Family Business Succession Planning
I’ve certainly enjoyed more than my fair share of quality time on airplanes to contemplate some of the fascinating family business stories I’ve collected on the speaking circuit. It’s pretty common for professional speakers to spend a little time with audience members who confess their stories and share details about their family firm fiascos after […]
For me, business has always been about dominating the competition – not just beating them but seriously overpowering them. Personal enmity has never driven this approach but rather a kind of institutional loathing underpinned by the idea that there is a finite number of customers worth battling for. I have never sought my inspiration from […]
I was speaking to a friend who owns a successful manufacturing business and asked him when he plans to sell his business”. His response echoed something that I’m hearing more and more from business owners in my audience. “I can’t afford to sell – if I sell and take the proceeds and invest in this […]
I recently spoke to a group of US billionaires. Virtually everyone in the room was the beneficiary of a third, fourth or even fifth generation family business. One fellow in particular, a wise old guy, told me that his family shareholder agreement made family harmony mandatory. Mandatory happiness – his wry smile told me everything. […]
Talk about life imitating art. Last week, flying back from the west coast, I sat beside an elderly gentleman who said he recognized me as the author of Every Family’s Business. I’m thinking this is very cool. After more than 200 speeches I’ve finally made it – I’m not just a best-selling author I’m a […]