From Doescher Advisors to Doescher Group: A New Chapter in Serving Leaders

On April 9, 2025, I had a meeting with our son, Craig, whom many of you know. At the very end of that meeting, he asked a question that Barbara and I did not see coming. He asked whether we would be interested in merging Doescher Advisors into his company, Doescher Group.

If you are a parent, you can probably imagine how that felt.

Left: Craig Doescher; Right: Tom Doescher

There are certain moments in life that stay with you because they are both deeply personal and highly meaningful. This was one of those moments for me. As a father, I felt proud. As an advisor, I felt grateful. And as someone who had spent many years thinking about how to continue serving clients well into the future, I felt an enormous sense of relief.

Doescher Advisors had been in its 14th year at that point. That is hard for me to believe.

Over those years, I had the privilege of walking alongside many executives, business owners, and leaders as they dealt with challenges involving growth, leadership, relationships, decision-making, and personal development. Barbara, Claudia McIntyre, and I had come to value that work very deeply. It was never just about advice. It was about helping people think more clearly, lead more effectively, and become healthier versions of themselves and better stewards of their responsibilities.

At the same time, Barbara and I were realistic. We were not getting any younger, and although we still had the desire to serve, we had not been able to come up with the right succession plan for Doescher Advisors. We wanted to make sure that the people we served would continue to have access to the same level of care, discretion, and thoughtful guidance they had come to expect from us.

Craig’s offer could not have come at a better time.

As he explained it, the opportunity was not simply about combining names or organizations. He and his colleagues at Doescher Group wanted to expand their services by adding executive coaching. That made perfect sense to me. In my experience, many leaders do not need more noise, more theories, or more complexity. They need wise counsel, honest feedback, encouragement, perspective, and someone who will help them think through difficult situations with clarity and integrity.

That is what executive coaching is at its best.

Craig saw that Barbara and I could continue serving the clients we cared about while also helping Doescher Group jump-start its executive coaching practice. He also mentioned that some of his colleagues might benefit from having a mentor. That part especially resonated with me. As many of you know, I have long believed in the value of mentoring. Very few leaders should try to go it alone. Most of us need wise people around us who will challenge us, encourage us, and help us see what we might otherwise miss.

The more Barbara and I thought about it, the more the opportunity seemed like the right next step.

We also sought counsel from several close advisors whom we trust. Without exception, they were enthusiastic about the opportunity. That was encouraging. Sometimes when a door opens, the timing, the logic, and the peace around the decision all seem to line up at once. That is very much how this felt to us.

So, beginning August 1, 2025, Doescher Advisors officially joined forces with Doescher Group.

Left to right: Barbara Doescher, Craig Doescher, & Tom Doescher

Looking back, I believe this was a true win-win.

It allowed us to continue doing work we care deeply about. It gave our clients access to expanded resources. It provided a path forward that we had not been able to fully create on our own. And it connected executive coaching to a broader organization that is already committed to helping business owners and leaders build stronger, healthier, and more valuable companies.

Most importantly, it meant continuity.

For those who had worked with us through Doescher Advisors, this was not about losing something familiar. It was about strengthening it. The heart behind the work remained the same. We were still committed to serving in the usual confidential manner. We were still focused on our clients’ future success. We were still bringing the same care, experience, and desire to help leaders grow.

We were simply doing it as part of a larger team.

I also believe there is something special about this kind of transition happening within a family. Not every family business story works out this way. We do not take that lightly. For Barbara and me, joining Doescher Group felt like both a professional opportunity and a personal blessing. It was a chance to contribute to something our son and his team had built, while also extending the legacy of the work we had been called to do through Doescher Advisors.

That is a gift.

So yes, it was exciting news. But more than that, it was meaningful news.

We were, and still are, very grateful for the trust so many clients placed in us through Doescher Advisors. That trust meant a great deal to us then, and it still does today. Joining Doescher Group gave us the opportunity to continue building on that foundation in a new way.

As I reflect on that season, I am struck by how often the right opportunities arrive at exactly the right time. You may be facing a transition of your own right now. It may involve leadership, succession, growth, or simply recognizing that you do not have to figure everything out by yourself.

If that is where you are, let me encourage you with this thought: sometimes the next chapter is not about ending your work. Sometimes it is about finding the right people to carry it forward with you.

That was certainly true for us.

If you are at a point where you are thinking about your future, your leadership, or what it would take to build a business that can thrive beyond you, we would welcome the opportunity to come alongside you. At Doescher Group, we are committed to helping leaders navigate important transitions with wisdom, clarity, and confidence.