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There are few issues in family business that create more conflict and tension than the employment of family members. The complexities involved and the breakdowns in communication and trust can contribute significantly to the alarmingly high rate of failed intergenerational transitions in family business. The good news is that there is a way for fam...

Creating portfolios that are customized to a family’s unique investment goals and risk tolerance requires ingenuity and flexible thinking. However, the execution of risk management should be more systematic. Ultimately, the effective investors employ a risk management framework that accounts for potential risk at every stage of the investment proce...

Sustainability is now a business imperative across the world, as much as it is a stewardship one, and those companies that fail to adapt may struggle to compete in a new, low-carbon environment. Fortunately, for many family businesses, the drive for sustainability is already a road well-traveled. Their experiences and the progress they’re making on...

For most of the period from the Global Financial Crisis in 2008 through the end of the COVID pandemic in 2022, the Federal Reserve held interest rates near zero. As post-pandemic inflation surged in early 2022, the Federal Reserve began a rapid rate-hike cycle that ended in July 2023 with the Federal Funds Rate at 5.25% - 5.50%. As noted in this In...

By exploring the essence of legacy and its impact on business performance, this report brings together the detailed analysis, academic insights, and the firsthand experiences of family business CEOS to contribute to a deeper understanding of the importance of balancing tradition and innovation for long-term success in family businesses. From this r...

The concept of transferring ownership of a private business to a purpose trust was first popularized when the Patagonia transaction was announced—instead of “going public,” they were “going purpose” to allow the owner to monetize his stake in the business while at the same time ensure that the values of the business are preserved for future generat...

After the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapse marked another bank failure, it triggered questions regarding the various considerations and options for holding short-term funds. With this reference chart, see the comparisons that show the characteristics of demand deposits with government securities and various money market funds as cash managem...

Each family’s legacy is as unique as the family itself. It can be a bloodline, a name, heirlooms, a legal entity or family stories, myths, and artifacts. In this fourth and final report in the series on family business succession, key insights are shared on the important role that legacies play in uniting the core purpose of the business with the f...

Just because a small business or startup makes it beyond its initial launch phase and sees some early commercial success doesn’t mean its challenges are over. In this podcast, learn about three important topics—including key metrics in the early growth stages—for business leaders buying into startups, creating value over time, and what happens when...

Strategy is often thought of as an art form—an unstructured, intuitive exercise propelled by inspiration and brilliance. However, just like finance, operations, or marketing, strategy is a functional discipline with tools, frameworks, processes, best practices, and metrics. This checklist is end-to-end process for developing and executing a comp...

Thomas Calandra, who is in his mid-twenties, is the owner of Calandra Enterprise. Thomas credits his family business’s success to his grandfather’s hard work, determination, and artistry that greatly influences the services provided to their customers and clients at their bakeries, hotels, and restaurants. He and his sister vow not to be like...

Many business owners worry about how their success and wealth will impact their loved ones and the next generation. The fear behind it can hinder the ability of future generations to build on past success and even lead to family tension. To successfully move past the fear-based planning and toward a collaborative approach, five secrets an...

Most family businesses take on the characteristics of their founder or founding family, especially in their formative years. This changes as the company grows and the founder begins to transition ownership and control to future generations. To guide the business succession transition forward on a successful path, there needs to be a family governan...