The Art of Succession

The 30-Question Ownership Readiness Diagnostic. Identify your gaps in finance, leadership, and revenue creation before you take the leap. Get your score, get your plan. (It’s FREE!)👉 https://bit.ly/ownership-mindset-scoreapp  ------------------------------------------------ Want to be a guest on our podcast? Apply and share your expertise with our audience at https://www.podmatch.com/member/artofsuccession ------------------------------------------------Welcome to The Art of Succession Podcast. Host Barrett Young talks with James Kell, Co-Founder of scratchie.com and Founder of Sailing Virgins, about his journey from taking over his family’s struggling construction business at age 28 to founding two successful ventures. James shares how his family's legacy in construction shaped his early career and the challenges he faced in turning the business around. He explains the key lessons in leadership, business recovery, and personal growth, and why he later launched scratchie.com to help companies improve workplace culture through innovative recognition tools. James shares his journey from taking over a family business to becoming a successful entrepreneur. He talks about stepping in at age 28 to manage a struggling construction company and learning leadership by necessity. James explains how his hands-on experience shaped his approach to business and leadership, and why he later founded scratchie.com to help companies improve workplace culture. He discusses the lessons learned from managing a family business and why he’s passionate about supporting other entrepreneurs in building thriving businesses. James's story highlights the value of resilience, leadership, and creating businesses that make a positive impact. Key Takeaways: James' journey from taking over his family’s construction business at age 28 to becoming an entrepreneur.How he learned leadership and business recovery while managing a struggling company.The importance of hands-on experience and the lessons he learned along the way.What led him to start scratchie.com to help companies improve workplace culture?How James helps businesses create stronger teams and foster positive work environments. Here are a few quotes from the episode: "I was trying to figure out what the problem was and how to fix it." - James Kell"Leadership is about making decisions and then moving forward." - James Kell"If you're not passionate about what you're doing, it will be hard to make it work." - James Kell Join James Kell as he shares lessons from taking over a struggling family business and founding successful ventures. Hear how he turned around a company, built strong leadership, and founded scratchy.com to help businesses improve culture and grow. Episode Highlights[00:00:00] - Tease[00:01:26] - Intro to Guest James Kell[00:03:14] - Family business history & crisis[00:05:06] - Taking over at 28[00:06:44] - Accepting responsibility[00:10:34] - Warranty & defect challenges[00:12:26] - Father-son leadership dynamic[00:19:28] - Financial lessons & mistakes[00:22:32] - Mental health & lack of passion as CEO[00:25:02] - Attempts to sell the company & move on[00:27:49] - Business collapse & reset[00:30:25] - Starting Sailing Virgins[00:33:25] - Creating Scratchy[00:36:37] - How scratchie.com Works[00:41:01] - Mental Health in Construction[00:44:32] - Impact of Recognition[00:47:21] - Lessons Learned[00:51:10] - Advice for Family Businesses[00:52:31] - Lightning Round[00:57:49] - US Launch Plans[01:00:29] - How to Connect FOLLOW THE GUEST: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameskell/ Company LinkedIn (scratchie.com): https://www.linkedin.com/company/scratchie-app/ Company LinkedIn (Sailing Virgins): https://www.linkedin.com/company/sailing-virgins/ Company Website (scratchie.com): https://scratchie.com/ Email: james@scratchie.com  FOLLOW THE HOST: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettyoung Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gwcpa/ Website: https://gwcpas.com/ Email: bey@gwcpas.com  FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-succession/id1742796896 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@gwcpas Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7uhogBxFKWAAetAbD8TVQR  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/art-of-succession-podcast/ Website: https://gwcpas.com/podcast