OWL 717: Legacy Decision Making

Episode 338 of the Exit Coach Radio podcast, hosted by Exit Coach Bill Black, titled "OWL 717: Legacy Decision Making" was published on March 21, 2026 and runs 31 minutes.

March 21, 2026 ·31m · Exit Coach Radio

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Summary

Read the 5-minute summary for this episode and many others at owl.ceo. The OWL (Owner Wisdom Library) turns insights from more than 1,200 Exit Coach Radio interviews into short, practical lessons for business owners on growth, leadership, operations, and exit planning. Jim Immel, of Immel and Associates, is a succession coach who truly put his clients first. Having an extensive background in the insurance industry, Jim asks unique questions that other advisors may not consider. In his time working in the insurance industry, he found that his clients were more prepared for death than life. This spurred Jim to make the eventual shift into coaching, and he now helps people imagine and achieve their goals. In his interview, Jim talks about the importance of deeply understanding what his clients care about, and challenging the status quo. Knowing that the corner office can get lonely, Jim serves as sort of a business psychologist and helps business owners reflect on their past decisions in order to more strategically move into the future. He shares the value of listening and asking potent questions that facilitate a clients’ breakthrough. Jim also deciphers the phrase “key employee” and why they are critical to a successful succession plan. With over 40 years of experience, Jim has a huge collection of wisdom, and everyone can benefit from his expertise. 1 minute sections: 13:17-14:20: Talking about fight or flight thought mechanisms at play when speaking 14:53-14:54: Take them back before you take them forward - thinking about the biggest decision made 10 years ago and realizing how quickly that time went by 18:24-19:24: Talks about success in succession planning when able to retain talent/key employees 20:59-22:01: Distinguishing between key employee vs. critical employee - getting a better understanding of critical fixtures in business

Episode Description

Jim Immel, of Immel and Associates, is a succession coach who truly put his clients first. Having an extensive background in the insurance industry, Jim asks unique questions that other advisors may not consider. In his time working in the insurance industry, he found that his clients were more prepared for death than life. This spurred Jim to make the eventual shift into coaching, and he now helps people imagine and achieve their goals.

In his interview, Jim talks about the importance of deeply understanding what his clients care about, and challenging the status quo. Knowing that the corner office can get lonely, Jim serves as sort of a business psychologist and helps business owners reflect on their past decisions in order to more strategically move into the future. He shares the value of listening and asking potent questions that facilitate a clients’ breakthrough. Jim also deciphers the phrase “key employee” and why they are critical to a successful succession plan. With over 40 years of experience, Jim has a huge collection of wisdom, and everyone can benefit from his expertise.

1 minute sections:

13:17-14:20: Talking about fight or flight thought mechanisms at play when speaking
14:53-14:54: Take them back before you take them forward - thinking about the biggest decision made 10 years ago and realizing how quickly that time went by
18:24-19:24: Talks about success in succession planning when able to retain talent/key employees
20:59-22:01: Distinguishing between key employee vs. critical employee - getting a better understanding of critical fixtures in business