The Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas once wrote; “There’s only one thing that’s worse than an unhappy childhood, and that’s a too-happy childhood.” I’m not sure if this is true or not, but I do know that this poses an interesting question for parents who worry their...
I’d like to post my own review of an excellent book I just finished called The First 90 Days. Written by Michael D. Watkins and first published in 2003 by Harvard Business Review Press, the book was conceived for corporate leaders in transition. The central...
When a bowl, teapot or precious vase falls and breaks into a thousand pieces, we throw it away with regret and rarely think about it again. But the Japanese have a better idea and it's called Kintsugi. This is an ancient practice in which brokenness...
This week (June of 2018) I attended my 3rd annual meeting of the Family Business Alliance in Ithaca, New York. The so-called Alliance is made up of all the directors who run family business centers across the USA and Canada. This year's conference was hosted...
The apocalyptic firestorm that descended upon Napa Valley a few weeks ago forced the Annual Meeting for the PMPA to be moved to downtown San Francisco. Thankfully, the resort where the conference was originally booked, the Meritage Resort & Spa, was not directly impacted by...
I am very honored to be speaking at the Wisconsin Family Business Center in Appleton later this week. The Center is affiliated with the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh. This isn't the first time I've traveled to the state for a speaking job but it is...
What is Family Business Governance? Why Do I Need It? Everyone knows what our government does (or shouldn't do) but few outside the world of family wealth planning understand what is meant by Family Business Governance. Family Governance can be difficult to define because it means so many different things to different...
These days, it seems like conflict is everywhere. Whether its cable-TV, talk radio or the internet, people seem to have a different opinion on a wide range of topics and everyone seems much more inclined to disagree than agree. With conflict swirling all around us, there's a tendency to think...
As a family business grows, it is highly likely that it may eventually need and seek the counsel of outside professionals with specialized expertise. Few businesses get too far in the world without engaging an attorney, financial planner, or accountant, for example, at some point. This...
It's rare that we ever get what we want by blowing up over it. With that in mind, I couldn't help but be struck by this image of a young woman smiling into the face of an enraged protestor. The photo went viral on social media this week. Television...
