Family Business/Business Family

In this episode, we sit down with Torri Hawley, a wealth education expert and seventh-generation member of the Vollrath Company, and Peter Begalla, conference chair at MLR Media and founder of JPB Consulting Group. Together, they discuss how family businesses can better solicit honest, actionable feedback from their shareholders. (For more from Hawley and Begalla on this topic, check out their recent article on gauging shareholder sentiment).Also, Christina Sorbara, vice president of corporate knowledge and lead of human resources and corporate responsibility for the Sorbara Group of Companies in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, talks about the challenge of keeping shareholders educated, engaged and informed as the company and family continue to grow.And in part 2 of our conversation with Mayumi Allison, CEO and second generation owner of audio-visual equipment maker Hosa Technology Inc., she tells us what surprised her after taking the helm of the business her father founded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, Bill Weinaug, president of Wekiva Island — a family-owned, environmentally friendly vacation destination in Longwood, Florida — talks about the resort’s beginnings and why leaving a sustainable legacy requires learning to let go. Also, Joanna Bergey Shisler, dealer principal at Bergey’s — a 5th-generation, family-owned auto, truck and tire company with locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland — discusses the importance of communication and forgiveness in family business. And the third- and fourth-generation leaders of Accurate Box Company — G3 President and CEO Lisa Hirsh; her husband, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mark Schlossman; and their daughter, Director of Sales and Marketing Samara Ronkowitz — discuss the importance of culture on the longevity and growth of their family business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brandon Adkins’ family legacy is deeply tied to the karting industry. When his father died in 2017, he was faced with the difficult decision of whether to take over the family business, Adkins Speed Center. It wasn’t an easy road, but today Brandon and his husband, Jamie Wince, run the karting track, which focuses on spreading a message of positivity and inclusivity. In this episode, they discuss how they connect with the community through go-kart racing. Also in this episode, Dan Berger, second-generation CEO of Berger Communities, talks about why values and culture are key to the longevity of his family business. And, in part two of our interview with Lisa Daniel, Education Chair of the Joseph Lodge Family Council, she discusses the crucial role of the family council in her family’s enterprise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Mayumi Allison, CEO and second generation owner of Hosa Technology Inc., stops by to talk about how she learned to be a leader in the family business her father founded. And, building on that theme, Aaron Chin, CEO and second generation owner of Organika Health Products, discusses innovating as a NextGen in the company his father founded. Also in this episode, contributing editor and family business expert Dennis Jaffe is back to talk about trusts — specifically, why they tend to cause so many disputes in families and how to prevent that from happening in your own family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we’re talking about the challenges and emotions surrounding generational transitions. Mike Crotty, fourth-generation president of one of America’s oldest family-owned and -operated uniform rental and facility services companies, Spirit Services, recounts taking over the company and making the difficult decision to fire his grandfather. Duane Bergey, the chief relationship officer of Bergey’s Family Corporation, discusses the career move that caused a temporary rift between he and his dad, and how they mended their relationship over regular — and occasionally awkward — lunches. And Karla Trotman, president & CEO of Electro Soft Incorporated and author of the new book, Dark, Dirty, Dangerous: Building the Vibrant Future of Manufacturing, offers some advice for NextGen leaders who are seeking to make major changes to their family businesses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Katy Wilder Schaaf talks balancing her role as vice chair of the board of directors for her family business, E. Ritter & Company, with her career as a licensed clinical psychologist. She also talks about how the company utilized governance to reengage shareholders after a family rift. Then, Preston Root, fourth-generation steward of Root Glass Co., explains how a family constitution can bring your family together and help to pass its values down through the generations — provided it’s presented in a format with a bit more gravitas than a Word doc. And Katy Kothmann Abraham, president of Construction Cost Management, discusses the unorthodox career path that led her to buy her father's cost estimation company, as well as how she built confidence and credibility despite not having a traditional technical background. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're fresh off our Transitions Fall 2024 conference and talking — you guessed it — generational transitions. In this episode, Accurate Box Company G3 President and CEO Lisa Hirsh; her husband, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mark Schlossman; and their daughter, Director of Sales and Marketing Samara Ronkowitz, discuss how the company is planning for the transition to G4. Also, Meganne Wecker, the 3G president and chief creative officer of Chicago-based Skyline Furniture and founder of its sister brand Cloth & Company, explains how her father fostered entrepreneurship and innovation as he handed the reins to her. And Deloitte Private US Family Enterprise Leader Laura Pearson discusses the findings of a recent survey that shed light on the generational divide in many family businesses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Family Business/Business Family, Lisa Daniel, Education Chair of the Joseph Lodge Family Council, explains how to make family governance work — and why it’s worth the effort. Also, Eric Johnson, partner and U.S. Family Office Tax Leader at Deloitte, discusses some of the recent trends they’ve seen in the growth of the single family office space. And Bill Rock, CEO of MLR Media, the publisher of Family Business Magazine and FO Pro: The Family Office Professional, provides a primer on how family offices serve families and discusses some of the challenges and opportunities on the horizon for family offices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Family Business/Business Family, Karen Norheim, president and CEO of American Crane and Equipment Corporation, discusses how her family business got started somewhat by accident. Also, sisters Chelsea and Callie Sher, whose mother began building a family business in 2002 when she purchased the now 90-year-old brand Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company, explain how the family works together on the manufacturing side but competes with one another on the brand side. And Family Business Magazine Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe provides guidance on how current gens can embrace the role of the elder in their family businesses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this discussion, Octavian Pilati shares his transformative journey through a family business crisis sparked by a disastrous investment. He emphasizes the critical lessons learned and how to foster resilience. Linda Fonner offers savvy insights on building effective advisory boards, including common pitfalls to avoid. Jamie Shah highlights the unique entrepreneurial spirit of family-run businesses, showcasing how personal values and innovation can thrive. Together, they navigate the complexities of family dynamics in business while providing inspiring guidance.