Chris Haines never set out to build the company Marias Technology eventually became.

What started as a technology services operation tied to the insurance industry evolved into a business built on referrals, trust, and a willingness to solve problems customers didn’t even know they had yet.

In Part One of this conversation, Chris, President and CEO of Marias Technology in Covington, Ohio, talks about the early years of the company and how it evolved through constant pivots, customer feedback, and opportunities that appeared along the way.

He also explains why he intentionally resisted the pressure to chase aggressive growth and instead focused on building a company that could support employees, serve clients well, and remain sustainable over the long term.

The conversation takes a deeper turn as Chris shares the reality of running a business during COVID, when Marias Technology suddenly lost nearly 40 percent of its revenue and had to make difficult decisions to protect the people who depended on the company.

This episode offers an honest look at leadership, responsibility, and the weight that often comes with building something that supports more than just yourself.

What does it take to break the “third generation curse” in family business?

Jamie McGregor joins us on the shop floor at McGregor Metal to talk about legacy, leadership, and reinvention. As a third-generation leader, Jamie carries the weight of a 60-year manufacturing company while navigating modern pressures like automation, workforce changes, and selective growth.

This conversation dives into culture, humility in leadership, the discipline of saying no to the wrong work, and why success is about more than hitting a revenue milestone.

1. The myth and reality of the third generation curse
2. Leading a family business without entitlement
3. Culture principles that actually show up on the floor
4. Retention vs revenue vanity
5. Selective growth and disciplined customer choice
6. Private equity, ownership transitions, and what gets lost
7. Reinventing manufacturing in Middle America

Business ownership changes more than your role. It changes how money moves, how taxes apply, and how decisions impact you personally.

In this episode of the NextGen Strategies Podcast, we unpack the financial realities that often surprise business owners, especially during ownership transitions, buy-ins, successions, and acquisitions. We walk through how entity structure really works, why S Corps are so common, how K-1 income can create tax obligations without matching cash, and why minority owners are often the most exposed.

This is not an episode about tax hacks or shortcuts. It’s about understanding the financial side of ownership well enough to ask better questions, plan ahead, and build the right bench of advisors before problems show up at tax time.

If you’re starting a business, buying into one, or preparing for an ownership transition, this conversation will help you navigate the financial implications with more clarity and confidence.