Protect your business by protecting the people who may one day need to act on your wishes.
You've spent years building your business.
If you suddenly couldn't run it tomorrow, who would help carry out your wishes?
Business Executor Services™
When a business owner becomes unexpectedly unavailable due to illness, accident, hospitalization, or death, someone must help coordinate the operational side of the business.
For many families, that responsibility can feel overwhelming.
Business Executor Services provide experienced operational support by working alongside your spouse, family, estate trustee, attorney acting under a Power of Attorney, business partner, and professional advisors to help coordinate the next steps—so they don't have to navigate everything alone.
STAGE → PROTECT
Best For: Canadian business owners who are the primary decision-maker in their business.
Available For
Sole proprietors
Self-employed professionals
Incorporated owner-operators
Small businesses with 1–20 employees
Support Model: Pre-planned operational transition support
Availability: Limited client spaces
Investment: Custom proposal following consultation
The Business Executor Method™
LEARN → Understand why business preparedness matters.
PREPARE → Get organized and build a strong foundation.
PLAN → Create your business continuity roadmap.
PROTECT → Support your family and business when it matters most.
When you've built your roadmap, Business Executor Services help support the people responsible for carrying out your wishes if your plan is ever needed.
WHAT IS A BUSINESS EXECUTOR?
Most people have heard of an executor named in a will.
Very few have heard of a Business Executor.
A Business Executor is a trusted professional appointed by a business owner to help coordinate the operational side of a business when the owner becomes unexpectedly unavailable due to incapacity or death.
Unlike an estate trustee, who is responsible for administering an estate according to the law and the deceased's will, a Business Executor focuses on helping implement the business owner's operational wishes by working alongside the people who have the legal authority to make decisions.
Depending on the situation, this may include working with:
a spouse or family member
an attorney acting under a valid Power of Attorney while the owner is alive
an estate trustee after the owner's death
a business partner or shareholder
lawyers
accountants
financial advisors
payroll providers
employees
contractors
other trusted advisors
The goal is simple:
To help ensure your business is managed according to your wishes while reducing uncertainty for the people you care about most.
To learn more about what a business executor does and responsibilities of an executor, check out two popular blog articles:
Why Not My Spouse?
Many business owners naturally assume their spouse or adult children will step in if something happens.
Sometimes they can. Sometimes they shouldn't have to.
Imagine your spouse trying to answer questions like:
Which clients need to be contacted today?
How do I access payroll?
Where are the business banking records?
Who manages the website?
What subscriptions need to be cancelled?
Which invoices still need to be paid?
Who has access to the business?
Now imagine trying to answer those questions while:
sitting beside your hospital bed,
arranging a funeral,
supporting children or grandchildren,
speaking with lawyers and banks,
notifying family and friends,
or simply trying to process what has happened.
Business Executor Services don't replace your spouse or family.
They support them.
How I Work Alongside Your Family
My role is not to take over your business.
My role is to help carry out your wishes while supporting the people responsible for making legal and financial decisions.
That means working collaboratively with your:
spouse or family
estate trustee
attorney acting under a Power of Attorney
business partner
shareholders
lawyer
accountant
bookkeeper
financial advisor
insurance advisor
payroll provider
employees and contractors
Together, we coordinate the operational transition of your business according to your documented wishes and the authority of the appropriate decision-makers.
THREE WAYS I CAN HELP
Every business owner's wishes are different.
Business Executor Services are customized around one of three common transition paths.
Option 1 | Close the Business
If your wishes are to close your business, I help coordinate the operational steps required to wind down business activities in an organized and respectful way.
This may include coordinating client communications, assisting with operational account closures, working with advisors, organizing records, and helping ensure important tasks are completed.
Option 2 | Transition the Business
If your business will continue under an existing partner, shareholder, family member, or employee, I help coordinate the operational transition so knowledge, information, systems, and responsibilities are transferred as smoothly as possible.
Option 3 | Prepare the Business for Sale
If your wishes are to sell the business, I work alongside your authorized representatives and professional advisors to help organize business information, stabilize operations where appropriate, and support the transition process.
Why Choose Your Business Executor?
This work requires more than business knowledge.
It requires trust.
With more than two decades of experience supporting entrepreneurs, small businesses, and business transitions, I understand how much of an owner-operated business exists outside of formal documents.
I understand how businesses operate.
I understand the questions families ask.
I understand how overwhelming these situations can become.
My role is to bring structure, coordination, and calm during a time that often feels uncertain.
I don't replace your lawyer.
I don't replace your accountant.
I don't replace your financial advisor.
I work alongside them to help coordinate the operational side of your business according to your wishes.
What We’ll Accomplish Together
Before Business Executor Services are ever needed, we'll work together to understand:
how your business operates
your priorities and wishes
key contacts and professional advisors
important operational processes
communication preferences
transition goals
your preferred outcome if you become unavailable
Whether your wishes are to temporarily maintain operations, permanently close the business, transition it, or prepare it for sale, your plan becomes the foundation for future decision-making.
What You’ll Leave With
✔ A designated Business Executor to support your authorized decision-makers.
✔ A documented operational transition strategy and customized business continuity plan.
✔ A Business Continuity Roadmap™ aligned with your wishes.
✔ A clear communication and coordination approach.
✔ Confidence that your family and advisors know who to contact for operational guidance.
What You’ll Have When You’re Finished
You'll know that if life changes unexpectedly, the people around you won't be left trying to figure everything out on their own.
Your family will understand who to call.
Your professional advisors will have a point of coordination.
Your business will have practical operational guidance.
Most importantly, you'll know you've taken meaningful steps to protect both your business and the people who depend on it.
Every service at Your Business Executor is designed to leave you with practical tools, personalized resources, and a clear roadmap—not just another meeting or a blank template downloaded with the best of intentions, only to sit untouched.
How It Works
Discovery consultation.
Review your existing preparedness and planning.
Develop your operational transition strategy.
Complete a Business Executor Service Agreement.
Maintain your information through periodic reviews.
If activation becomes necessary, services begin according to the agreed scope and the authority of the appropriate decision-makers.
Investment
Because every business is different, Business Executor Services are customized to reflect the size, complexity, and operational needs of your business.
A consultation is required before a proposal is prepared.
Is This Right For Me?
This service is a great fit if:
✔ You're the primary decision-maker in your business.
✔ Much of your business knowledge lives in your head.
✔ You don't want your spouse or family managing your business alone.
✔ You want an experienced professional to help coordinate the operational transition of your business.
✔ You've already started—or are ready to start—building your Business Continuity Roadmap™.
This service may not be the best fit if:
✖ You're looking for legal, tax, or financial advice.
✖ You're expecting someone to replace the legal authority of your estate trustee, attorney acting under a Power of Attorney, or business partner.
✖ You aren't ready to begin planning for the future of your business.
Why This Investment Matters
Most business owners invest in growing their business.
Far fewer invest in preparing and protecting it.
Business preparedness isn't just about creating a plan for the future.
It's about getting organized today, reducing uncertainty, and making it easier for your family, team, and professional advisors to support your business if life changes unexpectedly.
Whether you're organizing important information, creating a business continuity roadmap, or documenting your wishes, you're building something that will continue to provide value long after the work is complete.
Think of it as an investment in your business, your family, and your future.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This information is educational and general in nature.
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No. Business Executor Services focus on supporting the operational transition of your business. Legal authority over your estate remains with your estate trustee or other authorized decision-makers.
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Yes. In fact, that's one of the primary reasons this service exists. My role is to support—not replace—your family by helping them navigate the operational side of your business.
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No. I work alongside your lawyer, accountant, financial advisor, and other professionals. Each advisor has a distinct role, and my focus is coordinating the operational aspects of your business.
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Yes, provided the appropriate legal authority is in place and the scope of services has been agreed upon. I can work with the attorney acting under your valid Power of Attorney and other authorized representatives to help coordinate operational matters while you're unable to manage the business yourself.
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Wonderful—that's always the hope. If services were activated because of a temporary incapacity, the goal is to support your business during your absence and help transition responsibilities back to you when you're ready, subject to the scope of our agreement.
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Yes. Business Executor Services can support sole proprietorships, incorporated businesses, and other owner-operated business structures. The specific approach will depend on your ownership structure, governance documents, and the people authorized to make decisions.
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The best time is before it's ever needed. Putting an agreement and planning in place while you're healthy and actively involved in your business gives everyone greater clarity and allows your wishes to be documented thoughtfully rather than under pressure.
Business Executor Services are consulting and coordination services. They do not create legal authority or replace the responsibilities of an estate trustee, attorney under a Power of Attorney, director, shareholder, or any regulated professional.
Services are provided only where the appropriate legal authority and contractual agreements are in place.
Jodi Laking is not a lawyer or legal advisor. She works alongside legal, financial, and regulatory professionals to help ensure the operational side of your business is clearly documented and accessible. For advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified Ontario estate lawyer.
Your Next Step
The strongest Business Executor relationships begin long before they're ever needed.
If you're just starting your planning journey, begin with Business Preparedness Foundations™ or Your Business. Your Plan.
If you've already built your roadmap and would like to explore Business Executor Services, let's schedule a conversation.
Every business owner starts somewhere.
Whether you're just learning about business preparedness or you're ready to build a complete Business Continuity Roadmap™, every step you take today makes tomorrow easier for the people who depend on you.
Not sure where to begin?
✔ Take the Business Preparedness Score™
Discover how prepared your business is today.
✔ Book a Discovery Call
Let's talk about where to start.
✔ Learn about The Business Executor Method™
See how our Learn → Prepare → Plan → Protect framework helps Canadian business owners prepare for the unexpected.