In this episode, Christina May sits down with Aaron Shapiro, the second-generation leader of Shapiro & Duncan, a 50-year-old family-owned mechanical contracting company, to talk about one of the hardest realities any business can face: unexpected succession. After the sudden loss of a key family leader, the company was forced to implement real-time succession planning, revealing gaps in communication, leadership development, and operational preparedness.Together, they unpack what happened, what the company learned, and how they turned a crisis into an opportunity to build stronger systems, mentorship, and future leadership. From training pipelines and employee ownership to learning how to let people fail safely, this episode is a candid conversation about building businesses that can outlast the people who started them. ---------------------------------➕ Visit our Website: https://www.thebreakoutmoment.com/ ➕ Subscribe to The Breakout Moment Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBreakoutMoment?sub_confirmation=1 ➕ Follow along on our Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thebreakoutmoment/ ➕ Keep up with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/thebreakoutmoment/ ➕ Join us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/share/1bAtYvHmRz/?mibextid=wwXIfr  Hosted by Christina May. Produced by Stacey Holsinger. Edited by Marian Allen. Sponsored by:🟡 Illumine8 https://www.illumine8.com/ 🔵 Steel Toe Communications https://www.steeltoecommunications.com/ 🟢 Genesis AEC https://www.genesisaec.com/