Legacy Planning for Entrepreneurs: Passing on Values, Not Just Value
Why Legacy Planning Can’t Wait
A recent video conversation from The Verge and HSBC Global Private Banking, featuring Aya Taha in Dubai, puts a clear spotlight on a topic many founders delay. Over the next two decades, almost $80 trillion is set to pass from baby boomers to Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z. Yet 66% of global entrepreneurs have not planned the exit of their business, and only 40% of affluent individuals have set out a will.
The message is simple: the earlier you start, the better. Plan with purpose, and you protect both the value you have built and the values you hope to pass on.
At Life After Me, this is exactly the journey we support. Our mission is to help people organise what matters, share it safely with the right people, and give the next generation clarity rather than guesswork.
👉 Related: Better estate planning with Life After Me
What HSBC’s Perspective Highlights
Aya Taha’s observations capture three truths founders will recognise:
1. Lack of Planning Raises the Risk
When succession is left to chance, business continuity suffers. Unwritten processes, scattered documents, and unclear authority can stall decision-making at the worst possible moment.
👉 See also: Which Documents Are Essential for Your Estate Plan
2. Planning Is a Self-Reflection Journey
Good planning takes energy and honesty. It starts with questions about purpose, family priorities, philanthropy, and the next chapter for the founder.
3. Proactive Planners Report Higher Quality of Life
HSBC notes that proactive planners are 50% more satisfied with their quality of life. Clarity reduces mental load. It also frees leaders to focus on growth or a well-earned transition.
👉 Source: HSBC’s “Pivot” article on legacy planning
🎥 Watch the video below for HSBC’s insights on why legacy planning should be a priority:
How Life After Me Turns Intent into Organised Action
Founders need a private, secure place to gather the right information, involve the right people, and keep it current. Life After Me provides that structure.
Clarity for Your Next Generation
Capture your will information, shareholder agreements, cap table, key contracts, banking details, insurance, and digital assets in one secure digital vault. Add context about why decisions were made, and what you expect to happen next.
👉 Learn more: Our Security & Certifications
Continuity for the Business
Record critical run-book items that rarely live in a single file:
Board authorities
Payment approvals
Supplier contacts
Payroll steps
Client renewal cycles
Crisis call trees
If you were off the grid for two weeks, could your team keep the engine running? With a clear vault, yes.
Control Over Who Sees What
Assign Trusted Appointees such as your spouse, co-founder, or general counsel. Invite Expert Advisers such as your solicitor, accountant, or wealth planner, so they can upload and update documents for you. Set granular access and time-release rules to match your preferences.
👉 FAQ: How do Trusted Appointees work?
Culture That Outlives the Founder
Store letters to the next leadership team, a short founder story, your values in practice, and your philanthropy intent. Passing on values is as important as passing on value.
Security That Earns Trust
Life After Me is ISO 27001 certified and built for privacy, with encryption at rest and in transit, detailed audit trails, and strong authentication. Your information stays in your control.
A Simple Sequence to Start Now
Map what matters
List the people, documents, accounts, and obligations that would be needed within 48 hours if you were not available.Document ownership and authority
Clarify who can approve payments, sign contracts, access banking, and instruct advisers. Store letters of wishes and board guidance alongside legal documents prepared by your solicitor.Create your continuity pack
Upload operating checklists and renewal calendars. Add key contacts and “how to” notes for mission-critical systems.Appoint and rehearse
Nominate your Trusted Appointees and invite your Expert Advisers. Run a table-top exercise so everyone knows how to act if needed.Review on a schedule
Set a quarterly or biannual review to keep everything current. Small, regular updates beat heroic catch-ups.
Why Act Now?
The scale of the global wealth transfer is unprecedented. Many founders have not planned their exit, and many affluent families lack a will.
Cost of inaction: uncertainty, delay, potential loss of value
Benefit of action: peace of mind, stronger family communication, and better odds that the business and its culture will thrive
HSBC’s perspective is a timely reminder that legacy planning is for everyone, not just the ultra-wealthy. It is about clarity, continuity, and care for the people and enterprises you love.
👉 Related: Your Digital Life: Chaotic or Organised?
How Life After Me Can Help
Life After Me brings structure to the conversation and discipline to the follow-through:
A private digital vault for your personal and business life
Clear roles for Trusted Appointees and Expert Advisers
Guided checklists for wills, insurance, company documents, and digital assets
Secure document sharing with permissions that reflect your wishes
Reviews that keep your plan alive
Your life, your legacy, your way.
This article references insights shared by Aya Taha, Director at HSBC Global Private Banking, in a video produced by The Verge and HSBC. Figures cited, including the $80 trillion wealth transfer, the share of entrepreneurs without an exit plan, the share of affluent individuals with a will, and the higher satisfaction reported by proactive planners, reflect the content of that piece.