Straight answers to what owners ask before we work together.
What is key-person risk?
Key-person risk is the danger a business faces when critical knowledge, relationships, or decisions depend on one person, usually the owner. If that person is out for illness, vacation, or retirement, work slows or stops. It often goes unnoticed because the business runs well as long as that person keeps showing up.
What does Turnkey Operations do?
We help small businesses reduce their dependency on the founder and key employees. We observe how the business actually runs, document the processes and knowledge that live in people’s heads, and build playbooks your team and successors can use.
What does working together look like?
An Owner Dependency Review is a half-day or full-day visit onsite, followed by a short written summary. Documentation and Transition runs over several months. Ongoing Support offers regular check-ins as responsibility shifts. The initial review is a natural starting point.
Who is this for?
Established small businesses, especially in the trades and family-owned companies, where the owner is still involved in daily work. It suits owners planning a leadership transition or a sale, and owners who simply want to step back.
How long does it take?
The review takes a half day or a full day onsite, plus the written summary. Documentation takes several months, depending on the size of the business and how many roles are involved. We agree on the timeline before work begins.
How much does it cost?
Scope and fees are agreed in writing before work begins, and they depend on the size of your business and what you need. A free 20-minute call is the easiest way to find out what fits.
Is my business information kept confidential?
Yes. We treat everything we learn about your business as confidential, and we can sign a nondisclosure agreement before work starts.
Do I need to be selling or retiring to start?
No. The best time is well before you need it, because building a business that runs without its owner takes months. It also makes the business easier to sell, hand to family, or sell to employees, and it takes pressure off you now.
Do you help with succession planning?
Yes, on the operational side. Succession planning also involves legal, tax, and ownership decisions, which your attorney and financial advisor handle. We make sure the business is ready to be handed off by documenting how it runs and reducing its dependency on you, so a family member, employee group, or buyer can take over without chaos. We’re glad to work alongside your advisors.
What is key-person insurance, and is it enough?
Key-person insurance (also called key man or keyman insurance) is a policy a company holds on a critical person, usually life or disability coverage. If that person dies or can no longer work, the policy pays the company, which can help cover lost revenue, the cost of finding a replacement, or debt. Money doesn’t bring back what lived in that person’s head, though, so the two work best together. We don’t sell insurance, and a licensed insurance agent can tell you what coverage fits your business.
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