DES MOINES, IA, June 2026. After more than twenty years working with agricultural families, Rena Striegel has noticed something that surprises many people. Farm succession rarely comes to a standstill because families lack planning tools or professional advice. More often, progress slows because the conversations that matter most are the ones everyone hopes someone else will begin.
As President of Transition Point Business Advisors, Striegel has worked with multi-generational farms throughout the United States. Every family has its own history and circumstances, yet she continues to see similar patterns emerge whenever succession comes up.
“The biggest obstacle to farm succession usually isn’t a lack of options,” Striegel said. “It’s a lack of conversation. Families often know they need to talk about the future, but uncertainty and emotion keep those discussions on hold. Once people begin asking honest questions and listening to one another, they can start moving forward with greater confidence.”
The Conversation Everyone Knows Is Coming
Most families already understand that a transition will happen one day. The uncertainty lies in deciding when and how to begin talking about it.
Striegel says many people worry that raising the subject will create unnecessary tension. Parents may fear their children will think retirement is imminent. Adult children often hesitate because they do not want their questions to be mistaken for impatience or entitlement. Everyone is trying to protect the relationship, yet the silence often creates more uncertainty than the conversation itself.
Years can pass with everyone waiting for the right moment.
By the time the subject finally comes up, expectations may already have drifted in different directions.
Planning Can Move Ahead While the Family Falls Behind
One of the patterns Striegel has observed is that many operations become highly organized on paper while important family discussions remain unfinished.
Legal documents are drafted. Financial strategies are reviewed. Tax planning moves forward.
At the same time, basic questions remain unanswered.
Who hopes to lead the business? What responsibilities should gradually change? How will future decisions be made? Do all family members see the future of the operation the same way?
According to Striegel, those conversations provide the context that allows technical planning to work as intended.
Assumptions Quietly Shape Decisions
Another lesson she has learned is that families often mistake familiarity for understanding.
Working together every day can create the impression that everyone shares the same expectations. In reality, each generation may be imagining a very different future.
Parents sometimes believe they have communicated their intentions through actions. The next generation may be waiting for words that never come. Siblings can leave the same discussion believing completely different decisions were made.
None of this usually happens because people are unwilling to cooperate.
It happens because assumptions quietly replace conversations.
Progress Starts Before Perfect Answers
Raised on a dairy farm in What Cheer, Iowa, Striegel understands why these discussions carry so much emotional weight. A family farm represents years of work, sacrifice, memories, and responsibility. It is understandable that families want to get important decisions right.
For that reason, she encourages families to stop waiting until every answer feels certain.
In her experience, productive succession planning rarely begins with certainty. It begins with curiosity.
The first meaningful step is often a simple question asked at the right time, followed by a willingness to listen without rushing toward a conclusion.
Those early conversations may not solve every issue, but they create momentum. As understanding grows, decisions that once felt overwhelming often become far more manageable.
Through Transition Point Business Advisors, Striegel continues helping agricultural families create that momentum by encouraging thoughtful conversations before circumstances leave them with fewer choices.
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 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.
