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Many family businesses are undergoing or anticipating transitions, prompting the need for trusted advisors more than ever. This session features experts who have deep breadth of experience in helping families manage business transitions and the complexity that comes with them, including new liquidity, helping founders find their next purpose, and m...

Jennifer Risher and her husband became extra-lucky beneficiaries of the dot-com boom. But sudden wealth had its challenges. Jennifer will shared her thought-provoking, personal story that explores the hidden impact of wealth on identity, relationships, and sense of place in the world. At a time when money is still a taboo subject even among those c...

The past two years have tested even the most resilient families who have been challenged with balancing domestic obligations with home schooling and managing companies virtually. In the best of times, family held enterprises often have complex dynamics due to the relationships between employees. Given the uncertainty in the world, it is unsurprisin...

Forging a close relationship among siblings during childhood is hard enough, but as siblings become adults, the development of disparities in wealth can challenge even the strongest relationships. In business-owning families, the potential ramifications not only affect the personal lives of the immediate family, it can also disrupt the alignment of...

The decision to sell or continue ownership of a family business is complex. Business owning families who recognize early the importance of both the financial and non-financial considerations of a potential sale are more likely to make good transition decisions.

No matter what stage of the business cycle you are in, you should always have a defined strategy for your business operations and potential exit. For many family business owners, the sale of their business will be the single largest transaction of their lives. Yet many enter this transaction not fully prepared. To ensure you maximize your sale, the...

Stories that are passed down from generation to generation are a way to create a family legacy that will be remembered long after we are gone. These stories are precious in understanding who we are and where we came from. Too often, the people who hold the keys to family stories lose details to memory loss or pass away before their histories can be...

While many business owners are struggling to find qualified successors, family members oftentimes oppose proposed sales to outsiders because they think they should have the chance to take over the business. Research from Rothstein Kass suggests that advance planning can minimize family squabbles and ensure smoother business transitions.

This Passages guide is part one of a two-part series on divorce and division in family philanthropy, featuring tips for what board and staff members can do to prepare and cope. This first part includes case studies on family foundations that have navigated divorce, questions to consider when developing board policies, and perspectives on ...

This Passages is part two of a two-part series on divorce and division in family philanthropy, featuring tips for what board and staff can do to plan ahead for potential change. The second part includes stories and advice from those who have been through, or advised, families as they divided their philanthropy. Learn more by reading part one, Br...

Leaders of founder-owned businesses embarking on a liquidity event often have never been through a sale process or conducted a formal capital raise. It’s a complex process—so they often turn to outside advisors for guidance. In preparation for it, consider the questions advisors are likely to ask, as well as which questions might produce the best p...

Many liquidity events involving founder-owned companies face the same underlying challenge: The business owner and outside investors often have diverging perspectives on everything from debt to reliance on third-party advisors to how they think about the future. Bridging this divergence is crucial in finding the right partner and maximizing the val...

Wealthy families often take every precaution in preserving their legacies for future generations, with carefully constructed estate plans, wills, and trusts. But they often overlook the hidden factor that can undermine all these plans, and it isn’t investment returns or poor estate planning: It’s family dynamics. Studies have shown that the main re...

When selling your business, choosing the right team of advisors can make or break the deal. Some business owners may question whether to hire an investment bank to help with the transaction—perhaps to save on transaction fees or because there is already a specific buyer in mind. Before deciding to “go it alone,” consider the quantifiable value...