Your Firm Shouldn't Own You.
But if it can't run without you, it does.
The Law Firm Steward is a weekly case file for founder-led firms that want to escape founder-dependency — and quietly build a business that can thrive without them.
If your firm depends on you, you're not running a business. You're trapped in a job — one that's well-paid, but exhausting.
And here's what no one tells you:
Firms that look valuable rarely sell. Founder-dependency kills optionality. And burnout creeps in long before you admit it.
Whether you plan to exit in 3 years or never plan to sell at all — you need a firm that holds value with or without you.
What You'll Get Inside:
- Why firms that look valuable get the lowest offers
- The $3M firm no one wanted - and the $1.5M firm that had buyers lined up
- How to reduce founder-dependency even if you never plan to sell
- How clarity, calm, and optionality are built long before a deal is on the table
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Written by Brian Zapf, CPA, CEPA - M&A Advisor and Strategic CFO to Law Firm Owners. 20+ years helping founders grow, transition, and exit.
