Our Latest Articles
//November 30, 2020 - Issue #17
Women Can Help Their Family Businesses Navigate Crisis Women can be indispensable in times of trouble, but the glass ceiling and the glass cliff still hold them back even at family firms. Seven things to think about. 
Editor's Pick
Sherri Noxel
One Tough Mother
One Tough Mother is not an academic text but an inspirational autobiography from the late Gert Boyle. It is the story of her inheriting her father’s sporting goods business and the unexpected death of her husband when she was 46. Gert rebuilt the company that is now one of the finest examples of G3 family enterprise ownership of a publicly traded global company.
"One Tough Mother: Taking Charge in Life, Business and Apple Pies” by Gert Boyle, G2 CEO of Columbia Sportswear.
Daughters prepare to lead family firms Daughters are increasingly assuming leadership roles at family firms. In this video, two future business leaders talk about family expectations, their worries, their hopes for the future and the importance of knowing their value. 
Breaking the Glass Ceiling in a Family Business Despite decades of striving and some progress, women still face challenges. Outdated ideas about primogeniture and a woman's rightful place have not yet gone away, and women still feel too much pressure to prove themselves. 
Lessons from Lauder Leonard Lauder, whose empire includes Estee Lauder, Bobbi Brown and Clinique cosmetics, never makes an important decision without a woman at the table.
Building a Balanced Relationship As this article points out, moving from daughter to CEO is never easy. In this article, Jelmar CEO Alison Gutterman shares her insights about leading her third-generation family firm.
Lessons from 100-year Businesses This podcast features Dennis Jaffe, celebrated family business office consultant and author of the book, Borrowed from Your Grandchildren, talking about what resilient families have in common.
Families often struggle to decide whether shares should be divided equally among children or reflect leadership, sacrifice, and “sweat equity.” Read more...
Family businesses often rely on loyalty, long-term thinking and strong relationships. But research shows those same strengths can backfire when crisis hits. Read more...
A study of German family firms shows that regular, meaningful contact between the family office and the family can preserve shared purpose after an exit. Read more...
In a crisis, family firms cannot afford to focus only on immediate survival or future legacy. The most resilient ones do both, drawing on past lessons, trusted relationships, and long-standing networks. Read more...
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Supported by the Richard M Schulze Family Foundation