--- title: Notes | Succession Planning description: Succession Planning | Notes from Old Harbor Advisors on ESOPs, ownership transitions, and the owners of contract-driven companies in Massachusetts and New England. image: https://oldharboradvisors.com/hubfs/oha-site/brand/oha-heritage-share-1200x630.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://oldharboradvisors.com/notes/tag/succession-planning#main-content) [![Old Harbor Advisors anchor](https://oldharboradvisors.com/hs-fs/hubfs/oha-site/brand/oha-gold-plate-anchor-2026-10-22.webp?width=52&height=53&name=oha-gold-plate-anchor-2026-10-22.webp) OLD HARBOR ADVISORS, LLC](https://oldharboradvisors.com) Menu - [Mission & Values](https://oldharboradvisors.com/mission-and-values) - [Business Owners](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-owners) Business Owners submenu - [Family Businesses](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-owners/family-businesses) - [Contractors](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-owners/contractors) - [Professional Services Firms](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-owners/professional-services-companies) - [Business Advisors](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-advisors) Business Advisors submenu - [Bankers](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-advisors/bankers) - [Wealth Advisors](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-advisors/wealth-advisors) - [CPAs & Attorneys](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-advisors/cpas-and-attorneys) - [Team](https://oldharboradvisors.com/team) - [Our Approach](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice) - [Resources](https://oldharboradvisors.com/resources) Resources submenu - [ESOP 101](https://oldharboradvisors.com/resources/esop-basics) - [FAQs](https://oldharboradvisors.com/resources/faqs) - [Common Misconceptions](https://oldharboradvisors.com/resources/common-misconceptions) - [Is an ESOP the Right Fit?](https://oldharboradvisors.com/resources/esop-fit) - [Articles & Market Intelligence](https://oldharboradvisors.com/resources/market-intel) - [Outside Organizations & Resources](https://oldharboradvisors.com/resources#organizations) [Talk to Us](https://oldharboradvisors.com/talk-to-us) TOPIC # Succession Planning Notes from Old Harbor Advisors on ESOPs, ownership transitions, and the owners of contract-driven companies in Massachusetts and New England. OCTOBER 7, 2026 SUCCESSION PLANNING ## [Keeping your company independent when you retire, without selling to a competitor](https://oldharboradvisors.com/notes/keep-your-company-independent-without-selling-to-a-competitor) Owners often put it this way: “I’m ready to step back, but I don’t want to sell to a competitor. I want the company to keep its name, its people and the way it does business.” It is a reasonable goal. It helps to be specific, because independence can mean ... [READ →](https://oldharboradvisors.com/notes/keep-your-company-independent-without-selling-to-a-competitor) OCTOBER 7, 2026 SUCCESSION PLANNING ## [The MassCEO stipend: what it pays for, who qualifies and how to apply](https://oldharboradvisors.com/notes/massceo-technical-assistance-stipend) Since October 6, 2026, Massachusetts has offered to share the cost of taking a serious look at employee ownership. The Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership, known as MassCEO, runs a Technical Assistance Stipend Program that can pay half of certain ... [READ →](https://oldharboradvisors.com/notes/massceo-technical-assistance-stipend) OCTOBER 7, 2026 SUCCESSION PLANNING ## [Management buyout or ESOP? How two inside sales compare](https://oldharboradvisors.com/notes/management-buyout-vs-esop) Many owners who want the company to stay in familiar hands narrow the choice to two inside buyers: the management team, or an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) that holds shares for employees. Both can keep the company independent and reward the people who ... [READ →](https://oldharboradvisors.com/notes/management-buyout-vs-esop) OCTOBER 7, 2026 VALUATION ## [What an ESOP feasibility study covers, and what it does not](https://oldharboradvisors.com/notes/what-an-esop-feasibility-study-covers) Before an owner decides to sell to an ESOP, someone has to answer a practical question: could this work for this company, at a price and on terms the owner would accept? That is the job of a feasibility study. It is a test, not a decision. [READ →](https://oldharboradvisors.com/notes/what-an-esop-feasibility-study-covers) Educate • Explore • Prepare ![Old Harbor Advisors, LLC seal](https://oldharboradvisors.com/hs-fs/hubfs/oha-site/brand/oha-heritage-seal.webp?width=156&height=156&name=oha-heritage-seal.webp) Ownership • Stewardship • Legacy [Business Owners](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-owners) - [Family Businesses](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-owners/family-businesses) - [Contractors](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-owners/contractors) - [Professional Services Firms](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-owners/professional-services-companies) [Advisors](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-advisors) - [Bankers](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-advisors/bankers) - [Wealth Advisors](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-advisors/wealth-advisors) - [CPAs & Attorneys](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice/for-advisors/cpas-and-attorneys) Old Harbor - [Mission & Values](https://oldharboradvisors.com/mission-and-values) - [Team](https://oldharboradvisors.com/team) - [Our Approach](https://oldharboradvisors.com/the-practice) - [Resources](https://oldharboradvisors.com/resources) - [Talk to Us](https://oldharboradvisors.com/talk-to-us) Office 176 Federal St, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02110 [info@oldharboradvisors.com](mailto:info@oldharboradvisors.com) [+1 617-237-0267](tel:+16172370267) © 2026 Old Harbor Advisors, LLC [PRIVACY](https://oldharboradvisors.com/privacy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://oldharboradvisors.com/#org", "@type" : [ "Organization", "ProfessionalService" ], "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "US", "addressLocality" : "Boston", "addressRegion" : "MA", "postalCode" : "02110", "streetAddress" : "176 Federal St, 6th Floor" }, "contactPoint" : { "@type" : "ContactPoint", "availableLanguage" : "English", "contactType" : "inquiries", "email" : "info@oldharboradvisors.com", "telephone" : "+1-617-237-0267", "url" : "https://oldharboradvisors.com/talk-to-us" }, "description" : "Old Harbor Advisors helps middle market business owners and their advisors understand how Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) can help preserve business independence, deliver significant tax advantages, provide liquidity for owners, strengthen employee engagement, and support long-term business continuity and legacy.", "email" : "info@oldharboradvisors.com", "founder" : { "@id" : "https://oldharboradvisors.com/team#jack" }, "image" : "https://247514930.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na2.net/hubfs/247514930/oha-site/brand/oha-heritage-share-1200x630.jpg", "knowsAbout" : [ "Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs)", "Employee ownership", "Business succession planning", "Ownership transition", "Management buyouts", "Family Business Succession" ], "legalName" : "Old Harbor Advisors LLC", "logo" : "https://247514930.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na2.net/hubfs/247514930/oha-site/brand/oha-heritage-icon-512.png", "makesOffer" : [ { "@type" : "Offer", "itemOffered" : { "@type" : "Service", "description" : "We educate business owners and their advisors on the possibilities of employee ownership, including its potential benefits and costs, opportunities and pitfalls, and the risks and considerations involved in determining whether it aligns with their business, financial, and succession goals.", "name" : "Education" } }, { "@type" : "Offer", "itemOffered" : { "@type" : "Service", "description" : "We help business owners and their advisors explore the flexibility of employee ownership, consider the options available, and assess how different approaches may support their succession, tax, and legacy goals.", "name" : "Exploration" } }, { "@type" : "Offer", "itemOffered" : { "@type" : "Service", "description" : "We work with leading national ESOP advisory firms. 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