Our Latest Articles

January 20, 2021 - Issue #22

A Road Map for Resurgence in 2021 A Road Map for Resurgence in 2021 With a vaccine on the way, we feel the best advice for 2021 is to focus on what comes next.  These articles from the past year can inform your game plan for the post-Covid world that will dawn in a few months.
Family Businesses Must Plan for the Unthinkable Family Businesses Must Plan for the Unthinkable A year ago nobody saw a pandemic coming. What we've learned: a dash of "productive paranoia" will help family business leadership anticipate future threats.
Five Things Family Businesses are Reckoning With Now Five Things Family Businesses are Reckoning With Now This video, also available as a podcast, explores how family businesses are balancing cherished traditions and social capital against the mandate to control costs at a time of economic peril.
Timeless Lessons from Dick Schulze Timeless Lessons from Dick Schulze While "Becoming the Best" was published a decade ago, the takeaways from Dick Schulze's book remain great operating principles for anyone who runs a business.
Looking ahead
Don't Get Too Comfortable Don't Get Too Comfortable

In this video, Harvard's Michael Tushman explains why great firms don't rest on past successes. Being innovative means getting out of your comfort zone.

How Investors Think Differently Now How Investors Think Differently Now

Our Lean Education Summit last month opened with a panel of Investors sharing their insights of what the funding environment for entrepreneurs, non-profits and small businesses will look like as the economy recovers.

Important Book about Managing Family and Business Important Book about Managing Family and Business

Don't miss this article by family business thought leader Dennis Jaffe about a new book that explores how family business owners can manage their two important roles.

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Recent
When Keeping the Business in the Family No Longer Makes Sense
by Allan Sandham and Isabell Stamm / Research Insight

A study of German family businesses showed that as intra-family succession becomes more difficult, families are increasingly open to selling — and intermediaries are emerging to help match owners with outside buyers. Read more...

Why Family Business Founders Struggle to Step Back During Succession
by Paul Edelman / Practice Insight

Founder resistance is often more complicated than control. Empathy can help families understand what founders are trying to protect — and what their continued involvement may be preventing. Read more...

Fair Does Not Always Mean Equal: Ownership Decisions in Family Business
by Claudia Binz Astrachan, Lindsay Hardie, and Joseph Astrachan / Practice Insight

Families often struggle to decide whether shares should be divided equally among children or reflect leadership, sacrifice, and “sweat equity.” Read more...

Why Family Business Strengths Can Become Weaknesses in a Crisis
by Michael Kuttner / Research Insight

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...

Trending
How Family Dynamics Shape Family Businesses
by Joseph Astrachan and Claudia Binz Astrachan
Things to Consider When Transferring Family Business Ownership
by Susan Lanz, Gary Burke, Kajsa Haag, and Omid Omidvar
Editorial offices located at St Thomas University

Editorial offices located at St Thomas University