Michael achieves work / life balance and claims back time.
Interview and story by Dalya Shaw
Michael wanted a change in the direction of his firm and his lifestyle, but he didn’t know what that looked like.
Michael Wall first connected with Kev Ryan in 2020.
“I could see huge value in what he offered but the timing was not right for me to engage him at the time.”
In 2022 Michael’s firm celebrated its 5th anniversary and he had begun looking at the structure and direction of the business. Eager for more of a work/life balance, he had already relocated the family home to the north coast, but his office was still based in inner city Sydney.
Michael was the sole Director of his successful and increasingly busy firm, but he had no succession plan or exit strategy for the future. He had valuable key staff that had been there since the beginning that he wanted to give opportunities for growth and progression, but this required additional support, resources, and time which he didn’t have.
Michael wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted but knew he wanted something different. He wasn’t ready to retire but wanted to see rewards for the sweat equity he had invested in the business over the years. He turned to Kev Ryan for options and a solution.
“We had just had our 5th anniversary and I knew I wanted to change things. I just didn’t know what that looked like.”
What was the result?
Merging with a larger firm has allowed Michael to do what he loves without wearing so many hats. The benefits include additional support and resources offered by a larger firm, without being bogged down in the daily management and business administration.
Kev Ryan was genuinely interested and invested in helping Michael gain clarity around what he really wanted. Additional support and resources, stepping back from day to day running of the business and providing growth opportunities and mentorship for his staff were all priorities. But moving into a role that Michael was passionate about and spending more time working from home was also important.
Kev Ryan looked at the bigger picture and suggested a solution Michael hadn’t thought of - acquisition of his firm by a larger one.
Joining a larger firm presented huge personal and professional benefits. His team received additional mentorship from more experienced peers and superiors which provided an opportunity for increased personal and professional development. Michael leveraged his time working mostly from home, which resulted in a better-balanced lifestyle. He now also has more quality time with his young family and smiles as he says, “Life is good!”.
“Kev Ryan has a deep understanding of the market and offers valuable insights. He worked patiently with me to find a firm that was a great fit and provided all round benefits.”
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