Please enjoy this interview conducted by Ira Bryck, President, Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley, Inc. Ira interviewed Richard Lutringer and me about mediation in family businesses. The interview was broadcast on the “Western Massachusetts Business Show” on January 6, 2018. We discussed how mediation and facilitated family meetings can help families and their […]
Attorneys For Family-Held Enterprises (AFHE) presentation
I enjoyed the opportunity to present to the international Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises (AFHE) Mid-Year Conference in Cleveland, OH on November 10, 2017. Richard Lutringer and I talked about “Using Mediation Within the Family Enterprise to Bring Positive Change From Internal Conflict”. It was a great chance to discuss (because interactive presentations are my favorite […]
Exit Planning Exchange (XPX) Case Study
The Connecticut Chapter of the Exit Planning Exchange (XPX) has started this year’s case study, involving a business whose partners are planning ahead for an eventual exit (bravo for advance planning!) The case study involves a business started nearly 20 years ago by three partners who were best buddies in college. Although theirs is not […]
Certificates Earned in Family Business Advising and Family Wealth Advising
I am proud to announce that I have completed a fifteen month educational program and have been awarded both the FFI GEN (Global Educational Network) Certificate in Family Business Advising (CFBA) and Certificate in Family Wealth Advising (CFWA) by the Family Firm Institute. It has been a great experience: excellent faculty, comprehensive and thought-provoking readings […]
Out with the old…
…and in with the new. That phrase and that sentiment are better suited to the turn from the old year to the new than in a change in leadership in a family business.
Every family is unique, yet some types of conflict are common
When a family member contacts me to talk about how I might be able to help with a family conflict over money or a business or a related problem, the person is often surprised to learn that their family is not unusual in facing such problems. (Trusted advisors who contact me to see if I […]
The business divorce ending the BLT restaurant empire partnership — Part II
As I wrote about last time, last Wednesday’s New York Times Food section included an article titled “Ex-Partners Fight to Separate the Ingredients”. In it, Glenn Collins chronicled the business divorce ending the BLT restaurant empire partnership between Jimmy Haber and Laurent Tourondel. It’s hardly news that business partnerships can be tough and that the […]
The business divorce ending the BLT restaurant empire partnership — Part I
Last Wednesday’s New York Times Food section included an article titled “Ex-Partners Fight to Separate the Ingredients”. In it, Glenn Collins chronicled the business divorce ending the BLT restaurant empire partnership between Jimmy Haber and Laurent Tourondel. It’s hardly news that business partnerships can be tough and that the restaurant business is nearly always tough. […]
Your “Big Picture” Year-End Review
As 2010 draws to a close, year-end reviews become popular. We’re all told to take a cold, hard look at where we are and where we need to go. Businesses are encouraged to examine where they can make marginal changes to improve their bottom line. Individuals are urged to pick one, small change that they […]
Why mediation? Because it’s a small (business) world
There are certain truths about conflict, conflict resolution, and mediation that we know are timeless. Yet they don’t always rise to the top of our consciousness. This month, repeatedly, I have found myself discussing the merits of business mediation with business owners who really “get it”. In particular, they are looking for a dispute resolution […]
