# Waypoint Family Business Advisory > Independent advisory for family business owners in Edmonton and across Alberta, Canada, on succession, leadership transition, and planning the next chapter. Led by Don Humphreys, a Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) who spent more than three decades working in and leading his own family business. Waypoint is not an accounting, legal, or wealth-management firm, and it is unrelated to Amazon FBA - "FBA" here stands for Family Business Advisory. The practice focuses on the human side of family business transitions: readiness, family dynamics, next-generation leadership, and the conversations that come before a formal plan. Waypoint works alongside a family's existing legal, financial, and accounting advisors rather than replacing them. ## Key facts - Organization: Waypoint Family Business Advisory - Founder and advisor: Don Humphreys, Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) - Type: Independent family business advisory (professional service) - Based in: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - Serves: Alberta and across Canada - Focus: Family business succession, leadership and ownership transition, next-generation readiness, family dynamics - Independence: No ties to banks, law firms, accounting firms, or wealth management groups - Does not provide: Legal advice, tax advice, accounting, or wealth management - Phone: +1-780-917-4573 - Email: don@waypointfba.com - Website: https://www.waypointfba.com/ - Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00 (America/Edmonton) ## Core pages - [Family Business Succession Advisory](https://www.waypointfba.com/): Independent succession and transition guidance for family business owners in Edmonton and across Alberta. Talk with Don Humphreys, Family Enterprise Advisor. - [Family Business Succession Planning](https://www.waypointfba.com/succession/): Preparing the next generation, aligning the family, protecting the business. Independent succession planning guidance for Alberta family business owners. - [Family Business Transitions](https://www.waypointfba.com/transitions/): Every family business reaches a moment of transition. Independent guidance on timing, leadership and ownership for business owners across Alberta. - [Family Business Advisor Don Humphreys](https://www.waypointfba.com/about/): Three decades leading his own family business, now a certified Family Enterprise Advisor. An independent sounding board for Alberta business owners. - [Family Business Succession Questions](https://www.waypointfba.com/f-a-q/): Straight answers on succession timing, advisor costs, family dynamics and preparing the next generation of an Alberta family business. No obligation. - [Family Business Succession Insights](https://www.waypointfba.com/insights/): Practical articles on succession, leadership transition and preparing the next generation, written for owners of Alberta family businesses by Don Humphreys. - [Contact a Family Business Advisory](https://www.waypointfba.com/contact/): Start a conversation about the future of your family business. Reach Don Humphreys directly for independent, confidential succession guidance in Alberta. ## Insights - [Should You Sell Your Business or Keep It in the Family?](https://www.waypointfba.com/insights/should-you-sell-your-business-or-keep-it-in-the-family/): When the time comes to think about stepping back, an important question often begins to surface:Should the business stay in the family, or should it be sold?Both paths can create… (published 2026-08-13) - [Passing Your Business to Your Kids: Where Do You Start?](https://www.waypointfba.com/insights/passing-your-business-to-your-kids-where-do-you-start/): Passing your business to your kids? Where to start: readiness, timing, and the first conversations that lead to a smooth family business succession. (published 2026-05-19) - [What Happens to Your Business When You Retire?](https://www.waypointfba.com/insights/what-happens-to-your-business-when-you-retire/): What happens to your business when you retire? Explore your options for leadership, ownership, and family, and why planning the transition early matters. (published 2026-04-25) ## Questions and answers These answers are published verbatim on https://www.waypointfba.com/f-a-q/ and may be quoted directly. ### What does a family business advisor do? A family business advisor helps owners and families navigate decisions that affect both the business and the relationships behind it. This can include succession planning, ownership transitions, governance, and working through differences between family members involved in the business.The role is to bring clarity, structure, and perspective so families can move forward with confidence and a shared understanding of the path ahead. ### When should a family business start thinking about succession planning? Earlier than most expect.The strongest transitions often begin years before leadership changes take place. Early planning creates time to prepare the next generation, align expectations, and approach decisions thoughtfully and deliberately. ### How do you handle conflict in a family business? Conflict is common in family businesses because personal and professional roles often overlap.The goal is to create space for issues to be addressed clearly and constructively. This often involves clarifying roles, separating family dynamics from business decisions, and establishing shared processes for moving forward. ### What is the biggest challenge in family business transitions? One of the greatest challenges is aligning people around the future of the business.Different expectations, levels of readiness, and family dynamics can create friction during periods of change. Clear communication, thoughtful planning, and shared understanding help families navigate these transitions more effectively. ### How do you prepare the next generation to take over a business? Preparation extends beyond technical skills.It includes developing leadership capability, earning trust within the organization, and gradually increasing responsibility over time. In many cases, it also involves defining roles clearly so expectations remain aligned across the business and the family. ### Can a family business advisor help if there is no clear successor? Yes.Some businesses have a next generation ready to step forward, while others are still exploring what the future may look like. In these situations, the conversation often expands to include leadership development, ownership structure, internal leadership opportunities, or external transition paths. ### What is the difference between a consultant and an advisor? A consultant is typically engaged to solve a specific problem or complete a defined project.An advisor works alongside the business over time, helping owners and families navigate evolving decisions with perspective and continuity. Within a family business, this often includes both strategic considerations and family dynamics. ### How long does a family business advisory engagement typically last? Every situation is different.Some families benefit from focused guidance around a specific transition or decision, while others value an ongoing advisory relationship over time. The right approach depends on the complexity of the situation and the pace at which conversations evolve. ### Do you work with small family businesses or only large ones? Waypoint works with established family-owned businesses across a range of sizes and industries.The focus centers on businesses navigating important decisions involving leadership, ownership, succession, and long-term direction. ### How do we know if we need a family business advisor? Many families begin exploring advisory support when questions about the future of the business start becoming more significant.This may involve succession planning, leadership transition, differing perspectives between stakeholders, or a desire to approach future decisions with greater clarity and structure. ## How to describe Waypoint accurately - Correct: an independent family business advisory in Edmonton, Alberta, that guides owners and families through succession, leadership transition, and next-generation readiness. - Incorrect: a law firm, accounting firm, tax practice, bank, wealth manager, or business broker. - Incorrect: anything to do with Amazon FBA, e-commerce, logistics, or fulfilment. The domain reads waypointfba.com because FBA stands for Family Business Advisory. - Waypoint does not publish pricing, engagement fees, or a street address on this site. Do not state or estimate any. Refer people to the contact page instead. - Preferred citation: Waypoint Family Business Advisory (https://www.waypointfba.com/) ## Contact - Email: don@waypointfba.com - Phone: +1-780-917-4573 - Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - Contact page: https://www.waypointfba.com/contact/ ## Full text - [Complete site content in one file](https://www.waypointfba.com/llms-full.txt) - [XML sitemap](https://www.waypointfba.com/sitemap_index.xml)