About

I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My father founded his automobile dealership in 1949. When he passed away prematurely in 1965, neither my brother nor I were prepared to take over the business. My mother sold his business after another year or two because it was too much for her to oversee. If I had known then what I know now, I would have advised her to consider other options that would have ensured the final years of her life were even more comfortable.

But more importantly, I would have advised my dad to put in place a comprehensive plan to ensure my mother benefited from the full value of the business legacy he had created and worked so hard for. 

My passion is helping family business owners realize their dreams—for themselves, for their families, for their employees and other stakeholders, and to retire successfully and comfortably. To do this, I coach them as they prepare for and exit the businesses they’ve built over so many years. The coaching process assists them in seeing options they may not have considered, as well as provides an independent third-party assessment of what is required to successfully transition out of their business.

For over 25 years, I’ve helped individuals and their businesses achieve phenomenal, enduring success. I’ve worked with businesses of all sizes in a variety of capacities—business strategist; management, marketing and sales consultant; sales, marketing, and systems development manager; intrapreneur (in-house entrepreneur); and systems designer; custom education solutions consultant; and educator.

I hold a Ph.D. in Executive Management from the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University and an M.S. in Mathematics from the University of Michigan. My AB degree in Mathematics is from Humboldt State University. I am a member of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics and the Association for Transpersonal Psychology.

My LinkedIn profile is https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldmccrea/.