When Fran Doll was diagnosed with breast cancer 18 months ago, her company, Superior Staffing, didn’t miss a beat, thanks to her years of succession planning.
“You just never know,” Doll said. “I walked into the mammogram place thinking I was perfectly healthy and walked out knowing I had breast cancer. That was literally my last day at work.”
Doll stresses to other business owners the importance of succession planning to minimize disruptions should something happen to them. The founder of Superior Staffing, which just celebrated its 19th anniversary, made sure her employees knew the business inside and out.
That made it easier when two of her children, Sheri Witte and Tom Doll were forced to suddenly take over as CEO and president, respectively. Both had been with the company for years, trained in management by their mother, and are now part owners.
Doll says the transition came “way sooner than I expected,” but “everyone was so well organized and so well trained, we haven’t seen much of an interruption.” That was important for her children’s sake, as well as for the business.
“Think about the emotional condition they were in,” Doll says. “If the people under them hadn’t been able to do their jobs, it would have been extremely chaotic.”
Doll learned that every day is important when a car accident almost killed her at age 29. Knowing how quickly things could end encouraged her to plan for her business’s future. That paid off when she got sick, says office manager Lisa Craine.
“She is a very good trainer and they’re definitely their mother’s children,” Craine says. “She is such a great leader, and they’ve been able to step in and fill the job.”
Doll retains majority ownership and helps when needed, but tries to stay out of her children’s way.
“They are in charge and I try very, very hard to let go and let them do it and keep quiet,” Doll says. “They’re doing a wonderful job.”
Tom Doll says his mother’s planning proved vital.
“You have to ask, ‘If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, what is going to happen?’” he says. “If you’re not prepared and have everything you need for succession, you’re going to go under. She’d been working on this process for eight or 10 years.
“I’m thankful my mom was able to think ahead. It would have left us in a very difficult situation if she hadn’t. You always think nothing is going to happen to the business, nothing is going to happen to me, then you get in an accident.”
After nearly dying from her illness last fall, Doll is back on her feet. She is the grand marshall for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life at Copley High School June 11 and 12 and is speaking to the Akron Regional Development Board’s CEO Forum June 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hilton West.
“I’m trying to inform business owners of how crucial this really is,” Doll says. “I don’t care how young they are. You need to start planning because it can happen to anyone at any time. If you care about what happens to your company and your family when you’re gone,” you’ve got to plan.
“And it’s not a quick process. It’s a very long, detailed, emotional process.”
