Barron’s recently had a fascinating article by Richard Morais in which he claims many family business succession problems could be solved by reading classic fairy tales – specifically the fable of The Three Brothers in Grimm’s Fairy Tales. It goes like… Continue reading →

Polls permeate life in America today. They cover every topic from who we might vote for to which websites we visit most often to whether we look favorably upon Madonna’s attempted adoption of a child in Africa. Some interesting polls data ha… Continue reading →

During a recent break at a CEO Performance Roundtable meeting, we used the time to undertake a little market research into the hearts and minds of leaders of family and closely held businesses. While we thought we knew some of the answers to the ques… Continue reading →

Prof. Danny Klinefelter of Texas A&M is universally recognized as a cutting edge educator in the field of agriculture. He is the mastermind behind The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP) and the Association of Agricultural Produc… Continue reading →

Taking proactive steps to improve your business is crucial to its expansion and success. However, many business owners don’t know where to start. Speaking with a family business consultant is a great way to take advantages of the expertise that c… Continue reading →

Entrepreneur magazine featured an article questioning the wisdom of business plans for small or family businesses. The author, a former banker and entrepreneur herself, contends that long, elaborate strategic plans simply aren’t necessary. Let’s examin… Continue reading →

Ann Kincade, CEO of Family Enterprise USA, a national nonprofit organization promoting family businesses and the policies that support their success, has written eloquently in Forbes about the impact family businesses have on the American economy: &quo… Continue reading →

It’s tough sledding for America’s small business owners who are looking for a light at the end of the Great Recession tunnel.  The Wall St. Journal’s MarketWatch reports, "For September 2011, the SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard reveals t… Continue reading →

Your family business started small, and with hard work and dedication, it grew to the point where multigenerational goals are an option. Starting, or continuing, the family business tradition can be difficult, and many families are unsure how to make… Continue reading →

When we at The Family Business Institute ask family business leaders what they have the least of in their lives, the universal answer is TIME. And yet, as we observe the personal behavior of these businessmen and -women, the rigor with which they man… Continue reading →