A Decade in the Making: How a Succession Plan Reimagined the Future of a Legacy Business
For Four Seasons Wealth Management, the future was never about winding down; it was about evolving forward. What began as a lifestyle-driven succession plan for Founder Steve Wedel, CFP®, CFS, turned into a transformational partnership built on trust, shared values, and long-term growth. Today, alongside Wealth Advisor and CEO Michael Stalka, Four Seasons continues to serve multi-generational families with renewed energy and a clear vision for the road ahead.
A Vision Sparked by Lifestyle
Steve knew early on that the traditional notion of retirement didn’t fit. After more than 40 years in the industry, he was certain: Any transition had to prioritize his clients, reflect his values, and support his long-term lifestyle. That’s why, nearly a decade before his target “retirement,” he began looking for the right next-generation leader with the help of RFG Advisory.
“When you hit the stage of your life—regardless of what age that is—that you want to start living the rewards of how hard you worked, then transition planning should start to be in the forefront of your thinking,” Steve says. “Get your people in place so that it becomes a smooth transition.”
In 2018, Michael applied for a Practice Manager role posted by RFG. The connection was immediate.
“I spoke with RFG’s President—and now CEO—Shannon Spotswood for about 15 minutes. During that call, Shannon said, ‘Steve will want to meet with you today. Are you available for another phone call?’ I talked with Steve for several hours in that first meeting and over the following days. Our conversations were very fluid and there was a true connection. I interviewed on a Wednesday and Steve hired me that Friday,” Michael said.
Michael’s diverse background in the financial services industry and experience as a business operator provided an immediate impact, his involvement grew, and eventually, so did Steve’s realization: He had found the right partner to carry the business forward.
Driven by a desire to design a transition that served everyone it touched—and most importantly, the clients—Steve began mapping out the next chapter with intention and care.
“It should look similar to the experience the clients are receiving today,” he said. “Similar to the experience the employees are having today.”
For Steve, the goal was simple: preserve the relationships at the heart of the business while preparing it to thrive. With RFG at their side, the foundation was set.
Transitions Designed to Last
Steve and Michel knew they needed structure, capital, and a trusted partner to help make the transition smooth. That’s where RFG came in.
“What stands out in my mind was a meeting with Steve and Bobby White, Rick Wedell, and Shannon Spotswood at Steve’s house in Florida. We all flew down and got together and kind of like really rolled up our sleeves and we’re trying to figure out ‘How does this work?’” Michael said. “And RFG provided that path to be able to execute it well.”
With RFG taking the lead on structuring the deal, aligning legal and tax teams, and securing capital, Steve and Michael didn’t have to stop what they were doing to figure it all out. “We weren’t inconvenienced at all,” Michael said. “We were able to keep operating at a high level, focused on day-to-day client work. That was never an issue.”
RFG had already built relationships with lenders, streamlined the documentation, and worked with both Steve and Michael’s legal teams to remove friction from every step. The lift wasn’t on their shoulders; it was in the hands of a partner they could trust.
Even the technical aspects like separating client data, adjusting team responsibilities, and customizing the tech stack were seamless. By Day One of the transition, everything was already in place.
“I really relied on RFG, both of us did, to help us with the legal side, the accounting side, the tax side, the actual process, the logistics of how you do a transition of a practice,” Michael said. “There certainly were worries, but RFG stepped up and made those worries understandable, manageable, and eventually made them go away.”
Because RFG carried the complexity, from legal and tax coordination to tech transitions, Steve and Michael were able to stay fully focused on what mattered most: their clients. They never had to hit pause. The business kept running, the client experience remained consistent, and the transition process was not only handled for them, but made understandable and manageable along the way. Even longtime clients (many of whom had worked with Steve for decades) embraced the change with confidence.
Multigenerational Momentum, Powered by Partnership
From structuring the deal to building trust across both sides, RFG helped make a complex transition feel deeply personal and entirely possible.
Sourcing Michael years earlier was just the beginning. When it came time for the transition, RFG brought more than infrastructure; they brought clarity. “What RFG really provided was figuring out how to bring the deal together,” Michael shared. “They talked with both of us—and our spouses—to understand what each side wanted, and then provided a path to execute it.”
RFG secured the loan structure that allowed the transition to move forward. “We didn’t have to go collect practice data and present it to a third party. RFG had it all at their disposal,” Michael said. “It was seamless.” That hands-on support laid the foundation for what would later become RFG’s Growth Alignment Program (GAP), a formalized offering that provides upfront capital to Advisors through customizable equity options.
They also stayed close. “It wasn’t transactional,” Michael added. “They cared about me, my family, and made sure I was set up to succeed.”
By bringing the capital, the coaching, and the care, RFG created space for Steve and Michael to take their next steps, fully aligned and supported.
A Blueprint for the Future
Today, the relationship between Steve, Michael, and RFG isn’t ending—it’s evolving. The success of this transition has given Steve and Michael a blueprint for the future. Steve continues to grow his Florida business on his terms, and when it’s time for a second transition, the playbook is already in place.
“I know what RIAs deliver Advisors, and I know the ones that go above and beyond, and RFG is in that category,” Steve said. “Without hesitation, RFG will be part of my next transition.”
For Michael, the focus is on long-term growth as he serves the multi-generational client base while continuing to evolve the business with intention and energy: “My future looks really bright continuing to partner with RFG. They provide the tools, the teams, and the opportunities to continue growing your practice,” Michael shared.
Together, they’ve shown that succession planning isn’t about stepping away; it’s about stepping forward.
“My structure has always been to hire the best employees possible and trust and delegate them to do what they do best,” Steve said, “As a result, I trusted Michael to act on my behalf from day one.”
Those years of equality made the transition seamless for clients, even when Steve relocated to Florida. Their experience remained consistent, thanks to the trust already built between Michael and the people they served.
“Clients saw him as an equal partner in my practice. Michael and I also agreed I’d stay involved for four years post-transition as a personal consultant,” Steve added. “That structure has been highly successful, as I’m always there for Michael, just as he was for me!”
With the right partner, Four Seasons’ succession planning grew into a proactive, intentional strategy to create capacity, preserve continuity, and build a business on a shared vision.
“Finding Michael was the true biggest benefit RFG provided because they developed the relationship that changed from an employer-employee relationship to business partners,” Steve said. “There’s really a third person in our practice and it’s RFG and the support they’ve provided.”
Is Your Succession Plan Built for Growth?
Whether you’re planning a transition or simply ready to intentionally build your future, RFG Advisory’s full-service Transitions Team is here to help you evolve into the next phase of growth.
RFG is here to help Advisors build a future-forward business that reflects their values, serves their clients, and scales with purpose. Schedule a call today.