EP343 After the Exit - Identity, Reinvention, and the Next Chapter
What happens after you sell the business that defined you? In this episode, host Colleen O'Connell-Campbell sits down with Candace Sutcliffe, who spent nearly 20 years building The Chef's Paradise (CA Paradis) - a 104-year-old Ottawa retail institution - from employee to president to co-owner, and then made the bold decision to sell to Quebec-based industry leader Doyon Després and step into a corporate executive role. This is a candid conversation about what it actually looks like to navigate a multi-generational business transition: the operational preparation, the culture clash considerations, the identity crisis that comes with letting go, and the unexpected lessons of moving from entrepreneur to executive. Candace shares why protecting her team was non-negotiable, how she learned to detach her identity from the business, and why the exit she never imagined turned out to be exactly the right move. Key Takeaways: Candace started as a retail manager at CA Paradis in 2005, became president in 2013 before acquiring the business, and co-owned The Chef's Paradise from 2017 until selling to Doyon Després about two years ago. She now serves as a corporate executive within the acquiring company. The business had two distinct sides - retail (profit-driven) and food service (volume-driven) - that acted as natural checks and balances. When one side was up, the other was typically down, creating more consistent overall performance. The decision to sell was not originally in the plan. An interested party prompted the conversation, and the ownership team set a number that made sense. When it was met, they moved forward. As Candace puts it: everything is for sale if the price is right. Culture fit was the deciding factor in choosing a buyer. Another interested party from the GTA was considered, but the culture clash would have been too significant. The Doyon Després team shared a similar francophone heritage and family business DNA - and half the acquiring company had originally started their careers at CA Paradis. Protecting the existing staff was a non-negotiable condition of the sale. The owners needed assurance that employees would be kept on, kept whole, and given opportunity for growth. The transition from owner to executive required learning patience, letting go of control, and accepting that decisions are no longer yours to make. Candace describes an identity crisis that comes with selling - the realization that you are not your business, even when you have been the face of it for two decades. Rebranding from CA Paradis to The Chef's Paradise was in itself a major strategic decision that took nearly a year, with deliberate thought given to logo, colour, and market positioning. The subsequent absorption into the Doyon Després brand has created new challenges in the Ontario market, particularly with Anglophone customers and staff. In the current economy - trade wars, cost of living pressure, daily uncertainty - Candace believes it was the right time to sell. The business needed either a new location or significant infrastructure investment to continue growing, and the deeper pockets of the acquiring company made that possible. The business still operates its experience kitchen in Ottawa, hosting wine tastings, themed dinners, and chef-led events - designed as a marketing and community-building tool rather than a profit centre. Selling your business is not necessarily the end - it can be a stepping stone into a new chapter. If you are a business owner thinking about your own transition, book a one-on-one Wealth Gap Analysis with Colleen O'Connell-Campbell . Let's make sure your exit is intentional and aligned with your values. Please leave a five-star rating and review - it helps more founders find the show. *** The Cash Rich Exit Podcast is brought to you by O'Connell-Campbell Wealth Management at RBC Dominion Securities. All opinions expressed by the host, Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, and podcast guests are solely their own opinions