Business Owners
Navigating the Business Owner Journey
At The Duncan Group, we support business owners with the expertise and resources you need to reach your professional and personal goals. By partnering with your attorneys, accountants and other advisors, and leveraging our team of business transition experts as needed, we can help you and your business flourish well into the future.
Managing Your Greatest Asset
Your business represents years of effort, innovation, and leadership. We help safeguard its value through independent insurance guidance and support your workforce with comprehensive retirement plan consulting—strengthening both the foundation of your business and the people who drive it forward.
Protecting Your Business
As your business grows, your insurance needs will likely evolve alongside it. We’ll review your existing insurance policies and provide objective guidance that addresses your needs, whether it’s to ensure the longevity of your business or enhance the benefits of your key employees.
Because Baird does not underwrite insurance products, we can work with your trusted advisors to review what solutions truly work best for you.
Supporting Your Employees
For businesses that offer a qualified retirement plan, we can support the fiduciary obligations that are a result of sponsoring a plan, such as plan reviews, fee analysis, investment recommendations, employee education, and ongoing support for you and your organization.
As an independent consultant, we can work with you to analyze a range of providers and help design a customized and flexible solution.
Explore Our Qualified Plan Consulting Group
The Duncan Group is part of the Qualified Plan Consulting Group, an exclusive collaboration of Financial Advisor teams who have dedicated their business to retirement plan clients. Discover how we support you in navigating qualified retirement plans with fiduciary guidance, plan design, and ongoing oversight.
Preparing for the Future
Our first priority is helping you take care of yourself and your family. We want to learn more about your personal situation, identify your dreams and goals, and understand your tolerance for risk. Long-term relationships that encourage open and honest communication have been the cornerstone of The Duncan Group's foundation of success.
59% of surveyed business owners do not have a formal, written plan for their life post-business.1
80% of surveyed business owners' net worth is locked in their business.1
58% of surveyed business owners do not have a written financial plan prepared by a professional.1
Pre-Transition Planning
Our team can help coordinate your business transition team, including your attorneys and CPA, to help ensure the your transition runs smoothly. We’ll also use this time to revisit your personal financial plan, exploring tax, liquidity, charitable giving and estate planning strategies to pursue post-transition.
Building A Transition Roadmap
Whether an external sale, internal buyout or family transition, the complexities that accompany the various types of transitions are wide in range – your transition team can support you in developing a timeline, business valuation and communication strategy.
Discussing Post-Transition Plans
Following your exit, we’ll revisit your wealth plan to ensure your assets and liabilities are in alignment, and implement any investment strategies that use proceeds from the business sale.
Partners in Helping You Exit with Confidence
When the time is right, the Duncan Group works alongside key internal partners to help you thoughtfully plan your transition—whether through a family succession, external sale, or comprehensive wealth planning following the exit.
Family Transition
Baird Family Wealth provides specialized guidance for legacy wealth families who require advice and services that extend beyond traditional wealth management needs.
External Sale
Baird's Business Owner Solutions can support valuations, sales, mergers, acquisitions, employee stock ownership plans and other similar transactions.
Wealth Planning
Following your exit, our Wealth Planning team can evaluate how the proceeds of your transition can fit into your personal wealth, tax and estate plan.
Featured Transactions
Explore real‑world examples of how Baird has helped business owners navigate successful transitions and strategic deals.
Expertise You Can Access When It Matters Most
No matter if you are in the midst of growing your business or beginning to consider a legacy plan, our specialized team of experts can support you. With a constant eye out for you and your business’s best interest, we will collaborate with our in-house specialized teams and your other advisors to help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
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Read Our Perspectives
Stay informed with our latest market commentary, planning insights, and wealth perspectives curated specifically for business owners.

1 2023 National State of Owner Readiness Report, Exit Planning Institute