Ever wonder what it takes to yank a bleeding Baker Hughes division out of the mothership in the middle of Covid, flip it to profit in four months, and then aim the same playbook at nuclear energy?

With years of experience leading companies through complex transitions, Sam Veselka knows that business transition planning isn’t just about cutting costs or expanding your footprint. It’s about knowing when to grow, how to grow, and what to leave behind. From cultural alignment to operational clarity and bold execution, the right strategy doesn’t just protect your business; it positions it to scale with intention.

If you're preparing for the next chapter of your business, this conversation offers a candid look at what it truly takes to turn complexity into momentum, and why successful growth is less about moving faster and more about moving smarter.

Listen to the full conversation on Spotify: 

Sam Veslka on Rethink Change

Meet Rethink Change Guest, Sam Veselka, Managing Director at Pelican Energy Partners LP

Sam Veselka is a corporate insider-turned-private equity sharpshooter who runs toward chaos, scales founder-run firms, and proves that culture beats capital every time. As the Managing Director at Pelican Energy Partners, he has orchestrated multiple buy-and-sell transactions and now sits on several boards of other portfolio companies. 

Before joining Pelican Energy Partners in 2018 and venturing into private equity, he steered Cameron’s North American aftermarket business for the Valves & Measurement division and cut his teeth helping scale a Houston-based manufacturing firm.

Your Company Culture Is Your Competitive Advantage 

In a crowded marketplace, product features can be easily copied, and pricing can be undercut. But culture? That's the one thing your competitors can’t replicate. That’s why your company culture is your greatest competitive advantage.

Culture influences how decisions are made, how conflict is resolved, and how individuals behave in moments of uncertainty. During a significant business transition planning phase, whether you're spinning off a division, entering new markets, or preparing for acquisition, culture becomes the lens through which every decision is filtered. 

And if it’s misaligned, even the best strategy will buckle under pressure.

In founder-led or transitioning companies, cultural clarity is especially critical. These organizations often scale quickly without defining what success looks like beyond revenue targets. Without that clarity, confusion and frustration take root. Teams start pulling in different directions, and progress slows when it matters most.

As a business owner, one of your most important roles is to clearly define the company's goals and values, as well as how the team will work together to achieve them. That includes setting expectations for how people work, communicate, and collaborate, as well as modeling those behaviors from the top down.

Because when the culture is strong, everything moves faster and with a longer-lasting impact. There’s less resistance, fewer misunderstandings, and more accountability. Not only will your company scale at the right pace, but it will do so with the right people in the right roles, all moving in the same direction.

Business Transition Planning: Bridging the Gap Between Vision and Execution

Culture sets the tone. But clarity sets the pace.

Once your team is aligned on how you work together, the next step is making sure everyone knows what they’re working toward and why it matters. That’s where operational clarity comes in.

According to Sam Veselka, many companies hit a ceiling not because they lack talent or resources, but because they’ve outgrown their old systems. They’re still making decisions based on instinct, not insight. They’re still relying on legacy processes that no longer support the scale they’re aiming for.

Operational clarity involves taking a thorough examination of your infrastructure: Do your people have the tools they need? Are decision-making processes clear? Is your data telling you the truth, or just confirming your assumptions?

It also means defining success beyond just revenue. Whether it’s customer experience, team performance, or product innovation, companies that scale with intention measure what matters and adjust quickly when it doesn’t.

When your operations are clear, your team moves faster, your priorities stay focused, and your business becomes easier to lead and easier to grow.

Are You the Bottleneck? Why Letting Go Might Be Your Best Move 

Once your culture is strong and your operations are clear, the real work begins with stepping back. Because sometimes, the biggest thing standing in the way of growth isn’t the team, the market, or the model. It’s you.

In many founder-led companies navigating business transition planning, the biggest roadblock to growth isn’t the market or the model; it’s the founder. You’ve worn every hat, built the foundation, and made all the key decisions. But if everything still runs through you, your company can’t scale. You’ve become the bottleneck. 

Sam Veselka sees this pattern often. The founder’s instincts that built the company become the same instincts that now hold it back. Growth stalls not because the business lacks potential, but because the owner refuses to relinquish control.

The shift? It starts with delegation. Not just handing off easy tasks, but handing over responsibility. Trusting your team to lead, make decisions, and move the company forward without your constant oversight.

It may seem uncomfortable at first because it requires clarity, confidence, and a mindset shift. But once you do it, things change fast, and the impact actually lasts. Execution gets sharper. Teams move with purpose. You stop playing air traffic controller and start leading from a higher altitude.

If you want to grow, you can’t grip tighter. You have to release. Because what got you here won’t get you there, and letting go might be the smartest move you make.

Need Help Navigating What’s Next In Your Business?

Whether you're redefining your culture, building operational clarity, or preparing for a major transition, Pennebaker brings the strategy and support to help you lead with confidence.

We partner with organizations to clarify their positioning, align internal teams, and communicate effectively, both internally and externally. Because when your business is in motion, you need more than a new logo or mission statement. You need a plan that sticks.

Let’s rethink the way your company moves forward.