What Forest Landowners Can Teach Every Entrepreneur About Legacy

Most legacies fail because succession is treated as a task for "someday" instead of a daily act of stewardship.

In the latest issue of Forest Landowner Magazine, I had the privilege of sharing a message that is dear to my heart: Land as Legacy.

Stewards of land are the intended audience of the article, yet its lessons are valuable for anyone who has established a business, a brand, or a team.

Whether you are managing a thousand acres of timber or a fifty-person company, the “harsh truth” remains the same: Most legacies fail because we treat succession like a task for “someday” instead of a daily act of stewardship.

The FLA Mindset: Stewardship Over Ownership 

The Forest Landowners Association is built on the principle that we are stewards, not just owners. As I wrote in the piece: “Land doesn’t belong to us - we belong to the land.”

In business, this means recognizing that your company doesn’t just belong to you—it belongs to the employees who rely on it, the customers who trust it, and the community it serves.

Three Universal Lessons from the Woods:

1. Avoid the “Ostrich Problem”: Don’t wait until death to let an estate make decisions you should have made while alive. We must identify and nurture competence early.

2. Values Transfer > Asset Transfer: Forestland is a living classroom. Successful succession isn’t just about handing over the keys; it’s about sharing the “why” behind the work.

3. The Monopoly Lesson: Eventually, it all goes back in the box. The question is: What endgame will you choose before it does?

Succession planning is your greatest act of stewardship. It is the decision you make today so that someone else can care for your “land” tomorrow.