Our Latest Articles

February 17, 2025 - Issue #135

Men and Women Cling to Power for Different Reasons While male leaders often view stepping down as a threat to their identity and accomplishments, female leaders appear to be motivated by other factors.

How Family Businesses Can Recruit the Best C-Suite Candidates Family-owned businesses often struggle to compete with non-family firms when it comes to recruitment, and understanding the expectations of job seekers is crucial to attract the best talent.

Announcing FamilyBusiness.org's 2023-24 Schulze Award Winners Our newest group of winners — who published articles during the academic year of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 — represent a diverse range of insights.

Craft Ventures are More Successful With a Couple at the Helm Family firms take note: A study of chocolate makers showed that shared values, commitment, and a long-term outlook are good for both relationships and business.

Justifiable Pride or Arrogance? It Matters for Family Businesses Bragging about your family connection is universally bad, but even pride in your accomplishments must be displayed carefully -- especially in eastern cultures.

The Psychology of Effective Exit Planning: A Guide for Families and Advisors Family firms can help the next generation move forward by understanding and supporting the emotional aspects of the exit for the current leader.

‘SOBs’: The Real Power in Family Businesses Saviors Of the Boss have the trust of company leaders and often serve as their gatekeepers. How to understand them and work with them.

The Perks and Pitfalls of Hiring Your Parents Allen Esrock of NxtGen Nexus weights in on how to optimize the free labor and other benefits, and how to manage conflicting goals, sibling resentment, and suspicious non-relatives who work for you.

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Senior Leaders: Prepare Early to Let Go of the Business

Articles About Relationships, Succession Were Top Draws in 2024

Hiring Mom and Dad? Optimize Their Strengths and Manage Boundaries

The HERO Model: How Family Enterprise Leaders Can Accelerate Change

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Protect Your Family Business From Crime

by Paul Sanchez, Matthew Wood, Tim Michaelis, and Jaime Suarez / Research Insight

In crime-prone regions, activities like selling in physical stores, regular trips to the bank, and talking openly about business growth can make business owners targets. Read more...

Transferring Family Wealth to the Next Generation: What’s Fair?

by Martin Kemp and Susan Lanz / Practice Insight

Trillions of dollars are about to be handed down from baby boomers to younger generations. Family firms must consider how to transfer their ownership shares, and to whom. Read more...

Family History Can be Re-Framed to Encourage Harmony and Progress

by Lara Pecis, Bingbing Ge, and Florian Bauer / Research Insight

The goals of the family and the business are often at odds. Family history can inspire bold and necessary steps that are still in harmony with the family’s image of itself. Read more...

Include the Extended Family in Your Ownership Strategy

by Claudia Binz Astrachan and Tom Rüsen / Practice Insight

Your ownership strategy should consider that in future generations the family firm will likely have many more owners. Take a broader focus when you develop it. Read more...

by Doug Baumoel

Why Families and Their Firms Behave Badly

by Roland Kidwell, Kimberly Eddleston, Linda Kidwell, John Cater, and Ellison Howard

How Family Dynamics Shape Family Businesses

by Joseph Astrachan and Claudia Binz Astrachan

How Family Firms Can Prevent (or Cool Down) Sibling Rivalries

by Jonas Ruzek and Kimberly Eddleston

The Biggest Mistakes Family Businesses Make With Their Boards

by Kimberly Eddleston

How to Plan for a Successful Succession

by Richard Eisenberg