextGENtrepreneur Academy
A structured 10-week cohort programme for next-generation family business leaders. Build the skills, mindset, and peer network to step into leadership with confidence.
Free Diagnostic Tool
How Ready Is Your Family Business for Succession - Really?
Most families think they're more aligned than they are. The Succession Readiness Scorecard reveals the gaps - from both sides of the generational conversation.
You complete your side
Answer 22 questions from your perspective in under 10 minutes.
Share with the other generation
A unique link is created for them to complete theirs.
See where the gaps are
A shared dashboard shows where you're aligned and where the real work is needed.
The gap is where the conversation needs to happen.
The Book - Coming 2027
Build a Killer Family Business, Without Killing Your Family
The book that brings together everything Stephen has learned from a lifetime inside family businesses - as a next-generation leader, as a founder, and as the person families call when the conversations get hard. A practical, honest guide to succession, leadership, and keeping the family intact through it all.
Flagship Keynote
Build a Killer Family Business, Without Killing Your Family
Stephen shares the lessons from a lifetime in family enterprises - the successes, the struggles, and the occasional fireworks around the dinner table.
How to plan succession while protecting family relationships
Communication strategies to bridge generational divides
Frameworks to prepare and empower next-generation leaders
Built around The 5 Ps of Successful Succession
The 5 Ps of Successful Succession
The Framework, Unpacked
Purpose
Define the family's shared mission and vision.
Pick
Identify the right leaders for the next generation.
Prepare
Develop skills, experience, and readiness.
Promote
Transition leadership with clarity and confidence.
Patience
Allow time for the transition to take root.
What People Say
From the People Who've Heard Stephen Speak
"I think he's a lovely boy…"
Marie Shortt
Stephen's Mum
About Stephen
A Lifetime in Family Business
Stephen Shortt grew up in two family businesses, bought both from his parents, expanded them internationally, and still works with his parents today. He's lived every stage of the succession journey - the breakthroughs and the breakdowns.
Today he works with family businesses around the world as a facilitator, strategist, and coach, helping them navigate succession, strengthen communication, and build harmony across generations.