

Beyond The Family Business
Luke Hansen-MacDonald
Family office leader, Luke Hansen-MacDonald, explores lessons, strategies and stories from the world of family business.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 25, 2025 • 37min
Nahas Brothers Build Franchise QSR Business
Tony and Peter Nahas are the co-owners of Mezza Lebanese Kitchen. Their parents started the business shortly after immigrating from Lebanon. The brothers discuss how they streamlined their family business and unlocked huge growth through franchising. They also share their own struggles as leaders and what is next on their growth horizon.

Jul 11, 2025 • 12min
AI-Powered Cyber Attacks Threaten Family Business
Artificial Intelligence is dramatically changing the threat landscape for cybercrime. Generative AI is making hackers more efficient and giving them new capabilities that make their attacks harder to detect. In this episode, we discuss types of threats, why family business is at risk and tips to defend.

Jun 27, 2025 • 48min
Matthew Cassidy: Consolidating the Bus Industry with Dad & Brothers
Matthew Cassidy is the President of Coach Atlantic, Maritime Bus and Ambassatours. Over the last 20 years, Matthew and his family have consolidated the bus industry in Atlantic Canada. We discuss his biggest challenges as a new leader. As well, Matthew tells all about their recent acquisition of Ambassatours.

Jun 13, 2025 • 40min
Tony Falbo: Founder of Mircom Passes the Torch to His Three Boys
Tony Falbo, an 81-year-old Italian immigrant, chronicles his entrepreneurial journey of building Mircom Technologies and successfully transitioning the business to his three sons. Through strategic focus and family collaboration, he transformed a small fire alarm systems company into an international enterprise. The interview offers a compelling blueprint for family business succession and entrepreneurial resilience.

May 30, 2025 • 47min
Aakash Shah: Next Gen CEO 20x Sales of Family Biz
Aakash Shah is the former CEO and owner of Vivify Specialty Ingredients. He shares how his father convinced him to join the struggling family business and turn it around. Aakash shares how we found balance with his brother and father. As well, how he brought in private equity to buy his family out. Lastly, he shares his plans for his newly minted family office.

14 snips
May 16, 2025 • 35min
Tammy Buss: Family Business Advisor, CEO & Grandmother
Tammy Buss, a seasoned family business advisor and owner with over 30 years of experience, shares invaluable insights into navigating the complexities of family business dynamics. She discusses the importance of communication and transparency during succession planning. Tammy highlights the emotional challenges of selling a family business and maintaining family unity. She also explores the balance of grandparenting with business involvement, sharing personal stories on building a financial legacy and the joys of nurturing grandchild relationships.

May 2, 2025 • 40min
Daniel Foch: Opportunities & Risks of Canadian Real Estate in 2025
Daniel Foch is the co-host of the Canadian Real Estate Investor podcast and Chief Real Estate Officer for Valery Real Estate. Daniel shares his view of where there are opportunities and risks in the Canadian real estate market. He discusses how he believes the government can incentivize home building. Lastly, he shares his experience working in his family business and the lessons he learned from his parents.

14 snips
Apr 18, 2025 • 36min
Ron Diamond: Why Most Family Offices Shouldn’t Exist
Ron Diamond is the founder of Diamond Wealth, a syndicate of 100 family offices. He shares his perspective of why many family offices should not exist, common risks they fall into, and how the transition of wealth from Baby Boomers is disrupting the capital markets. Ron delves into his entrepreneurial journey and how he built trust with family offices over time. As well, he discusses Tiger 21 and Chicago Booth’s new family office initiative. https://lnk.to/fambiz

Apr 4, 2025 • 45min
Glen Creaser: Tech Entrepreneur Disrupts Seafood Business
Glen Creaser is a serial entrepreneur who sold his first tech company 2 years out of university. His new venture, Larry’s Catch, mixes his experience in tech with his family’s legacy in seafood to create a disruptive direct-to-consumer model. Glen shares his strategy and how his family’s history in the fishing industry influenced his approach.https://lnk.to/fambiz

Mar 21, 2025 • 54min
Empire of Chocolate: The Ferrero Family Story with Luca Cottini
Ferrero created some of the world's most beloved brands, including Nutella, Kinder Eggs, and Tic Tacs. In this episode, we explore how 2nd gen leader Michele Ferrero’s visionary leadership transformed Ferrero into a global powerhouse. Professor and author Luca Cottini joins us to discuss the unique culture and entrepreneurial genius that defined Ferrero’s success.https://lnk.to/fambiz


