Wight was passionate about securing a succession plan because she came to Taylor Guitars from a large company that faced major challenges when the founder unexpectedly died. “I never wanted to go through that again,” Wight said in an exclusive interview with me. “Fortunately, when I arrived at Taylor, I learned that the cofounders, Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug, were already discussing this.”
It took seven years for Wight to develop the right ESOP framework. The leadership team wanted to include employees working in the E.U. and Mexico. Yet she managed to pull it off – even in the midst of the pandemic.In high school, Wight says, “I was the person in every club pushing people to find a way to make a difference. In college, I realized that a career in international business would allow me to do everything I loved and make a difference.