88 years old and just NOW realizing this? 🤯

I met someone this week who totally strained my perspective...

Larry Chapman* is 88 years old.

EIGHTY-EIGHT!

And a year ago? He thought he’d live forever.

Then? BAM!  Lung removal, eight surgeries... life changed.

He’s still the CEO of NINE businesses (yes, you read that right).

But now? He realizes he’s waited way too long to plan his succession. 😬

It’s like a wake-up call from the universe.

Larry’s story got me thinking about “cathedral thinking.”

You know, like Antoni Gaudí and the Sagrada Familia? 

Gaudí knew he’d never see his project finished.

So he created detailed plans, ensuring his vision would live on.

That’s legacy. That’s impact. That’s planning beyond yourself.

What about Larry?

He recruited great leaders, offering them ownership based on goals. Smart!

But... he didn’t train the next generations. 🥺

He didn’t pass on his values.What’s his legacy beyond being a successful CEO? 🤔

That’s the question that haunts me.

What parts of “cathedral thinking” did Larry miss?

He is second generation, with the third and fourth involved... but without a plan.

His most repeated phrase? “Never expect what you don’t inspect.” 👀

But what happens when he’s not there to inspect?

The disastrous possibilities?

Liquidation. 💔 His empire gone.

His children getting dollars, but not a legacy.

Ouch. That hits hard.

Larry’s got boutique grocery stores, a fuel delivery service, a sandwich shop franchise for a region, a cable TV network, a community marketing business, a fitness club, a chain of laundromats AND a real estate investment firm.​

That’s a lot to manage!

The Sagrada Familia teaches us:

• Design for succession as deliberately as you design for success.

• Clarify your vision so others can align with your legacy.

• Have faith in future collaborators.

Like Gaudí, are you building a legacy that will outlast you?

Or, like Larry, are you realizing too late the importance of “cathedral thinking?”

Hit reply and tell me... what’s one thing you’re doing today to build your legacy?

Talk soon

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*Names have been changed to protect the innocent... and the guilty