Hi Adrian. Yes, very happy to share my thoughts on this subject. I will get back to you later this week after the dust has settled from a busier than expected Monday!

I read an interview in the FT last year with Johnnie Boden, the owner of the eponymous clothing brand. One thing I read stuck with me. It was "the critical importance of hiring the right people." I totally agree with his comment that "spending those extra few hours interviewing and really digging deep into that person is so important, because if you get the wrong person they can destroy you." That may sound dramatic but it is true, especially in a small business like mine. On more than one occasion over the past 28 years as a business-owner, I have experienced the feeling of having the ship sunk from within by an employee. In those situations, if you don't act fast, it could spell disaster. Just as it is important to hire the right people in the first place, it is vital to put in place a robust succession plan for your business. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have family members to carry on the business but then again, be careful what you wish for. Just ask Rupert Murdoch! So, who should you trust to run your business as you step back and how do you slowly hand over the reigns without it affecting your own high standards or creating risk to the business and your clients? If you find out please let me know, but here are a few things I have learnt: * First and foremost you must have complete trust in your successor. If you cannot trust them 100%, they are not a suitable successor. * Your successor must be able to transition from thinking as an employee to being a business owner by becoming a custodian of the business, living and breathing the values you stand for and striving for excellence and improvement in everything they do. * Your successor must share your work ethic and have a business first attitude that seeks to secure the long-term future of the business. * They must have a positive attitude which brings professionalism, positivity and energy to the business. * They must be able to develop, manage and sustain client relationships with integrity and intelligence and seek to become the 'go to' person for your clients.