A project funded by the EOX State Center Grant Program

Testing a new digital starting point for business succession.

A business owner can be thinking seriously about succession long before they are ready to schedule a consultation.

TNCEO wanted a better way to serve that owner in the meantime.

Working with Zolidar, the Tennessee Center for Employee Ownership (TNCEO) used its EOX project grant to create a Business Transition Navigation Experience where owners can begin exploring succession on their own terms while TNCEO remains available when they want a human guide.

The digital experience includes:

• A TNCEO-branded Zolidar microsite.
  
  
• The Day Zero Guide for owners beginning to think through a transition.
  
  
• Free business valuation tools and curated succession resources.
  
  
• A TNCEO service provider directory.
  
  
• Direct opportunities throughout the experience for business owners to connect with TNCEO.
  
  
• Analytics and CRM connections that give TNCEO greater visibility into what owners are exploring and where follow-up may be useful.
  
  
• Ten pilot "Aha Planner" unlocks, double the number originally scoped.

Early use has already shown both paths working: one owner used the Day Zero Guide alongside Rachel during a live conversation, while another completed it independently and surfaced to TNCEO as a new lead before reaching out directly.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Not every business owner wants their first step to be a meeting.

TNCEO is testing whether a State Center can provide meaningful help before an owner ever raises a hand, without replacing the relationship that becomes important later. That could give State Centers a better chance to reach owners while succession options are still open.

The next phase will also clarify which parts of the Zolidar experience can be readily adopted by other State Centers and which require additional customization.