It is the middle of July already. As someone who loves Summer, it always seems to go by so much faster than Winter.

As of the 13th of this month, Oak Hill Business Partners is officially 15 years old. Talk about time flying by!

I have been reflecting on the last 15 years as we approached and then passed this milestone, and here are some quick thoughts:

– I am continuingly reminded of the similarities between raising a family (we have 2 adult boys – both “off the family payroll” as of this year…) and starting & growing a company. At the start they need everything done for them, but as they grow, they take on a life of their own (and still need guidance & care). Our goal for them is to be successful and ultimately  independent. And finally, they definitely bring pride to those that have “raised” them.

– Owning and running a business is satisfying, fun, and hard work.

– When you own a business, you have to be willing to do things most people won’t do and make sacrifices most people won’t make (Sorry, Laura, for the calls and work during dinners and vacations).

– You need incredible support when you are running a business (thank you to Ty Taylor, Judi Murphy, Andy Oliver, Frank Orlando, Danny Fromstein, Jason Eggert, Paul Hammond,  Marty Griffin, Kristine Depies, and many others). My rock has been my wife, Laura. Without her, none of this happens.

– I owe a special shout out to our sons Daniel and Stephen who put up with a lot of calls and work interruptions over the years.

Thank you to all the supporters, referral partners, clients, friends and cheerleaders. Your engagement and encouragement have made all the difference.

We look forward to many more years of serving clients and referral partners, scaling businesses, helping owners successfully exit, and celebrating with all of you.

Cheers/Santé

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Erik Owen is the President of Oak Hill Business Partners and has over 20 years of professional experience in Finance and Accounting, Administration, and General Management.  You can call Erik at 414.852.0015 or email him at erik.owen@OakHillBP.com.

Oak Hill Business Partners is a boutique management consulting firm serving middle market, closely held companies. Based in Milwaukee, WI, our partners focus on helping growing companies become scalable by applying functional excellence in finance & administration, sales, marketing, and operations.  Oak Hill also helps company owners plan and execute transition/exit planning holistically. Oak Hill partners work with a team of advisors including wealth and legal advisors to help owners understand their options for transition in the business and execute the plan that meets their specific needs.