Family Business/Business Family

In this episode, we sit down with Corinne Burton, G2 president of Teacher Created Materials, who shares how her family built a global company rooted in a love of learning, balancing innovation with tradition through a flexible and age-inclusive governance model. We also chat with Transformational Women in Family Business 2025 honoree Karen Alko, fourth-generation steward of ABC Recycling, who reflects on her path through the business, her leadership in governance and how formalizing philanthropy and NextGen engagement has helped preserve her family’s legacy. And, in part 2 of our interview, Michael Kaplan, whose family founded Lane Bryant, discusses why choosing purpose over fear is essential to long-term continuity — and how clarity around mission and values guides the companies he builds, the partners he selects and the leaders he empowers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Jessica Johnson-Cope, CEO of Johnson Security Bureau, who transformed family tragedy into leadership, guiding her business beyond its 50th year. Ryan Berg, co-president of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, shares insights on growing a luxury brand with a focus on community and people-first values. Alex Loewenstein from Lowy Foods discusses the challenges and rewards of co-leading a legacy business while balancing innovation and family trust. Their conversations are filled with inspiration around leadership, philanthropy, and preparing future generations.

Join Judi Sheppard Missett, founder of Jazzercise, as she shares the journey of building a dance-fitness empire that thrives on joy and community. Michael Kaplan, from the Lane Bryant legacy, reflects on his family's revolutionary impact on maternity wear and the heartache of failed business attempts. Jon Vaughan reveals the freedom gained after selling his family's lumber company, highlighting richer family interactions and a passion for supporting blue-collar businesses. This riveting discussion dives deep into family dynamics, entrepreneurship, and life after business.

In this episode, cousins Judd and Alex Loewenstein of Loewy Foods share how they’re ushering their fifth-generation company into a new era — blending gratitude, modernization and the enduring spirit of Thanksgiving to honor their family’s humble poultry-shop roots. Also, Michael Horn, former fourth-generation president and CEO of A.C. Horn Manufacturing, reflects on taking over his family’s struggling machinery business, leading its turnaround, and ultimately making peace with the decision to sell. And Pat Soldano, president of Family Enterprise USA, explains how tariffs, policy uncertainty and global trade shifts are reshaping the landscape for family-owned companies — and why advocacy on Capitol Hill matters more than ever.Michael Horn will also be joining us as a panelist at the Transitions Fall 2025 conference, November 5-7 at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa in San Diego. Learn more about the conference and register here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raffi Amit, a renowned Wharton professor, shares insights on the keys to prosperous families, emphasizing shared values and effective governance. Deborah Jacob, from the fifth-generation MJS Packaging, discusses vital lessons on succession and the importance of philanthropy in family businesses. John Vaughn reflects on the emotional journey of selling his third-generation company, balancing stewardship and identity. Their collective wisdom reveals how communication, resilience, and learning from peers can shape successful family enterprises.

In this episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, Bret Snyder, CEO of W.L. Gore & Associates, a global materials science company best known for its GORE-TEX products, talks building credibility within the business, balancing legacy with innovation and preparing the next generation of his 80-plus-member family to steward the enterprise. Also in this episode, Deborah Jacob, owner and chairman emeritus of fifth-generation MJS Packaging, recounts her journey from reluctant recruit to family business leader, the mentors who helped her gain footing and the stark contrasts between public companies and family-owned enterprises. And Family Business Magazine Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe explains why families must establish clear structures for decision-making, how to avoid the dangers of conflict avoidance and practical ways to create governance that balances fairness with effectiveness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Somia Farid Silber, second-generation CEO of Edible Brands, who shares how she’s reimagining the iconic gifting brand for a new generation while staying rooted in the founding values her father built the company on. We also hear from Justin Papadakis, Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer of the United Soccer League, who offers a behind-the-scenes look at growing the business of American soccer and the values that guide his family’s leadership. Finally, Scott Saslow, founder of single-family office ONE WORLD Investments, shares five pillars for building a sustainable family office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features a conversation with Laird Norton CEO Brian McGuigan, who reflects on stepping into a family legacy as an outsider, offering strategies for leading with continuity, clarity, and respect for tradition. In addition, we chat with David Weekley, founder of now-second-generation David Weekley Homes. He outlines his mission-driven ownership model — splitting equity among family, employees, and a charitable trust — to foster shared purpose and reduce the pitfalls of inherited wealth. This episode also features part 2 of our conversation with Jason Diestel, Heidi Diestel Orrock and Jared Orrock, fourth-generation leaders of Diestel Family Ranch. They share how they lean on adaptability, not hierarchy, to lead through crisis and generational change.Support for this episode comes from Wharton Executive Education. Through world-class faculty and real-world application, Wharton’s Wealth Management and Family Office Programs offer participants a deep dive into the sophisticated financial concepts paramount to family office management. Learn more at whartonfamilywealth.com  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 In the latest episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, the fourth-generation leaders of Diestel Family Ranch — Jason Diestel, Heidi Diestel Orrock and Jared Orrock — discuss navigating family dynamics in their turkey farming business. Also, corporate C-suite veteran Tony Brausen rejoins the podcasts to explain why private boards should take it upon themselves to examine their organizations the way an activist shareholder would. And our conversation continues with BLT Enterprises’ second-generation sibling leaders Nikolette Huberman Jacob and Lukas Huberman, who discuss how their family business takes the long view.Support for this episode comes from Wharton Executive Education. Through world-class faculty and real-world application, Wharton’s Investment Programs help leaders navigate capital strategy, valuation, and investor dynamics with precision. In an environment where the margin for error is low, Wharton equips leaders with the tools to make sharper decisions and smarter capital moves. Learn more at whartoninvestmentprograms.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we’re joined by Nikolette Huberman Jacob and her brother Lukas Huberman, second-generation leaders of BLT Enterprises, a Southern California business that began with a single trash truck and blossomed into a real estate firm with tenants like Amazon, FedEx, Frito-Lay and PepsiCo. We also sit down with Kyle York, tech entrepreneur and co-founder of York IE, to discuss how his family’s legacy in athletic footwear inspired a broader family enterprise. In addition, this episode includes more of our interview with Craig Stevenson, Emily Griffin and Bryce Lundberg of Lundberg Family Farms, a fourth-generation organic rice company in Northern California. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.