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November 7, 2024

Advisers Help Avoid Family Business Mistakes

McComas Fuel Co.’s William A. McComas on lessons learned operating a multi-generation family business....

By Adam Burroughs

October 17, 2024

Learning The Family Business On The Fly

Competition Roofing’s Robert Hilty on what he’s learning during his first time leading the family business....

By Adam Burroughs

October 10, 2024

Navigating The Sale Of A 100-Year-Old Business

Bradley Corp. Luis de Leon on the steps take to move a century-old business forward....

By Adam Burroughs

September 5, 2024

Unfortunate Circumstances Lead To Important Family Business Lessons

Gamse Labels & Packaging’s James Canzoniero on how an unfortunate event led to a quick succession, and important business lessons....

By Adam Burroughs

August 22, 2024

Dispelling ESOP Myths

MGX Digital’s Charity Brueggemann outlines the process of transitioning to an ESOP....

By Adam Burroughs

August 8, 2024

Getting The Real Story In A Family Business Deal

Pine Street Capital Partners’ Timothy Welles on some of the challenges with buying family businesses....

By Adam Burroughs

July 2, 2024

Getting Creative To Take Care Of People In A Deal

3 Men Movers' Jacky Fischer on how she's prioritizing taking care of her people when it comes time to sell her business....

By Adam Burroughs

June 27, 2024

Introducing Family Into A Business

David Mason of David Mason + Associates on the process of introducing family into his business....

By Adam Burroughs

June 5, 2024

Eagle Park Brewing Is Learning On The Grow

Eagle Park Brewing Company's Max Borgardt on how he's handled his company's exponential growth....

By Adam Burroughs

May 31, 2024

Edible Brands' Founding, Flourishing and Future

Edible Brands' Tariq Farid and Somia Farid Silber on rebranding, expanding, and plotting the company’s future....

By SBN Staff

May 30, 2024

Navigating Family Business Growth

Strother Enterprises' Natasha Strother-Lassiter on the progression of her family business and the growth options they're considering for the future....

By Adam Burroughs

March 21, 2024

The Hard Work Of Not Becoming Another Family Business Statistic

Pump and Meter Service's Kurt Radermacher on his experience taking over the family business...

By Adam Burroughs

March 7, 2024

For Bliffert Lumber, People Are Central To A Deal

Bliffert Lumber's Eli Bliffert on the role a target's people play in a deal...

By Adam Burroughs

February 15, 2024

The Unexpected Sale Of A Family Business

Former Birko Corporation Owner Kelly Green on the shift to selling her family business....

By Adam Burroughs

February 9, 2024

Firing Sisters And Setting Up A Son's First LLC

Preferred Data Systems' Kelly Comeaux on life growing up in a family business. ...

By Adam Burroughs

February 1, 2024

Competing On Culture

Seyer Industries' Chris Seyer on how he uses culture as a competitive differentiator. ...

By Adam Burroughs

January 18, 2024

How Acquisitions Help Babson Farms Diversify Revenue

Taylor Kirkpatrick is generation four of Babson Farms, a family enterprise that started originally with dairy equipment manufacturing — the largest in the world, he says — until they sold the business...

By Adam Burroughs

January 12, 2024

Financial Issues To Consider When Doing International Acquisitions

Gentherm closed two deals in July of 2022. One was a German multinational that added to the company's automotive space. The other was a domestic acquisition in China for its medical business. The deal...

By Adam Burroughs

December 7, 2023

Setting Up The Next Generations

Lisa Ingram, president and CEO of White Castle, on how the 10,000-employee company prepares its family to participate in the business. ...

By Adam Burroughs

December 1, 2023

To Thrive, A Family Business Needs Rules

Jim Jurgielewicz, of Joe Jurgielewicz & Son Ltd., on the rough couple years the business experienced and how the rules the family set help them keep it together. ...

By Adam Burroughs

September 29, 2023

Transparency Is Needed When Selling A Family Business

Multigenerational family businesses, says Richard J. Wolkowitz, CEO and Family Advisor at Xylogenesis | Family Office Advisory, are tough. The family working in the business may have a different...

By Adam Burroughs

September 14, 2023

Candid Reasons Not To Pass Your Business To The Next Generation

How — and why — Thomas J. Young sold Arrowhead Systems, a business he had no intention of selling....

By Adam Burroughs

August 10, 2023

Anthony Manna On Growing His Family Business

Anthony Manna on lessons learned for establishing a family-owned enterprise that generates value and how he's preparing the company to transition to the next generation. ...

By Adam Burroughs

July 28, 2023

Don't Force Family Into Taking Over The Business

When it comes to making a successful transition within a family business, education and communication are by far the most important factors. Waldron Private Wealth Partner & Chief Investment Officer...

By Adam Burroughs

June 23, 2023

Transition Options For Family Businesses

There comes a time for family businesses to make a transition. In some cases, the business is passed down to the family's next generation. But when that's not an option, there are other transitions...

By Adam Burroughs

June 9, 2023

To Enhance Value, Start Early

When it comes to building the right team around a family business to help create value, not every company has the right people in their family tree to do that. That, says Messerli Kramer Attorney and...

By Adam Burroughs

February 10, 2023

Bill Yoh On Adding Structure To The Family Business

Day & Zimmerman Co-Owner Bill Yoh on how to have the tough conversations necessary to have a thriving family business for generations. ...

By Adam Burroughs

January 27, 2023

Tough Decisions In Family-Led Businesses

Herschend Family Entertainment started in 1960 in Branson, Missouri by Jacob Herschend's grandparents. They leased a cave and made it available for tours. As it increased in popularity, they built...

By Adam Burroughs

September 15, 2022

Finding alignment in a family business

AchieveNEXT's Christin Cardone McClave, and UBS’s Bianca Benedetti-Fang and Julie Fox on how McClave’s family managed through being business partners over the years, why they ultimately decided a full sale was a path they wanted to pursue, and how they have adjusted back to being a family, after the transaction. ...

By Adam Burroughs

September 9, 2022

Family Business Succession is a Slow, Steady Process

The L’Herbier family was at a crossroads six years ago. The owners of Air Duct Maintenance, Kevin and Debbie L’Herbier, were looking to retire and had to decide what to do with the company they started back in 1996. They approached their children, Dan and Lauren L’Herbier, to see if they had interest in taking over leadership. After a brief period, the siblings decided to begin the succession process. It didn’t go as quickly as everyone had hoped, however. ...

By Dan Pender

August 5, 2022

Transition strategies within family businesses

Jergens Inc.'s Jack Schron, Ahola Payroll & HR Solutions' Jeff Ahola, Peoples Services Inc.'s Darin Haines, The Reserves Network's Neil Stallard and UBS's William Murphy on the tough conversations and lessons learned from transitions in a family business. ...

By Adam Burroughs

July 22, 2022

How Relationships Brought Abatemaster and Plumb Line Capital Together

Plumb Line Capital's Matt Lindberg and Abatemaster's Jeff Chilton on the acquisition, growing a former family-operated business, and how relationships have played a role in every aspect of the deal. ...

By Adam Burroughs

July 6, 2022

Reasons to be excited, cautious, when launching a business with family

Geneoscopy's Andrew Barnell on launching Geneoscopy, structuring the business and working with family....

By Adam Burroughs

June 29, 2022

Liquidity Lessons From Selling a Fourth-Generation Family Business

Lewisburg Printing Company's Kirk Kelso, Troutman Pepper's Daniel McDonough, and BNY Mellon's Bryan McGrath and Marty Babitz on the preparation and exit phases of a well-structured transaction....

By Adam Burroughs

June 22, 2022

The importance of multiple plans

Capital Plus' Renee Tyack, Roetzel & Andress' Erika Haupt, Matesich Distributing Co.'s Sarah Schwab and AB Bernstein's Kara Lewis on how they navigated the most difficult questions regarding what to do with the family business. ...

By Adam Burroughs

May 11, 2022

Determining the future of a family business

Robison Energy's Daniel Singer, along with Arent Fox's David Barbash, Hubbard-Hall's Molly Kellogg, R. Klein Consulting's Ruben Klein, and BankProv's Brent Mathews on determining the future of a family business....

By Adam Burroughs

May 6, 2022

Family Values Play Role in Acquisition

When A.O. Smith bought Canada's Giant Factories in the middle of the pandemic,  it was the end of a decade-long process....

By Dan Pender

January 27, 2022

What To Do With The Family Business

HBM Holdings' Mike DeCola, along with Clayton Capital Partners' Kevin Short and First Bank Center for Family-Owned Businesses' Joe Ambrose discuss options for family businesses, look at the macroeconomic factors that are influencing owners' decisions to sell or stay put, and explore case studies from those who have developed successful solutions....

By Adam Burroughs

January 14, 2022

Preparedness leads to best outcome when selling a family business

JAWOOD Founder Lynn Mustazza, along with PNC Bank's Jacob Taylor, PNC Wealth Management's Daniel Hoops and UHY Corporate Finance's Dan Sporka talk about plotting the future of a family business....

By Adam Burroughs

November 17, 2021

Estate planning tips for family business owners

Wholesale Supplies Plus Founder and Retired CEO Deb May along with Capital Anesthesia Solutions’ Chris Copley and UBS’ William Murphy talk about family businesses, estate planning pre- and post-liquidity event, as well as how to pick the right estate planning adviser....

By Adam Burroughs

October 20, 2021

Learning the ropes: acquisitions in a family business

Taylor Burke-Gilman and Lauren Burke-Devere on how they got involved in the family business, their transition into leadership, and what they’ve learned so far about acquisitions....

By Adam Burroughs

October 8, 2021

How family alignment helped Monticeto Medical Real Estate reach its BHAG

Monticeto Medical Real Estate CEO Chip Conk, along with Bass, Berry & Sims’ Frank Pellegrino and EY's Bobby Stover explore dealmaking, growth and communication within a family business....

By Adam Burroughs

February 12, 2021

Truck Centers’ John Hopkins on moving the family business forward

While he expects to participate as an acquirer, Truck Centers’ John Hopkins is structuring the family business so that selling remains the furthest thing from the family's mind....

By Adam Burroughs

September 18, 2020

Deb May on letting go of her family business, Wholesale Supplies Plus

Deb May, founder and now-retired owner of Wholesale Supplies Plus, sold her business last year and stepped away from the company. She talks about her preparation and the difficulty of letting go....

By Adam Burroughs

October 10, 2019

Ted Lentz talks transaction preparedness when selling Lentz Milling

Ted Lentz, now CFO and Chief Analytics Officer at JM Swank, reveals the steps he took to prepare his family’s business, Lentz Milling, for the auction block....

By Adam Burroughs

September 6, 2019

Dawn Fuchs Coleman On Selling The Family Business

Former Weavertown Environment Group CEO Dawn Fuchs Coleman talks about selling the family business and her journey from executive to coach and investor....

By Jayne Gest

June 19, 2019

Non-control Capital Offers Liquidity Option For Family-Held Companies

Many family-held businesses don't realize there are minority investors out there, says Nicholas Stone, managing director at Cyprium Partners....

By Mark Scott

November 9, 2018

Choosing a strategic buyer pays off for Walsh Equipment family

It was bittersweet for Charles Walsh to no longer see his family’s name on their construction equipment dealership. But by all accounts, the sale to Stephenson Equipment Inc. in 2017 has been a success....

By Jayne Gest