Legacy by Design: What Happens to Everything You’ve Built, Kept and Curated?

According to McKinsey’s 2023 research , nearly 30% of high-net-worth individuals over 45 are child-free, and the majority have no documented succession strategy. But even among founders with children, less than 25% have discussed wealth or business succession openly with their family. That was 2 years ago! It has not improved. 

It's not just financial. It's the memories, the stories, the ideas and values that matter as well. 

Last week, I opened a cupboard and found my old school blazer.

It still fits. The colours were sharp, the fabric resilient. The badges I’d earned—sporting, academic, dramatic—still held their ground, stitched neatly into the fabric of a life chapter long closed - but certainly very relevant. Not sure about the choir aspect - we will just put that down to a traditional boarding school approach. It is certainly not a talent of mine now. 

I found myself reflecting: What do you do with a life’s work, a personal archive, a body of knowledge… when you’re not 'handing it down' in the traditional sense? 

I've been having a lot of conversations lately with our clients about the next chapter, the forward plan and the value of what they have built to date. 

Their efforts to create and do better. Now what? Often divorces and business breakups mean original ideals are now needing a restructure. 

Traditional succession planning - few and far between now. We have far more variables than ever before. Some considering the next with no children. No one waiting to inherit the family history —or the business, the frameworks, the handwritten journals, the quietly powerful lessons etched into a career of building, leading, and contributing.

And even others who do have children—are they ready? Do they even want what you’ve built? This In the rooms I coach—from C-suite boardrooms to our private retreats —this conversation can often be:

“My kids don’t want the company.” 

We were taught that legacy passes through bloodlines. But the truth? Legacy passes through structure. From generational skills, recipes, stories and heirlooms, to businesses and decisions made in boardrooms. Whether you have heirs or not, legacy only lasts when it’s documented, protected, and designed to operate without you.

This is not just about handing over equity. It’s about:

• Transferring identity and values
• Documenting intellectual property and lived wisdom
• Embedding decision-making filters into systems others can follow
• Structuring continuity—so your work, family values, history and vital aspects/skills don’t vanish the moment you’re no longer in the room

So how do you actually do that?

1. Build a Business Designed for Continuity, Not Dependence

If your name is the business—start building something that survives without you. Whether you have children in the wings or not, the question remains the same:

“Could this operate without me?”

What that demands:

• Commercial frameworks, not just charisma
• Documented IP, playbooks, and licensing potential
• Defined systems that someone else—GM, buyer, 2IC—can run
• Organised archives of meaningful family history, skills, stories, memories and items of special heritage, photos and more. 

For those with children interested in succession, remember: passion isn’t hereditary. You must prepare them like any other candidate—with training, clarity, and accountability. Personally - do your children understand the value of continuity and the values and sense of purpose that may have been carried down or wealth and history changed throughout generations. 

For those without heirs: Is it your job is to make the business acquirable, investable, and transferrable. Not emotionally tied to your presence, but commercially robust on its own? 

How do you now what effort to put in and what is worth considering? Continuity isn’t just sentimental. It’s strategic.

2. Systemise and Record What Matters Most—From IP to Family Recipes

Legacy isn’t just what built your net worth. It’s what built you. Yet so many founders leave behind wealth without wisdom, structure without story.

Begin now - even if it means you're thinking about a 5-10 year plan not just a finite one - and you're creating space for someone to follow in your footsteps:

• Archive your leadership philosophies—how you make decisions, negotiate deals, resolve conflicts
• Record your stories—what shaped you, what broke you open, what you believe in
• Store the personal too—recipes, letters, journals, playlists, travel notes, even objects with stories behind them

Think of it as your “Living Legacy Index”—a vault of meaning that defines your voice for generations to come.

For those with family: This becomes a bridge between generations. A transfer of values, not just valuables. For those without: This becomes your intentional imprint on the world—ready to be received by those who carry your work or ethos forward.

And yes, update the legal documents: wills, POAs, trusts. But understand—a legacy without narrative is hollow.

3. Identify Your Real Custodians (Not Just Your Relatives)

Legacy doesn’t need a bloodline. It needs a custodian. Who gets the house is one thing. Who carries your mission, message, or method forward—that’s the real question.

It might be:

• A founder you mentor
• A board you trust
• A foundation aligned with your values
• A loyal COO/2IC who’s earned their stripes
• Or yes, a son or daughter—but by capability, not assumption
• In terms of your more personal elements think of close friends and causes you care about. 

Take inspiration from leaders like Julia Newbould who’s bequeathing part of her legacy to the arts. Or Karen McIntyre Head of Philanthropy at LifeFlight, who helps families and individuals translate success into long-term impact.

The criteria is simple:

• Do they understand what you’ve built?
• Do they respect it?
• Can they scale it or preserve it with integrity?

Your custodian must be chosen—not assumed. Perhaps you're creating IP and structures that can be carried through. Either way - what would great look like? 

You may be reading this and say 'I don't have anything of worth' - but I guarantee you, there will be the experiences, the stories, the generational knowledge, items you cherish. What matters to you most?

4. Design Your Personal Legacy Map

Here’s what this looks like in practice:

• Separate “You” from your brand where you can as relevant —create assets that outlive your presence
• Document/share everything only you know how to do
• Decide who gets what (even the stories, even the objects)
• Define your non-negotiables—what's not to be diluted in your absence
• Revisit this map annually. Legacy is not static—it evolves

If your children want the business—train them. Don’t gift responsibility without preparation. If they don’t—release them. And move forward with dignity. Either way, don't assume everything will fall into place. 

5. Seek the Right Advisory Support

Don’t wait for a “moment” to start. Get in the room with people who understand the nuance of this work:

• Succession planners who know family business dynamics
• Legal advisors who see beyond the will
• Strategic consultants who can distill your IP and design licensing structures
• Values-aligned coaches who can help you define what actually matters to you

Too often this subject only gets the attention it requires during times of crisis. Please don't think the impact you have won't have a ripple effect or be a treasure for someone moving forward. 

It’s about knowing that what you’ve built—professionally and personally—has a future that transcends your physical presence. It's not quantity, it's the quality. 

If you don't have a plan someone else will make the decision for you.

It's not about business. 

Final Word: The School Blazer Still Fits. 

And I’ll keep it. Not because I’m holding on to the past. But because it reminds me of who I was. The girl who wore that blazer built something powerful. The woman writing this today is making sure it won’t be left to chance and that I'm looking to ensure a positive impact on levels that may not always be visible now.

Whatever you’ve created—be it a movement, a family, art, designs, ideas, a community, a philosophy, or a business—design it to endure. Not by default. But by decision.

If you know your legacy architecture needs clarity—start now. 

This is your invitation to design what comes after and hold on to what you have carried forward from other generations, with intelligence and intent. 

What you think may not be worth anything, could be someones treasure to uphold, continue, connect with in the future.

— Nikki 

Nikki Fogden-Moore is a globally recognised strategist, author, and founder of The Mojo Maker® Group, ACCELER8TE™, and ClaraLuna AI—a human-led AI platform built to support conscious leadership and performance at scale. With over two decades across brand strategy, elite sport, and executive coaching, she’s the author of Vitality, Fitpreneur, and Radical Self-Belief, and creator of frameworks like Winning Weeks®, FounderFITness, The Vitality RoadMap and the new SuperLeaders book and podcast series out in September 2025. Nikki works with CEOs, founders, and teams to align commercial outcomes with personal sustainability. 

Known for her clarity, intelligence, and impact, she empowers leaders to navigate complexity with purpose, performance, and aligned innovation. For private coaching, retreats and executive team workshops please reach out via nikkifogdenmoore.com