Commentary

A Commentary provides thoughtful and insightful opinions or perspectives on events, policies or situations of interest to business owners, startups, educators, investors and policymakers. These should be short, readable, timely, interesting pieces that address current topics of interest, discussion or dispute.

Length: <1,000 words

Reviewed by Senior Editors


Timeless Lessons from Dick Schulze

Best Buy Founder Dick Schulze built his empire through hard work, calculated risk, and a commitment to high standards of integrity and fairness.  In his book “Becoming the Best,” he outlines Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Catherine Buday and Jon Eckhardt

Will Covid-19 Take the Air out of Silicon Valley?

With the elections in the rearview mirror, attention has once again returned to the pandemic. We have been speculating as to what the long-lasting effects might be for entrepreneurs and for Silicon Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Michael S. Dahl and Olav Sorenson

A Road Map for Resurgence

The end of the year is typically a time to for EIX and familybusiness.org to showcase their best-read articles from the past year in several broad themes: evaluating opportunities, financing, Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Kimberly Eddleston and Daniel Forbes

What Airbnb Can Teach Entrepreneurs About Layoffs

In May of 2020, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky sent a letter to all Airbnb employees around the world announcing the layoff of nearly 1,900 of the 7,500 employees (referred to as "teammates), Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Tommaso Minola , Mario Salerno and Daniel Agyare

The Hidden Payoffs of Entrepreneurship Competitions

As more and more universities across the US are adopting entrepreneurship competitions as a way to promote the innovative contributions of their students and to evaluate their entrepreneurship Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Emma Fleck , Jing Betty Feng and James Beal

Resilience to Resurgence: How to Grow Your Way Out of the Crisis

In this discussion, Professor Mat Hughes talks with Dr. Leonardo Lim, a tech scout, corporate scale-up builder, and international collaborator. Dr. Lim has extensive experience in consumer Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Mat Hughes

How Family Dynamics Shape Family Businesses

In this interview, Joseph Astrachan – one of the world’s most well-versed experts on dealing with issues pertaining to business families – shares his thoughts on family dynamics and family Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Joseph Astrachan and Claudia Binz Astrachan

How Women Leaders Can Bounce Back from Covid-19

While both men and women may be struggling to balance work and family commitments during the unique challenges posed by the Covid-19 environment, the bulk of childcare and eldercare has tended to Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Elizabeth Bagnall and Dr. Susan Laverick

Women: Regain Your Professional Footing

While both men and women may be struggling to balance work and family commitments during the unique challenges posed by the Covid-19 environment, the bulk of childcare and eldercare has tended to Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Dr. Susan Laverick and Elizabeth Bagnall

The Potential Downside of Having Non-Family Board Members

By Alfredo DeMassis, Lorraine Uhlaner, Ann Jorrissen and Yan Du It's been generally accepted that family firms benefit from the perspectives of outsiders on the board of directors. Outsiders can Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Alfredo De Massis