Business Executor Support
Your family shouldn't have to become the instant CEO of a business they don't understand.
If you die or become unable to lead your business, someone else may suddenly be responsible for figuring out what happens next.
Business Executor Support provides practical operational guidance and coordination for the family members, authorized decision-makers, and professional advisors left to deal with the business.
Put support in place before it's needed.
When ACT Becomes Real
The final stage of the Business Executor Method™ is ACT.
While you're actively involved in your business, ACT means communicating your wishes, preparing the people involved, and making sure they know where to find the information they'll need.
If you die or become unable to lead, ACT takes on another meaning. The plan may now need to be carried out.
That's where Business Executor Support comes in.
What is a Business Executor?
Most people understand the role of an executor or estate trustee.
A Business Executor has a different role. A Business Executor provides practical operational support when a business owner dies or becomes unable to lead their business.
The Business Executor does not replace the estate trustee, attorney acting under a Power of Attorney, director, shareholder, partner, or other legally authorized decision-maker.
Instead, we work alongside those individuals and the owner's professional advisors to help them understand the business, locate critical information, coordinate operational activity, and carry out the owner's documented wishes within the authority of the appropriate decision-makers.
Depending on the circumstances, that can mean working alongside your:
Spouse or family
Estate trustee
Attorney acting under a Power of Attorney
Business partner or shareholders
Lawyer
Accountant or bookkeeper
Financial planner or advisor
Insurance advisor
Employees and contractors
Other professional advisors
They retain their authority. We help them navigate the business.
Your Spouse May Be Capable. That Doesn't Mean They Should Have to Figure It Out Alone.
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 Support doesn't replace your family. It gives them someone who understands the business to call.
What Does Business Executor Support Actually Look Like?
Our role isn't to take over your business or make decisions we don't have the authority to make.
Our role is to help the people who do have authority understand what needs attention operationally and coordinate the work required to carry out your documented wishes.
Depending on the circumstances, that may include:
Locating critical business information and records
Identifying immediate operational priorities
Coordinating communication with clients, employees, contractors, and suppliers
Connecting authorized decision-makers with your professional advisors
Helping navigate accounts, systems, subscriptions and business relationships
Coordinating operational tasks during a temporary absence or incapacity
Supporting an orderly transition, sale or closure
Helping transfer responsibilities if you return to the business
We become a point of operational coordination — not a replacement decision-maker.
What Needs to Happen to the Business?
The answer isn't always “close it.” Your wishes and circumstances may require one of four different paths.
1. Maintain the Business
If you're temporarily unable to work but may return, we help authorized decision-makers coordinate essential operations while you're away and prepare for the eventual transition of responsibilities back to you.
2. Transition the Business
If the business will continue under a partner, shareholder, family member, employee or successor, we help coordinate the transfer of information, systems, relationships, and operational responsibilities.
3. Prepare the Business for Sale
If the intention is to sell, we work alongside authorized representatives and professional advisors to organize business information, support operational stability, and help prepare the business for transition.
4. Close the Business
If the business needs to close, we help coordinate the operational steps involved in winding down activities, communicating with the people affected, organizing records, and helping authorized decision-makers keep track of what still needs to be done.
Why Work with Your Business Executor?
This work requires more than business knowledge.
It requires trust, sound judgement, careful coordination and an understanding of how owner-operated businesses actually function.
I bring 25+ years of personal entrepreneurship and 12+ years as a business coach, consultant and advisor supporting business owners through growth, change, transition, sale and closure. Plus a large network of trusted professionals including accountants, lawyers, financial planners/advisors, wealth managers, property managers, business valuators, insurance brokers, and more.
I understand how much of an established business can exist outside its formal documents — in the owner's memory, relationships, routines, and everyday decisions.
I also understand the very different pressure placed on a family when they're suddenly expected to understand that business during illness, incapacity or loss.
My role is to bring structure and operational knowledge to that process while working alongside the people who have the authority to make decisions.
What We’ll Accomplish Together
Before Business Executor Services are ever needed, we'll work together to:
understand the business
document wishes
identify authorized decision-makers
understand professional-advisor relationships
determine likely transition paths
establish scope/agreement
determine activation process
periodically review
If support is needed after an event has happened, we work together to:
connect with authorized decision-makers
assess immediate operational priorities
locate/use prepared information
coordinate with advisors
support communication
help execute permitted operational tasks
support maintain/transition/sale/closure path
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’re Putting in Place
A professional who already understands your business, your wishes, the people involved and where to begin — before your family ever needs that support.
How It Works
PUT SUPPORT IN PLACE
Discovery Call
Review existing preparedness and professional planning
Clarify your transition wishes and operational needs
Establish the Business Executor Support Agreement
Keep critical information current through periodic reviews
IF SUPPORT IS ACTIVATED
Work begins with the appropriate authorized decision-makers according to the agreed scope, your documented wishes and their legal authority.
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 understand that your lawyer, accountant or financial advisor will not take over the operational side of your business if you become incapacitated or pass away.
✔ You want an experienced professional to help coordinate the operational transition of your business.
✔ You want to put operational support in place before your family or advisors need it.
✔ Your spouse or family knows very little about how your business actually operates.
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 Put This in Place Before It's Needed?
Because the worst time for someone to learn how your business works is when you're no longer available to explain it.
Putting Business Executor Support in place while you're actively involved allows me to learn your business from you.
We can understand your wishes, identify the people involved, connect the right professionals, and establish where important information lives before anyone is working under pressure.
If support is ever activated, your family isn't introducing themselves to a stranger and trying to explain a business they may not understand.
The relationship already exists. The starting point is already established.
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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If Business Executor Support was activated because of temporary incapacity, the goal is to support essential operations during your absence and coordinate the transition of responsibilities back to you when you're ready and able to return.
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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.
Put the Relationship in Place Before It's Needed
You don't need to wait until every piece of your business preparedness is complete to start the conversation.
If you're an established business owner and don't want your spouse, family or professional advisors left trying to understand your business without you, let's talk about what Business Executor Support could look like for your business.
If additional preparedness work is needed first, we'll identify it together.
The goal is simple: when someone eventually needs to act, they know where to start — and they don't have to start alone.
We believe Canadian business owners deserve practical guidance, accurate information, and honest conversations that help them prepare with confidence.
Legal Notice
Your Business Executor provides business preparedness education, planning guidance, and business continuity consulting services.
Legal, accounting, tax, insurance, financial, estate planning, investment, and other regulated professional advice is not provided through these services. Clients are encouraged to seek advice from appropriately qualified professionals where required.