Growing and Scaling the Business to Create a Self-Managing Company

By Brian Baum, CEPA®, CFP®

Scaling a family-owned business is more than just increasing revenue or expanding operations—it’s about creating a structure that allows the business to grow while maintaining the core values and vision that made it successful in the first place. As a family-owned business ourselves, we understand the unique challenges that come with growth, from balancing leadership roles across generations to developing systems that support long-term success.

At Interchange Capital Partners, we specialize in business consulting for family-owned businesses, helping owners develop the strategies, habits, and frameworks needed to transition from working in the business to working on it. Growth without structure can create inefficiencies, but with the right processes in place, a business can scale while maintaining clarity, direction, and long-term sustainability.

Establishing Business Policies and Procedures

Your team needs to make high-level decisions and steer the company toward a clear vision for the future. Part of the framework guiding your team toward the vision is your policies, procedures, and operating structure. These should be clearly defined and well documented for executives, managers, and employees alike to reference when making a decision on behalf of the company. Once the team is enabled to make smart decisions oriented toward the business’s future, the company begins operating in a different manner. 

Developing 10 Habits in 10 Quarters

Developing strong habits is the backbone of your business’s culture and ability to replicate successes. When growing and scaling a business, it’s important to assess what habits are present within the organization. At Interchange, we implement a strong system of habits by focusing on one of 10 core Rockefeller Habits each quarter for 10 quarters. 

By developing one key habit over three months, the entire team gets accustomed to aligning with these habits consistently. We use our custom Alignment Checklist to outline certain tasks to guide you toward developing those 10 habits. 

Reflect on which of these 10 habits are currently thriving within your company and which need immediate attention. Rotate through them as needed to make these habits present and relevant throughout the company:

1. The executive team is healthy and aligned

2. Everyone is aligned with the number one thing that needs to be accomplished this quarter to move the company forward

3. Communication rhythm is established and information moves through the organization quickly

4. Every facet of the organization has a person assigned with accountability for ensuring goals are met

5. Ongoing employee input is collected to identify obstacles and opportunities

6. Reporting and analysis of customer feedback data is as frequent and accurate as financial data

7. Core values and purpose are “alive” in the organization

8. Employees can articulate the key components of the company’s strategy accurately

9. All employees can answer quantitatively whether they had a good day or week

10. The company's plans and performance are visible to everyone 

Accelerating Communications

Looking back on how our journey started, the first habit we chose to focus on at Interchange was establishing a communication rhythm and moving information through the company with speed and accuracy. It’s been one of the best things we’ve ever done and has helped us grow and scale exponentially. Communication rhythm may look different depending on the needs of your business, but we’ve found this cadence works well for our organization: 

• Daily huddles Tuesday through Friday

• Weekly meetings across all teams

• Monthly meetings for DNA transfers and addressing big issues

• Monthly learning days for executives and middle managers

• Quarterly and annual off-site meetings for executives and middle managers

Establishing solid pathways for knowledge, concepts, and visions to travel throughout the company creates a more cohesive team. 

One-Page Strategic Plan

Over the past three years, we’ve consistently built out a one-page strategic plan to guide our path as we seek to execute goals, live our core values, and embody our purpose. We update our strategic plan each quarter. Our strategic plan is a living document encouraging our team to pursue the actionable priorities for each of their roles. 

Many companies rely on an annual plan, but the flexibility of a quarterly plan allows your team to be nimble in response to changing environments and shift priorities when needed. 

Grow and Scale Your Family-Owned Business

Growing a family-owned business into a self-managing company requires more than just hiring the right people—it involves creating a culture of accountability, clear communication, and strategic decision-making at every level of the organization. When business systems align with long-term goals, owners can focus on higher-level leadership while empowering their teams to drive daily operations.

At Interchange Capital Partners, we work alongside family business owners to develop the right strategies, structures, and habits to scale effectively. If you’re ready to take the next step in growing your business while maintaining alignment with your family’s goals, we’re here to help. Contact us at team@interchangecp.com or call 412-307-4230 to schedule an introductory conversation.

About Brian

Brian Baum is the CEO & President of Interchange Capital Partners, where he leads the development of innovative strategies tailored to the unique needs of private and multi-generational companies. Early in his career, Brian conducted over 1,000 interviews with CEOs, Presidents, and Chairmen of privately held companies, uncovering a critical insight: the larger the company, the more likely the owners were to struggle with complex family, business, and ownership dynamics. Even more striking was the realization that many of these business leaders were unaware of these complexities and the sophisticated level of advice needed to effectively navigate them.

Armed with this understanding, Brian has been instrumental in reshaping Interchange’s focus, aligning its services with the lifecycle of generational transitions. His approach provides owners with expert guidance through the critical phases before, during, and after an ownership change, addressing both the immediate needs and the long-term vision of the business and family. Under Brian’s leadership, Interchange has become a leading resource for business owners seeking to solve intricate challenges and create lasting value.

Brian's vision extends beyond traditional financial advice; he positions Interchange as a family business advisory firm, recognizing the interconnectedness of family and business in creating enduring success. His leadership is not only about working to optimize financial outcomes but also about enhancing the overall well-being of the families he serves. Interchange’s work involves coordinating all aspects of a family's financial, business, and ownership strategies, akin to managing an outsourced family office, ensuring that no aspect is overlooked.

Brian’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts from Penn State University, where he majored in Psychology and minored in Business. He is also a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®).

Outside of work, Brian enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Natalie, and their two daughters, Quinn and Blair. He is an avid golfer and enjoys the occasional scotch and cigar. To learn more about Brian, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Interchange Capital Partners, LLC, (“INTERCHANGE CAPITAL PARTNERS”) is a registered investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission providing investment advisory and financial planning services. Any reference to the terms “registered investment adviser” or “registered” does not imply that INTERCHANGE CAPITAL PARTNERS or any person associated with INTERCHANGE CAPITAL PARTNERS has achieved a certain level of skill or training. A copy of INTERCHANGE CAPITAL PARTNERS’s current written disclosure (ADV 2A Firm Brochure) discussing our advisory services and fees is available for your review upon request. INTERCHANGE CAPITAL PARTNERS, in addition to providing investment advisory and financial planning services, provides business consulting services. In connection with its business consulting services, INTERCHANGE CAPITAL PARTNERS does not provide tax or legal advice. INTERCHANGE CAPITAL PARTNERS does not provide investment advice prior to entering into an investment management agreement.

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