Our Latest Articles

March 17, 2025 - Issue #138

Family Firms Prosper When Shareholders Think Like Trustees Family Firms Prosper When Shareholders Think Like Trustees A trustee mentality helps make large families with many shareholders more cohesive, and preserves wealth for generations.
Generational Experiences Shape Family Business Leaders' Priorities Generational Experiences Shape Family Business Leaders' Priorities Beliefs about success, responsibility, and value creation reflect the time and place in which business owners grew up. Religion and strong family ties magnified the impact.
Brett Smith

Editor's Pick

Brett Smith

Fr. Greg Boyle on compassion and kinship

Social entrepreneurs are often motivated to action by a regard for others. In this Tedx talk, Fr. Greg Boyle explains how the motivations of compassion and kinship play out in his work as the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang member intervention and job-training program in Los Angeles. Boyle explains the critical roles of compassion and kinship in the development of social value.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipR0kWt1Fkc
The Psychology of Effective Exit Planning: A Guide for Families and Advisors 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.
Outsource or Hire? Advice for Family Businesses Outsource or Hire? Advice for Family Businesses Ben Berger and Ron Nahass of RSM talk about the benefits of letting outside contractors handle critical business functions.
How CSR Shapes the Power of Family Business Branding How CSR Shapes the Power of Family Business Branding Being family-owned or socially responsible endears a business to consumers. Having both attributes mutes the impact of family ownership, and requires a different branding strategy.
Family Businesses Have a Massive Impact on the UK Economy Family Businesses Have a Massive Impact on the UK Economy A new report by the Family Business Research Foundation and the Centre for Economics and Business Research shows families control 93 percent of UK firms.
Senior Leaders: Prepare Early to Let Go of the Business Senior Leaders: Prepare Early to Let Go of the Business A handover often marks the end of life as the leader knows it and the start of a new and unfamiliar phase. A grieving process is not uncommon.
'Gainsharing' Motivates Employees to Grow Profits 'Gainsharing' Motivates Employees to Grow Profits Like profit sharing, it aligns company objectives and employee interests, but with more frequent rewards and a focus on operational improvements rather than company profits.
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Why PE Firms Want to Buy Your Family Firm (and Change it)
by Sören Paleit, Frederik J. Riar, Marcel Hülsbeck, and Andreas Hack / Research Insight

Family businesses are often viewed as ripe for operational improvement, making them especially attractive to private equity investors seeking value creation. Read more...

Give Future Leaders Exposure to Critical Roles
by Kimberly Eddleston / Interviews

A job rotation program gives next-gens both hands-on experience and a working knowledge of different departments and important outside relationships. Read more...

New Family Business CEOs Must Claim the Seat, Not Just Inherit the Title
by Dr. Benjamin Ritter / Practice Insight

When a successor becomes CEO, the title may change overnight — but authority, identity and trust do not. Next-generation leaders must act like the CEO before they feel like one. Read more...

What Family Businesses in Africa Can Teach Us About Women Leaders
by Jan-Philipp Ahrens, Maria Giuseppina Bruna, Cinzia COLAPINTO, and Salam SAMI / Research Insight

Large family firms in countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and Madagascar show that women’s leadership can thrive when families widen their view of succession. Read more...

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Editorial offices located at St Thomas University

Editorial offices located at St Thomas University