Client Experiences
What families say after working with us.
These accounts come from family business owners across Colombia who engaged with Guatavita for various reasons. We share them as an honest representation of the work — outcomes vary, and we do not suggest otherwise.
← Back to Home12+
Years consulting
80+
Families supported
4.8
Average satisfaction
94%
Return for a second engagement
Reviews
In clients' own words
Gloria Herrera
Second-generation owner · Envigado
We came to Guatavita because my father wanted to retire and the family could not agree on what that actually meant in practice. The succession mapping process was calmer than I expected. There were moments of real tension in our second session, but the facilitator handled them with care. The plan we ended up with felt like something we had built together — and that matters.
June 2025 · Succession Mapping
Ricardo Palomino
Founder, construction firm · Medellín
I had tried other consultants before and always felt like I was being sold something. With Guatavita that never happened. We did the Family Charter Conversation as a starting point and it was genuinely useful — not a long document, but the right things written down in a way we could all refer to. I would have liked slightly more follow-up included in the price, but overall it was money well spent.
May 2025 · Family Charter Conversation
Alejandra Múnera
Family board chair · Rionegro
The Whole-Business Study gave our family clarity we had not been able to reach on our own. The report was readable — I mean that as a compliment. It was not written for an investor or a lawyer; it was written for us. The private summaries for each principal were particularly thoughtful. We have already used them as the basis for two board conversations.
June 2025 · Whole-Business Study
Jaime Velásquez
Owner, agricultural business · Yarumal
My two children and I had been circling the same conversations for years without getting anywhere. The charter session lasted about four hours and I left feeling like something had shifted. We agreed on three things that had been unspoken for years. That alone was worth the morning.
July 2025 · Family Charter Conversation
Lucia Posada
Managing partner, retail group · Bello
We used Guatavita for succession mapping as the founder prepared to step back. The process took longer than the original three sessions — we added two extra check-ins — and the team accommodated that without any fuss. The final plan is working so far, though we are only six months in. I appreciated that they were honest about what could not be predicted in advance.
June 2025 · Succession Mapping
Carlos Botero
Co-founder, textile firm · Medellín
We commissioned the Whole-Business Study as part of preparing for a potential expansion. The governance section was the most useful part for us — it surfaced things that everyone on our board had sensed but no one had said out loud. The consultants did not push us in any direction; they gave us a picture and let us decide what to do with it.
July 2025 · Whole-Business Study
Case Studies
A closer look at three engagements
Family Charter Conversation
A founding generation that had never written down their values
The situation
A second-generation sibling partnership had been running the business for eight years with no documented agreement about how decisions were made. A disagreement over an acquisition brought the tension to a head.
What we did
We ran a half-day charter session with all three siblings. We separated the values conversation from the operational discussion, which made the first one much easier. The siblings agreed on a set of principles within the session itself.
What changed
The charter was completed within two weeks. The siblings used it as the basis for a subsequent conversation about the acquisition question — and reached a decision. They described the process as the first time they had felt aligned in three years.
"We had been arguing about the wrong things. The session helped us see what we actually agreed on, which made everything else easier." — Participant, Antioquia
Succession Mapping
A founder preparing to step back — without a clear successor in view
The situation
A 68-year-old founder of a distribution business had two adult children — one active in the firm, one not — and no clear idea of how to structure a transition that felt fair to both.
What we did
We conducted three sessions over five weeks, starting with separate individual conversations before bringing the family together. We mapped current and future roles, and explored what each family member understood by "fair" — which turned out to be quite different.
What changed
The family agreed on a transition plan with a five-year timeline, a defined role for the non-active child, and a clear process for reviewing the arrangement in year two. The founder described the outcome as "the first time I felt the business would outlast me in a good way."
"I had put this off for years because I did not know how to start. Guatavita gave us a structure that made it possible." — Founder, Medellín
Whole-Business Study
An established firm that had outgrown its informal governance structure
The situation
A family manufacturing company with 45 employees was preparing for possible expansion. The family had always run on trust and informal arrangements — which worked when the firm was smaller, but had begun to create friction as complexity grew.
What we did
Over five weeks we reviewed governance documents, interviewed all four principals and three senior staff members, and examined financial statements for the prior three years. We identified six areas where structural clarity would reduce friction.
What changed
The family adopted four of our six recommendations in the first six months. Decision-making became more predictable, and two family members who had been in conflict over overlapping responsibilities reached a working arrangement. The expansion proceeded on a clearer foundation.
"The study did not tell us anything we had not sensed — but it gave us a way to talk about it." — Board chair, Antioquia
Get in Touch
Ready to explore whether we might help?
Phone
+57 604 448 7213Address
Carrera 43A #7-50, Medellín
Office Hours
Mon–Fri 8 am–6 pm
Sat 9 am–1 pm
Credentials
Professional recognition
Certified Family Business Advisors
International certification in family enterprise advisory practice, held by all senior consultants.
Mediation practitioners
Members of the Asociación Colombiana de Mediadores, with formal training in facilitated dialogue.
Cámara de Comercio partner
Recognized consulting partner for the Medellín business community, with referrals from the Chamber since 2016.
Next step
Would a short initial conversation be useful?
There is no commitment involved in getting in touch. Many families simply want to understand what our work involves before deciding whether it is right for them.
Get in Touch