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


The 3 Skills That Build Confidence in Entrepreneurial Women

Nearly two centuries ago, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, of the now-venerable Veuve Clicquot champagne company, found herself widowed at age 27 with a small child. With little experience and lots Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Dr. Susan Laverick and Elizabeth Bagnall

From Entitlement to Contribution

When a father, absent during the day, returns home at six, his children receive only his temperament, not his teaching. -- Robert Bly A client told me once that all a family member needed to come Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Robert Caldwell

Trust Me: I'm a Salesman

Entrepreneurs must believe in their products or services deeply enough to explain their worth to potential customers or clients. For most, this means learning to sell for the very first time -- an Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Kimberly Eddleston

Thriving or Trapped in the Family Business?

For some individuals, working in a family business can be an incredible gift.  For others, it's a prison without any chance of parole.  For those who are feeling trapped in the family Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Michael Klein

How Family Firms Can Innovate With Less

Family firms often face limits on the financial and human capital available to them. But in Germany, a class of small- to medium-sized businesses known as the "Mittlestand" has learned to transcend Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Alfredo De Massis

'There's No Birthright' and Other Tips for Raising Entrepreneurial Leaders

Joe Brito, the third-generation head of C.B. Utility Co. in Bristol, Rhode Island, started his career in the family business as a laborer.  He firmly believes that anybody entering their family Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Kimberly Eddleston

James Wetherbe: How Consulting Connects Colleges to the Real World

James Wetherbe is the Richard Schulze Distinguished Professor at the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. Previously he served on the faculty and the University of Houston, Minnesota Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Jon Eckhardt

Outside Leadership Can Save the Family Business

Cultures around the world acknowledge just how difficult it can be for a family-run enterprise to sustain itself over time. Many have their own version of the adage that family businesses go from Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Robert Sher

You Have Our Permission Not To Grow

According to Benjamin Franklin, life has only two certainties, death and taxes. It would appear, however, that the business world also has its own two certainties – the growth imperative and the Read More...

Category: Commentary

Authors: Jason Pattit and Katherina Pattit

Educating the Unintended Entrepreneur

The ranks of "unintended entrepreneurs" are growing, but neither the public nor the universities are fully aware of this yet. These unintended entrepreneurs will come from both the existing workforce Read More...

Category: Commentary

Author: Roy Carriker