Rhode Island Chronicle

DES MOINES, IA – June 22, 2026 – For many farm families, succession planning is not ignored because it seems unimportant. More often, it is delayed because the decisions involved feel deeply personal.

Rena Striegel, President of Transition Point Business Advisors, has spent years working with agricultural families facing questions about leadership, ownership, retirement, and the farm’s future. Along the way, she has noticed a common theme. Most families understand the need to plan. What slows them down is the emotional weight attached to the conversation.

A transition discussion is rarely just about land, equipment, or ownership percentages. It is often tied to identity, family history, and decades of work. Parents may wonder whether they are ready to step back. Adult children may hesitate to ask questions for fear of appearing impatient. Everyone wants to protect the farm, yet the conversation itself can feel difficult to begin.

“I’ve learned that most transition delays aren’t caused by a lack of planning tools. They’re caused by fear of making the wrong decision,” Striegel said. “Once families begin talking honestly about the future, they often discover they have more options than they realized.”

Many of the families Striegel works with have been discussing the farm’s future in pieces for years. A comment after harvest. A brief discussion during tax season. A conversation that starts at a family gathering and quickly changes direction.

Nobody is necessarily refusing to plan. The challenge is that important topics rarely stay on the table long enough to reach a decision.

In one family, parents may believe they are giving their children time before discussing succession. In another, the next generation may assume ownership conversations will happen when the timing feels right. Meanwhile, months turn into years, and uncertainty becomes part of the operation.

Striegel says these situations are far more common than many people realize. What appears to be procrastination is often hesitation. Families understand the importance of planning but worry about creating conflict, disappointing someone, or making a decision they cannot easily reverse.

As a result, many operations continue moving forward without a shared understanding of leadership, responsibilities, or long-term expectations. The business continues to run, but critical questions remain unanswered.

According to Striegel, meaningful progress often begins when families stop trying to solve everything at once. A productive transition discussion may start with something as simple as asking each generation what the future of the farm should look like five or ten years from now.

Progress, she says, does not require having every answer from the beginning. Sometimes it starts with one conversation, one meeting, or one question that opens the door to a larger discussion.

Raised on a dairy farm in What Cheer, Iowa, Striegel understands the personal connection many families have to their operations. Farming is often more than a business. It represents years of commitment, sacrifice, and shared purpose across generations.

Through Transition Point Business Advisors, she continues to help families navigate transition decisions with greater confidence, moving beyond delay toward a future shaped by intentional choices rather than uncertainty.

More information about Transition Point Business Advisors is available at https://transitionpointba.com/. Rena Striegel also shares insights through LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Rena Striegel

Rena Striegel is the President of Transition Point Business Advisors and one of the leading authorities in agricultural and family business succession planning in the United States. Born on August 21, 1970, in What Cheer, Iowa, and raised on a dairy farm, Rena developed an early understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and responsibilities of operating a multi-generational agricultural business. Her upbringing gave her firsthand insight into the realities of family farming and the importance of preserving both the business and the relationships behind it.

Rena earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central College in Pella, Iowa, and later completed her Master of Business Administration from the University of Iowa. Before specializing in succession planning, she built a successful career in financial services and advisory roles, gaining extensive experience in business planning, leadership development, family enterprise dynamics, and long-term strategic decision-making.

For more than twenty years, Rena has worked with farm families and family-owned businesses across the United States, helping them navigate some of the most important decisions they will ever make. Her work focuses on the human side of transition, addressing communication challenges, leadership development, family alignment, ownership transfer, and next-generation readiness. She is widely recognized for helping families move beyond uncertainty and conflict toward greater clarity, understanding, and continuity.

Rena is the creator of the The DIRTT Project, a succession planning framework developed specifically for agricultural families. The program was designed to address the unique emotional, relational, and operational challenges that often accompany farm transitions. She is also the host of the Ag Inspo podcast, where she shares insights, stories, and practical guidance for agricultural leaders and family business owners.

Through her consulting work, workshops, speaking engagements, and educational programs, Rena continues to help families preserve their legacy while preparing future generations for leadership. Her practical experience, deep understanding of agricultural operations, and commitment to strengthening family businesses have made her a trusted advisor to farm families throughout the country.

About Transition Point Business Advisors

Transition Point Business Advisors specializes in succession planning for agricultural and family-owned businesses. The firm provides facilitation, communication support, and transition planning guidance to help families prepare for long-term continuity across generations.

Media Contact
Company Name: Transition Point Business Advisors
Contact Person: Rena Striegel
Email: Send Email
City: West Des Moines
Country: United States
Website: https://transitionpointba.com