TZL podcast: Will Swearingen on strategy and ownership transition

May 06, 2021

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We recently sat down with Will Swearingen, Director of Ownership Transition at Zweig Group. Known as “the leading research, publishing, and advisory services resource for design firms in the AEC industry,” Zweig Group offers a comprehensive suite of products and services, from newsletters and market research reports to management consulting and events such as the Elevate AEC Conference. Listen in as Will discusses the latest things happening in the design industry as of March 2021, where lockdowns persist across the U.S., and remote work is part of the new normal. Will peels the curtain back on how leadership in firms big and small are planning out their next steps in the face of continued uncertainty. He also discusses how company owners can take these insights to prime their businesses for success, whether they are committed to their firm for the long run or intend to prepare for a graceful exit. All of this and more on this episode of The Zweig Letter podcast. In this Episode:

<05:10> The talent retention problem: “How do we keep our people?”
<08:17> Planning for an exit and communicating to the team to inspire them to take ownership
<18:41> An example of a successful transition by one of Zweig Group’s clients
<22:52> ESOPs as a vehicle for the evolution of ownership in the design industry
<29:04> Why it’s never too early to seek counsel regarding ownership transition
<33:15> Takeaways from Zweig’s Elevate AEC Conference
<38:34> Why your replacement does not have to be a replica of yourself

Get in Touch with Will Swearingen: Will Swearingen on LinkedIn Email Will! Get your FREE Subscription to the Zweig Letter Newsletter.

About Zweig Group

Zweig Group, three times on the Inc. 500/5000 list, is the industry leader and premiere authority in AEC firm management and marketing, the go-to source for data and research, and the leading provider of customized learning and training. Zweig Group exists to help AEC firms succeed in a complicated and challenging marketplace through services that include: Mergers & Acquisitions, Strategic Planning, Valuation, Executive Search, Board of Director Services, Ownership Transition, Marketing & Branding, and Business Development Training. The firm has offices in Dallas and Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Ownership Transition Strategy Will Swearingen ZG Team

About Will Swearingen

Will leads Zweig Group’s research team and ownership transition consulting group. He received his BS in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and his MBA from the University of Arkansas with a focus on entrepreneurship. During that time, Will developed financial models and aided in the fundraising...