Veteran Advisor Releases Book on Business Exits and Generational Transfers

Pat Keating's "The Business Exit Playbook" aims to help founders and family businesses navigate high-stakes decisions around selling, transferring ownership, or passing the company to the next generation.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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After over 50 years advising entrepreneurs through business exits, succession plans, and family transfers, veteran advisor Pat Keating is releasing a new book called "The Business Exit Playbook" to help founders and family business owners prepare for the personal, emotional, and generational challenges of transitioning ownership. The book addresses both founder exits and generational transfers, drawing on Keating's real-world experience to explore the unspoken fears, identity loss, family tension, and second-guessing that often surface during these pivotal moments.

Why it matters

With millions of privately held businesses expected to change hands in the next decade, the timing of Keating's book is especially relevant, as few owners have formal succession plans and even fewer have prepared for the emotional consequences of transition. The book aims to help founders, second-generation owners, and family business leaders make intentional decisions about when to sell, when to stay, and how to transfer what they've built without destroying the relationships around it.

The details

Unlike traditional business books that focus narrowly on valuation or deal mechanics, "The Business Exit Playbook" tackles what Keating calls "the meeting behind the meeting" - the personal and relational factors that often derail even well-planned business transitions. The book encourages owners to think beyond just the financial aspects and consider leadership readiness, family alignment, employee impact, and life after ownership.

  • The Business Exit Playbook will be released in March 2026.
  • Keating has over 50 years of experience advising entrepreneurs through business exits and transitions.

The players

Pat Keating

A financial advisor, serial entrepreneur, and business exit strategist with more than 50 years of experience advising privately held companies. He founded Keating & Associates in 1975 and has guided hundreds of business owners through exits, generational transfers, ESOPs, and succession plans.

Lunch Break Books

A boutique publishing company working with high-performance experts, entrepreneurs, and visionary leaders to transform their expertise into influential thought-leadership books.

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What they’re saying

“Selling or handing over a business is rarely just a financial event. It's a personal, emotional, and generational decision. If you don't prepare for all three, the long-term effects can be devastating.”

— Pat Keating, Founder, Keating & Associates

“Most regret doesn't come from the price. It comes from what the owner didn't think through — things like who would lead next, how the family would react, or who they'd be once the business was no longer theirs.”

— Pat Keating, Founder, Keating & Associates

What’s next

The Business Exit Playbook will be released in March 2026. For interview requests, advance copies, or speaking inquiries, readers can contact Libby Paul at pr@keatinginc.com.

The takeaway

As millions of privately held businesses approach a generational transition, Keating's book aims to help founders and family business owners navigate the personal, emotional, and relational challenges of selling, transferring ownership, or passing the company to the next generation - ensuring they make intentional decisions that preserve their legacy and protect the relationships around it.