We're excited to share our latest episode of Growing Up B2B, featuring a conversation with Sarah Switlik, the fourth-generation president of Switlik Survival Products.
In this episode, Sarah joins host Ed Delia to talk about what it actually takes to carry a family business into its next generation, and her own path there: a Babson College grad who came home to lead the company her family built.
What we cover:
- The leadership handoff. Sarah walks through the multi-year transition process of taking the reins from her father, and why communication made or broke it along the way.
- Modernizing a century-old operation. From implementing a new ERP system to rethinking how the shop floor runs, Sarah shares what it looks like to bring legacy manufacturing into the present.
- The talent challenge. Recruiting and developing the next generation of manufacturing workers isn't easy — Sarah talks candidly about the workforce hurdles she's navigating.
- Changing the narrative on manufacturing. How the industry's image is shifting, and what that means for companies trying to attract new talent.
- Building a culture that lasts. Creating a values-driven, diverse, multigenerational workplace inside a business built on a hundred years of tradition.
Whether you're navigating your own succession plan, running a manufacturing business, or just curious what it takes to keep a family legacy relevant for another hundred years, this episode is worth your time.
Listen to the full episode here: Life Vests, Leadership, and Legacy: Steering a 100-Year-Old Family Business into the Future with Sarah Switlik
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