Journey Consulting, LLC

06/18/2026

Most leaders feel pressure to have the answers.

Leadership means knowing when to ask for help.

We're excited to introduce Inside the Value Journey, a series featuring business leaders and owners sharing their perspectives on what it takes to build value, navigate growth, and lead through transition.

Throughout the year, we'll share lessons, challenges, and real-world insights from clients who have successfully navigated growth and change firsthand.

⭐ We're kicking things off with CCI Systems Inc !

In this first clip, Troy Knuckles, President and CEO of CCI Systems, shares why engaging outside support was critical during a key go-to-market strategy shift.

That decision helped set everything in motion.

Want to hear the full story? Troy's complete Inside the Value Journey interview is available on YouTube. Link in the comments.

06/11/2026

What happens when a business advisor from Green Bay, Wisconsin, is invited to spend four days with some of the nation’s future military leaders?

Quite a lot, actually!

Last week, Journey Consulting’s founder, Jayne McQuillan, had the honor of being one of approximately 160 civilian leaders invited to attend the National Security Seminar at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Over the course of four days, she joined military, government, and 370 AWC resident students for conversations about leadership, risk, decision-making, resilience, and preparing for an uncertain future.

Jayne said she came away with a new appreciation for artillery, radar, and the complexity of military strategy. More importantly, she left with an even deeper respect for the sacrifices our soldiers make every day in service to our country.

We’re excited to share Jayne’s reflections and key takeaways from the experience in our June blog... stay tuned!

06/04/2026

"I’m 73 and ready to retire."

That's what a business owner told us when he came to Journey Consulting.

He had a number in mind based on years of hard work, sacrifices, and sleepless nights.

He needed about $3 million from the sale of his business to support the retirement he envisioned.

There was just one problem.

A review of the financials showed the business was worth roughly half that amount.

Suddenly, his options became difficult:

🔹 Adjust the retirement lifestyle he had envisioned.
🔹 Stay in the business for another 3–5 years while working to increase value.

Neither was part of his plan.

Like many owners, he based his company's value on this question:

"What return will I get on the blood, sweat, and tears I've poured into my business?"

It's a fair question.

But it's also the wrong question.

Because value is in the eye of the beholder.

💡 What you value as the owner and what a buyer values can be two very different things.

Buyers don't pay for the sleepless nights.

They pay for what they believe the business can deliver in the future.

They look for strong leadership, diversified customers, documented processes, consistent financial performance, and a business that can thrive without the owner at the center of every decision.

Ask yourself this question instead:

"If I wanted to exit tomorrow, would my business provide the future I've been counting on?"

If you're not sure, now is the time to start the conversation.

05/28/2026

“Why do you keep a leader who nobody respects or wants to follow?”

That’s a real question one business owner was asked after years of avoiding a difficult leadership conversation.

Not because the leader lacked value. He was a longtime senior leader, dedicated and deeply knowledgeable.

But the owner’s perceived indifference to the leader’s communication style and antagonistic approach was affecting morale, the company’s future growth, and employees’ confidence in the owner’s leadership decisions.

In our experience, many business owners avoid difficult conversations because they genuinely care about their people and pride themselves on having an “open door” policy. They don’t want to damage relationships or create tension. Others simply struggle with confrontation and hope issues will improve on their own.

But avoiding the conversation usually creates bigger problems behind the scenes.

In this month’s blog, Value Advisor Katie Busch explores:

• Why business owners avoid conflict
• The hidden cost of “keeping the peace”
• How conflict avoidance impacts culture and retention
• Practical strategies for handling difficult conversations more effectively

🔗 Read the full blog: https://www.journeyconsult.com/post/conflict-avoidance-is-costing-your-business-more-than-you-think

What difficult conversation might be quietly affecting your business right now?

Avoiding conflict may feel easier in the moment, but it can quietly damage morale, accountability, trust, and long-term business growth.

05/21/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Jim Diederich on the successful sale of Comfort Pro Insulators! 🍾

Selling a business is more than a transaction, it’s the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice, leadership, and vision.

From starting with a single truck almost 29 years ago (the steering wheel from which he proudly displays) to building a business known throughout Northeast Wisconsin for quality, responsiveness, and trusted relationships, Jim and the Comfort Pro team take pride in doing right by customers. “I run my company with the highest standards possible for our industry.”

It’s truly been an honor for our Journey Consulting team to work alongside Jim over the past two years to prepare him and the business for this next chapter and maximize value at sale.

Successful transitions take a strong team! Journey Consulting was proud to serve as Jim’s exit planning “general contractor,” working closely with Bank First, DeWitt LLP - Law Firm, Iron Creek Business Advisors, and Suttner Accounting Inc to help support Jim’s goals throughout the planning and transition process.

Jim, thank you for trusting Journey Consulting to be part of your journey. We're excited about what's ahead for you.

Congratulations again on a successful close!

Your Journey Consulting Team,
Jayne McQuillan, CPA, MBA, CEPA
Mitch Delebreau
Brenda Kopke
Katie Busch

05/14/2026

If you stepped away from your business for 30 days, what would happen?

Would decisions stall?
Would your team wait for approval?
Would customers feel it?
Would fires start popping up everywhere?

Many businesses reach a point where the owner becomes the center of everything.

That creates:
• leadership bottlenecks
• owner burnout and pressure
• difficulty scaling
• lower business value

The business may be growing, but the owner stays trapped in operations.

The goal is not to make the owner irrelevant.

The goal is to build a business that operates with stronger leadership, clearer priorities, and less owner dependence.

Because a company that’s built to run without you is:

👉 More VALUABLE
👉 More SCALABLE
👉 More TRANSFERABLE
👉 More FUN TO OWN!

Next Tuesday, join us over the lunch hour for our free virtual webinar:

BUILD A BUSINESS THAT RUNS WITHOUT YOU
📅 Tuesday, May 19 | 12:00 PM CT
💻 Live via Zoom

We’ll discuss practical steps to strengthen leadership accountability, improve ex*****on, and reduce the day-to-day dependence on you as the owner.

As a thank you for attending, business owners will receive a complimentary copy of Jayne McQuillan's book "The Value Journey – How to Drive Profits, Build Wealth, and Exit Your Business on Your Own Terms."

🔗 Registration link: https://www.journeyconsult.com/event-details/run-without-you-webinar

See you next Tuesday!

04/30/2026

What a fantastic day at the 2026 State of M&A Conference! It's great to be part of a community that’s focused on building strong, valuable, and transferable businesses.

We were excited to see a full room for Journey Consulting's breakout session as Jayne McQuillan and Katie Busch explored how Gen X and Millennial owners are redefining ownership, not just preparing for a future exit, but building businesses that create flexibility, independence, and long-term value today.

One key takeaway for business owners of all generations:

💥 Owner Dependence = Hidden Risk💥

And it wasn’t just us saying it.

During “Shark Tank,", three private equity investors all reinforced the same point: 👉 owner dependence is #1 thing they look at when evaluating a company’s attractiveness and risk.

As always, our favorite part of the day is the conversations, connecting with business owners and advisors, hearing what’s working, what’s challenging, and how people are thinking about growth and what’s next.

We're proud to be an 8th year Program Sponsor and part of an event that brings together such a strong community of business owners and advisors.

Thank you to Cornerstone Business Services for hosting another fantastic conference!

Already looking forward to next year!

04/23/2026

"I want to continue growing the business, while gradually stepping out of day-to-day involvement."

“I’m working 60–70 hours a week, and I want more time with my family and on hobbies outside the business.”

"I'd like to shift to more of a coaching and mentoring role to support other entrepreneurs."

Over the past year, we’ve heard this from multiple Gen X and Millennial owners.

They want to build businesses that are more scalable, sustainable, and valuable, while creating greater freedom and flexibility.

Not just for a future exit.
For how they live and lead today.

Owners are increasingly asking a different question:

👉 Can this business run without me at the center of every decision?

Because they want to own the business, without being owned by it.

Katie Busch and Jayne McQuillan explore this shift in our latest blog:

"The Quiet Shift Reshaping Business Ownership and Reducing Owner Dependence"

🔗 Read the full blog: https://www.journeyconsult.com/post/reduce-owner-dependence

If you’re thinking about how to build a business that creates value and flexibility, this will help you start thinking about what needs to change.

Gen X and Millennial owners are redefining what it means to own a business, building more valuable, independent companies that don’t rely on them to succeed.

04/15/2026

"Today is the only day where you get to affect your destiny."

That was one of the many powerful reminders Brian Rasmussen shared with business owners during yesterday's CEO Roundtable.

Brian walked us through his journey:

🔹from stepping into ownership unexpectedly
🔹to co-founding Insight Magazine right in the middle of a recession
🔹to buying out a partner
🔹to growing it into one of the most recognized business brands in Northeast Wisconsin
🔹to selling the business and stepping into his next chapter.

But what really hit home wasn’t just the milestones. It was the reality behind them. The personal and professional hardships and celebrations.

Through it all, Brian stayed grounded in his values and faith, from taking the leap to start Insight to knowing when it was time to walk away.

He’s now channeled those experiences into his book, Today You Will, built around a simple but powerful question:

👉 What will you do with the day you’ve been given today?

Thank you, Brian, for being so open with our group. You gave us a lot to think about, and even more to act on.

We’re cheering you on in this next chapter!

04/09/2026

🎉When passion meets purpose, growth like this happens! Congratulations to Susie Van Ekeren, Jack Van Ekeren, and the entire Wisconsin Swim Academy team as you celebrate the groundbreaking of your new location in Howard-Suamico!

Susie’s journey, from teaching lessons in her backyard pool to opening a facility during COVID and now expanding alongside her son Jack, is a powerful example of what is possible with the right vision, planning, and perseverance.

Your team's dedication to water safety, your deep involvement in the community, and the way you are fostering a lifelong love of swimming in so many lives is what makes this expansion so special.

Growth like this does not happen by chance. It is built through intentional decisions, strong leadership, and a commitment to something bigger.

We are proud to support your journey and celebrate this incredible milestone with you!