Family Business/Business Family

Episode 41: A Reverse-Engineered Family Startup | Growing Into Leadership Together | Rules for Better Family Meetings

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:27:36 GMT

In this episode, Brent Thomas, co-founder and CEO of Tepi Naturals, shares the company’s unconventional founding story of a son-led startup-turned-multigenerational family business. Thomas discusses how the family turned a discarded coffee byproduct into a skincare business built on shared purpose and complementary strengths. We also hear more from sibling co-leaders Micaela Tuohey-McDonald, Sean Tuohey and Mary Tuohey-Fahy of The Collins Companies, who reflect on growing into their roles with the help of mentorship from family and non-family leaders, building trust across the organization and preserving culture as they grow the business. This episode also features a conversation with Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe, who discusses how families can run more effective meetings by focusing not just on what they talk about, but how they communicate.

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Episode 40: A 15-Year Succession Plan | 4 Generations of Father-Son Leadership | Moving a Transportation Business Forward

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:59:06 GMT

In this episode, Kala Tuohey-McDonald, Sean Tuohey and Mary Tuohey-Fahy discuss the next-generation leadership transition at The Collins Companies, a family-owned industrial distributor of pipe, valves and fittings and engineered specialties with more than a century of history. The siblings reflect on the 15-year succession planning process that culminated in them taking over for their father, how they divided leadership responsibilities based on their strengths and what it means to step into executive roles together after initially resisting the idea of joining the family business. This episode also features more of our conversation with Mitchell Kaneff and his sons Josh and Max of fourth-generation luxury packaging company Arkay, who talk more about their own succession plan. We also continue our conversation with Heath Ochroch, president of Werner Bus Lines, who discusses modernizing the transportation business while honoring his dad's legacy.

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Episode 39: Leading Through Loss | Father-Son Transitions | A Legacy Built One Client at a Time

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:30:00 GMT

In this episode, Mitchell Kaneff, the third-generation chairman and CEO of premium packaging company Arkay, and his sons Josh and Max, discuss the evolution of the company and its approach to succession. Also in this episode, Heath Ochroch, president of Werner Bus Lines, reflects on the history of the business and stepping into leadership after his father’s passing. In addition, this episode features Part 2 of our conversation with Ed Dikes, founder of Weston Jewelers, and his daughter Danni Dikes, who discuss growing the business while preserving its family-centered customer experience.

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Episode 38: Building the Next Chapter in Luxury Jewelry | Craftsmanship, Succession and Stewardship | 'It’s Nice to Be Nice'

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:36:31 GMT

In this episode, father and daughter Ed and Danni Dikes, of Florida-based Weston Jewelers, discuss growing their second-generation company from a 1,000-square-foot store in 2001 to a multi-location luxury brand preparing to open a 40,000-square-foot flagship on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. This episode also features part 2 of our conversation with Clarissa Surianello, third-generation president of Surianello Concrete, who reflects on stepping into ownership without a formal roadmap, modernizing operations while honoring craftsmanship and defining success. Also in this episode, we hear more from Kristin Anthony and her father, M. Pope Anthony Jr., of Anthony’s Ladies Apparel, who discuss a culture built on one simple principle: “It’s nice to be nice.”

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Episode 37: Retail Reinvention Across Generations | Paving the Future in Construction Leadership | Sustaining Seafood Success

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:36:21 GMT

In this episode, Kristin Anthony and her father, M. Pope Anthony Jr., of Anthony’s Ladies Apparel trace their family’s retail roots to 1895 and discuss balancing a brick-and-mortar legacy with a growing e-commerce business. Clarissa Surianello, third-generation president of construction company Surianello Concrete, shares how hands-on experience shaped her leadership as she modernizes operations while protecting the company’s legacy. And in part 2 of our discussion with Michael LaVecchia and Danielle Rauso of LaMonica Fine Foods, they discuss how transparency, strong supplier relationships and generational adaptability help sustain one of the country’s last independent clam processors for the future.

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Episode 36: Sustaining a Century-Old Seafood Business | Entrepreneurship-Driven Performance | Stewardship, Humanity and Compounding

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:09:42 GMT

In this episode, Michael LaVecchia, vice president, operations at fourth-generation LaMonica Fine Foods, and Danielle Rauso, his niece and sales manager at LaMonica, trace their family seafood business from a Brooklyn fish store founded in 1923 to a multigenerational operation in New Jersey that remains one of the last independent clam processors in the country. They also discuss how they’re preparing both family and non-family stakeholders for the future.

This episode also features part 2 of our conversation with John and Joe Gaither, brothers and co-leaders of second-generation performance sock brand Feetures. They discuss how their family’s entrepreneurial roots, as well as community roots, have shaped the brand.

In addition, we continue our conversation with Matthew Powell, fourth-generation CEO of safety and security service provider Century Companies. Matthew explains how the principles of stewardship, humanity and compounding have guided his family enterprise. To hear more from Matthew on these topics, subscribe to his free newsetter, "The Steward's Journal."

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Episode 35: Building a Brand as Brothers | A Succession Plan With Purpose | Ask Us Anything

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:26:53 GMT

In this episode, brothers John and Joe Gaither, second-generation leaders of premium performance sock maker Feetures, reflect on building a brand out of a legacy of family entrepreneurship. This episode also features part 2 of our conversation with Port Blakely’s newly installed CEO Mike Warjone and his cousin, Chairman and outgoing CEO René Ancinas, who delve deeper into their succession process and their vision for the future of the company. We’re also joined by returning guest Jamie Shah, second-generation president of Chem-Impex and a Polsky Center entrepreneur in residence at the University of Chicago. She joins us to discuss an exciting new advice column she’s launching here at Family Business Magazine. Need some guidance on a family business issue? You can anonymously submit a question to Jamie right here.

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Episode 34: Stewardship From the Ground Up | A 'Field-First' Mindset | Why Advocacy Matters

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:14:48 GMT

In this episode, Port Blakely’s newly installed CEO Mike Warjone and his cousin, Chairman and outgoing CEO René Ancinas, discuss the carefully planned leadership transition at the company that became official at the end of 2025.

This episode also features part 2 of our conversation with fifth-generation co-presidents Jeannie Cullen Schultz and George Cullen of JP Cullen, who explain how a “field-first” mindset, people-centered leadership and clear expectations across the 133-year-old construction business have helped preserve the company’s culture and values as it has scaled.

Also in this episode, Pat Soldano, president of Family Enterprise USA and a contributing author to Family Business Magazine, makes a compelling case for why family business owners must advocate for themselves with lawmakers.

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Episode 33: A 'Day-One Mindset' at 108 Years | Building an Emotionally Safe Workplace | Values Before Valuations

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:51:14 GMT

In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Powell, fourth-generation CEO of safety and security service provider Century Companies. Matthew talks about what stewardship means to him, navigating succession at every level and why, even after more than century in business, leadership still requires a day-one mindset. Check out Matthew's newsletter, Steward's Journal, on his website. This episode also features part 2 of our conversation with Dana Gruber, third-generation president of Actco Tool & Manufacturing Company, who discusses leading the manufacturing business with empathy, building an emotionally safe workplace and balancing innovation with a deeply rooted family legacy. We also chat with Brad Bestgen of Bestgen Wealth Management, who shares what he’s learned from advising families through ownership transitions — and from living through one himself.

Support for this episode comes from Bestgen Wealth Management, a second-generation, family-owned and -operated boutique wealth management firm. Visit bestgenwealthmanagement.com to schedule your complimentary initial consultation. Bestgen Wealth Management: let our family advise your family.

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Episode 32: Siblings Stewarding a 133-Year-Old Legacy | Growing Into the Role You Were Meant For | Making Values Real, Not Ritual

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 14:15:32 GMT

In this episode of the “Family Business/Business Family” podcast, Jeannie Cullen Schultz and George Cullen, siblings and fifth-generation co-presidents of 133-year-old construction firm JP Cullen, reflect on their distinct paths into the business and how a thoughtful succession process equipped them to lead together while honoring the company’s legacy and keeping family dynamics out of the boardroom. Also, Dana Gruber, third-generation president of Actco Tool & Manufacturing Company, explains how stepping away — and ultimately returning with renewed clarity — reshaped her leadership approach and her understanding of resilience, generational expectations and purpose. And Family Business Magazine Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe discusses “Living Your Values,” his new book co-authored with Cynthia Scott and published through Family Business Press.

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Episode 31: Finding Your Family’s Governance Fit | Leaning Into Legacy Building | Choosing Purpose Over Fear

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:35:59 GMT

In this episode, we sit down with Corinne Burton, G2 president of Teacher Created Materials, who shares how her family built a global company rooted in a love of learning, balancing innovation with tradition through a flexible and age-inclusive governance model. We also chat with Transformational Women in Family Business 2025 honoree Karen Alko, fourth-generation steward of ABC Recycling, who reflects on her path through the business, her leadership in governance and how formalizing philanthropy and NextGen engagement has helped preserve her family’s legacy. And, in part 2 of our interview, Michael Kaplan, whose family founded Lane Bryant, discusses why choosing purpose over fear is essential to long-term continuity — and how clarity around mission and values guides the companies he builds, the partners he selects and the leaders he empowers.

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Episode 30: Turning Loss Into Leadership | Polishing a Founder’s Vision | Clarity and Co-Leadership

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:34:07 GMT

In this episode, Jessica Johnson-Cope, CEO of Johnson Security Bureau, shares how she turned tragedy into purpose, guiding and growing her family's business beyond its 50-year milestone. Ryan Berg, co-president of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, reflects on working alongside his brothers to turn their father’s single Louisiana store into a multi-state luxury brand while keeping people and purpose at the center. And, in part 2 of our conversation, cousins Judd and Alex Loewenstein, fifth-generation co-leaders of Loewy Foods, discuss sharing the helm of a 130-year-old company.

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Episode 29: 3 Generations of Jazzercise | Lessons from Lane Bryant | Life After the Family Business

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:30:00 GMT

In this episode, Judi Sheppard Missett, founder and executive chair of Jazzercise, talks creating a family enterprise built on movement, joy and connection. Also, Michael Kaplan, whose family founded Lane Bryant, recounts how his great-grandmother revolutionized maternity wear in the 1890s, how his father’s attempt to buy back the business ended in disappointment and how those experiences shaped his own path as an entrepreneur and investor. And, in part 2 of our conversation with Jon Vaughan, former president of Brand Vaughan Lumber Company, he discusses what life looks like after the sale of a third-generation family business.

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Episode 28: Cousin Co-Leaders Carve Their Niche | Lessons in Letting Go | Traversing Tariffs

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:00:00 GMT

In this episode, cousins Judd and Alex Loewenstein of Loewy Foods share how they’re ushering their fifth-generation company into a new era — blending gratitude, modernization and the enduring spirit of Thanksgiving to honor their family’s humble poultry-shop roots. Also, Michael Horn, former fourth-generation president and CEO of A.C. Horn Manufacturing, reflects on taking over his family’s struggling machinery business, leading its turnaround, and ultimately making peace with the decision to sell. And Pat Soldano, president of Family Enterprise USA, explains how tariffs, policy uncertainty and global trade shifts are reshaping the landscape for family-owned companies — and why advocacy on Capitol Hill matters more than ever.

Michael Horn will also be joining us as a panelist at the Transitions Fall 2025 conference, November 5-7 at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa in San Diego. Learn more about the conference and register here.

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Episode 27: When Stewardship Means Selling | You’re Not So Unique | The Attributes of Prosperous Families

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:54:31 GMT

In this episode, Jon Vaughan, former president of Brand Vaughan Lumber Company, reflects on the emotional process of leading his third-generation family business through crisis, growth and, ultimately, sale. This episode also features part 2 of our interview with Deborah Jacob, owner and chairman emeritus of fifth-generation MJS Packaging, who discusses the importance of learning from other family enterprises. And Raffi Amit, the Marie and Joseph Melone Professor and a Professor of Management at the Wharton School, explains how prosperous families succeed through shared values, governance and a culture of entrepreneurship.

Support for this episode comes from Wharton Executive Education. Through world-class faculty and real-world application, Wharton’s Wealth Management and Family Office Programs offer participants a deep dive into the sophisticated financial concepts paramount to family office management. Learn more at whartonfamilywealth.com.

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Episode 26: Fostering ‘Followership' at Gore | Finding a Voice in the Family Business | Deciding Who Decides

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 17:44:29 GMT

In this episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, Bret Snyder, CEO of W.L. Gore & Associates, a global materials science company best known for its GORE-TEX products, talks building credibility within the business, balancing legacy with innovation and preparing the next generation of his 80-plus-member family to steward the enterprise. Also in this episode, Deborah Jacob, owner and chairman emeritus of fifth-generation MJS Packaging, recounts her journey from reluctant recruit to family business leader, the mentors who helped her gain footing and the stark contrasts between public companies and family-owned enterprises. And Family Business Magazine Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe explains why families must establish clear structures for decision-making, how to avoid the dangers of conflict avoidance and practical ways to create governance that balances fairness with effectiveness.

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Episode 25: Edible Brands’ Evolution | Stewarding the United Soccer League | Five Family Office Pillars

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:54:35 GMT

In this episode, we sit down with Somia Farid Silber, second-generation CEO of Edible Brands, who shares how she’s reimagining the iconic gifting brand for a new generation while staying rooted in the founding values her father built the company on. We also hear from Justin Papadakis, Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer of the United Soccer League, who offers a behind-the-scenes look at growing the business of American soccer and the values that guide his family’s leadership. Finally, Scott Saslow, founder of single-family office ONE WORLD Investments, shares five pillars for building a sustainable family office.

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Episode 24: Tradition Meets Transition | Purpose Over Payouts | Redefining Roles on the Ranch

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:38:29 GMT

This episode features a conversation with Laird Norton CEO Brian McGuigan, who reflects on stepping into a family legacy as an outsider, offering strategies for leading with continuity, clarity, and respect for tradition. In addition, we chat with David Weekley, founder of now-second-generation David Weekley Homes. He outlines his mission-driven ownership model — splitting equity among family, employees, and a charitable trust — to foster shared purpose and reduce the pitfalls of inherited wealth. This episode also features part 2 of our conversation with Jason Diestel, Heidi Diestel Orrock and Jared Orrock, fourth-generation leaders of Diestel Family Ranch. They share how they lean on adaptability, not hierarchy, to lead through crisis and generational change.

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Episode 23: Talking Turkey With 4th-Gen Farmers | Be Your Own Activist Shareholder | The ‘Lifetime Landlord’ Legacy

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 11:00:00 GMT

In the latest episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, the fourth-generation leaders of Diestel Family Ranch — Jason Diestel, Heidi Diestel Orrock and Jared Orrock — discuss navigating family dynamics in their turkey farming business. Also, corporate C-suite veteran Tony Brausen rejoins the podcasts to explain why private boards should take it upon themselves to examine their organizations the way an activist shareholder would. And our conversation continues with BLT Enterprises’ second-generation sibling leaders Nikolette Huberman Jacob and Lukas Huberman, who discuss how their family business takes the long view.

Support for this episode comes from Wharton Executive Education. Through world-class faculty and real-world application, Wharton’s Investment Programs help leaders navigate capital strategy, valuation, and investor dynamics with precision. In an environment where the margin for error is low, Wharton equips leaders with the tools to make sharper decisions and smarter capital moves. Learn more at whartoninvestmentprograms.com.

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Episode 22: Siblings Steering the Future | How Stewardship Fuels Growth | Built on Family Values

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 19:03:42 GMT

In this episode, we’re joined by Nikolette Huberman Jacob and her brother Lukas Huberman, second-generation leaders of BLT Enterprises, a Southern California business that began with a single trash truck and blossomed into a real estate firm with tenants like Amazon, FedEx, Frito-Lay and PepsiCo. We also sit down with Kyle York, tech entrepreneur and co-founder of York IE, to discuss how his family’s legacy in athletic footwear inspired a broader family enterprise. In addition, this episode includes more of our interview with Craig Stevenson, Emily Griffin and Bryce Lundberg of Lundberg Family Farms, a fourth-generation organic rice company in Northern California.

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Episode 21: How to Know It’s Time for a Non-Family CEO | Preparing for Another 100 Years of Travel | Balancing a New Venture With a Legacy Business

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:00:47 GMT

This episode features part 1 of our interview with Bryce Lundberg, Emily Griffin and Craig Stevenson of Lundberg Family Farms. They discuss how family involvement has evolved and why hiring a non-family CEO was key to future growth. We also continue our conversation with Tauck CEO Jennifer Tombaugh and Chairman Dan Mahar as they look ahead to the travel company’s second century. Plus, Brian Birdy of PMI Birdy Properties in San Antonio shares more about how he’s balancing running his third-generation family enterprise with building a new potential legacy business: managing indoor pickleball courts.

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Episode 20: Tauck’s Leaders Talk Legacy and Longevity | Two 5th-Gen Family Businesses Team Up | Embracing Your Family’s Evolution

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 18:36:33 GMT

This episode features interviews with Tauck Chairman Dan Mahar and CEO Jennifer Tombaugh, who discuss their careers and the keys to Tauck’s 100 years of success as a family-owned business. Also, Family Business Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe talks embracing your family’s evolution and NIX Companies President & CEO Matthew Nix discusses its recent, uniquely structured acquisition of a fellow fifth-generation family business.

This episode is brought to you by Element Pointe, an independent multi-family office and wealth management firm dedicated to guiding individuals and their families through important financial, investment, lifestyle and interpersonal matters — in turn, helping clients build a secure future and enduring legacy.

Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.

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Episode 19: Where Succession Planning and Career Development Meet | Property Management and Pickleball | Finding Purpose After Selling the Business

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 14:12:15 GMT

In this episode, Tony Brausen, a veteran former executive and current board director for several major companies (including 2025 Private Company Board of Year honoree Adolfson & Peterson Construction), discusses how family businesses can marry career development and succession planning — and how the board can help. This episode also features an interview with Brian Birdy, leader of third-generation PMI Birdy Properties in San Antonio, Texas, who discusses balancing his family business with his new gig as the southern regional developer of indoor pickleball court franchise Dill Dinkers. This episode also features more of our conversation with previous guests Olivia and Brad Mountz, who recently sold their family business, torque tool manufacturer Mountz Inc., to Snap-On but stayed on as executives at the company.

Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.

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Episode 18: Rebranding the Family Business | A NextGen in a New Industry | Discussing Wealth’s Impact

Tue, 27 May 2025 12:49:10 GMT

In this episode, brothers Tom Cingari Jr. and John Cingari of Cingari Family Markets talk about the fourth generation’s efforts to spearhead a major rebranding of the 82-year-old family business that is aimed at reaching the modern customer while honoring their family’s legacy.

This episode also features part 2 of our conversation with Brandi Harleaux, second-generation CEO of South Post Oak Recycling Center. In part 1, she described her journey from L.A.-based Disney executive to leader of her family’s Houston-based recycling business. In part 2, she discusses what it was like to be a NextGen entering an unfamiliar industry and the support system she leaned on as she grew into her new career in the family business.

And Family Business Magazine Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe rejoins the podcast to discuss his latest column on how advisors can help families maximize the positive impact of their wealth on the world.

Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.

Don’t miss an episode! Follow Family Business/Business Family on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Episode 17: Welcoming a Non-Family Leader After 80 Years | Adding Value to the Family Business | A Report From Capitol Hill

Tue, 13 May 2025 14:33:46 GMT

In this episode, we sit down with John Darby and Dan Doyle of the Beach Company, a Charleston, S.C.-based residential and commercial real estate company celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. Along with that milestone, the company has announced a leadership change: Dan Doyle is taking over the role of president from John Darby, who held the position for 33 years. Doyle is the first non-family leader of the business. In this interview they discuss that transitions process, as well as the history and future of the business.

We also chat with Pat Soldano, the president of Family Enterprise USA and the Policy Taxation Group, about the results of FEUSA’s annual survey of family businesses, as well as the tax issues that are top of mind for many family business owners.

And Jo LaBorde, corporate concierge at Wekiva Island, an environmentally friendly recreation destination in Longwood, Fla., discusses the skill set she brought to add value to the business her brother founded.

Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.

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Episode 16: Asking for Forgiveness Rather Than Permission | Restarting the Family Business as a G2 | Why Self-Care Is Good for Business

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 13:20:27 GMT

In this episode, we talk with Matthew Nix, president & CEO of 5th-generation NIX Companies, which started as a blacksmith shop in Indiana in the late 1800s and has since grown into a family holding company focused on service oriented businesses, real-estate, and other supporting services. Much of that expansion has taken place within the past two decades, under the guidance of the current generation. In this interview, Matthew talks about how that incredible growth was achieved and offers some advice on how NextGens can make their mark. He also discusses his company’s recent acquisition of another 5th-generation family business, taking an innovative approach to combining two storied legacies. To dive deeper into NIX Companies’ incredible story, check out the book, “Forging Ahead: How Five Generations of Small-Town Values Collided with Big Ambitions to Spark One of America's Fastest-Growing Companies."

We also chat with Randy Carr, president & CEO of South Florida-based World Emblem, the world’s largest producer of emblems and patches for sports headwear, footwear, garments and other apparel. Randy talks about being a second-generation leader who had to think like a founder when he and his brother took over their father’s fledgling business in 1990. He also discusses the challenges and rewards of bringing the third generation into the business.

And Dr. Michael Silverberg, a Board-certified concierge psychiatrist who specializes in advising executives, managers and family business stakeholders, as well as the treatment of individuals. He talks about the importance of boundaries and self-care for family business owners.

Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.

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Episode 15: Grief and Giving Back in a Family Business | Staying On After Selling the Company | Finding the Right Family Office

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 14:15:30 GMT

In the latest episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, we sit down with Marshall Klein, president of 100-year-old Klein’s Family Markets, based in Maryland. He discusses the sudden death of his father in a 2019 auto accident, which necessitated Marshall immediately stepping into the president role and trying to keep the family business together while attempting to process his grief. He also talks about keeping his father’s legacy alive through the Klein family’s philanthropy.

Also in this episode, we chat with Olivia Reilly-Mountz and her father, Brad Mountz, about the recent sale of their family business, Mountz Inc., to Snap-On Incorporated. They explain what led to their decision to sell and what it’s been like to continue working as executives in a company they no longer own.

In addition, we talk with David Savir and Kris Martin of Element Pointe about the many different definitions of “family office” and how families can begin deciding which configuration is best for their needs.

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Episode 14: A Second Chance at Success | Preparing to Sell Your Family Business | The Importance of Staying Nimble

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:55:29 GMT

In this episode, we sit down with David Savir, co-founder and chief executive officer of Element Pointe Family Office, to discuss key considerations in preparing for a family business sale. David also discusses how families can remain engaged in legacy building after a liquidity event.

We also chat with Ron Attman, CEO of Maryland-based Acme Paper & Supply Company, which celebrates its 80th anniversary next year. He discusses the importance of staying nimble in the face of challenging market conditions, and why successful family businesses need to be about more than just the family owners.

And finally, we feature Part 2 of our conversation with Peter Blommer, former chairman & CEO of the Blommer Chocolate Company. In the last episode, Peter talks about how the family narrowly escaped a sale to massive multinational food corporation Cargill by making an appeal from one family-owned enterprise to another. In this episode, he explains how that experience spurred Blommer Chocolates and the Blommer family to shore up their governance and improve their communication with each other. He also talks about how the family ultimately came to the difficult but necessary decision to sell the business to Fuji Oil Holdings in 2018.

If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, you can find it, along with every other episode we’ve released, right here or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Episode 13: How a Family Business Bond Thwarted a Buyout | Running a Family Business the ‘Toyota Way’ | Giving Thanks for 100 Years

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 13:44:56 GMT

In this episode, Peter Blommer, former chairman & CEO of the Blommer Chocolate Company, discusses the origins of the business, as well as how he came to be involved in it. He also tells the amazing story of how the company narrowly avoided a takeover by a massive multinational food corporation by making an appeal from one family-owned enterprise to another.

We also chat with Andrew Koenig, second-generation CEO of CITY Furniture, about how he drew upon Toyota’s management philosophy and organizational structure to transform his family-owned furniture and mattress retailer.

And Glenda Bergey Leatherman, project manager at family-owned auto, truck and tire company Bergey’s, discusses how the business celebrated its 100th anniversary by giving thanks to its employees, customers and communities. And don't forget to check out our cover story on Bergey's for more on the business' history and future.

This episode is brought to you by Element Pointe, an independent multi-family office and wealth management firm dedicated to guiding individuals and their families through important financial, investment, lifestyle, and interpersonal matters—in turn, helping clients build a secure future and enduring legacy.

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Episode 12: Departing Disney for the Family Business | Inheriting an Island | Keeping Your Family Council Fresh

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 14:28:10 GMT

In the latest episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, Brandi Harleaux, second-generation CEO of South Post Oak Recycling Center in Houston, Texas, discusses her journey from Disney executive to CEO of her family’s recycling business — or, as she likes to say, “from pixie dust to real dust.”

We also sit down with Ashley Weinaug, director of marketing for Wekiva Island in Longwood, Florida. A few episodes back, we spoke with Ashley’s dad, Bill, the founder of Wekiva Island, about his decidedly laid-back attitude toward succession planning and preserving his legacy. In this interview, Ashley gives her perspective on one day succeeding her father in running the environmentally friendly island resort alongside her brother and several other family members.

In addition, Family Business Magazine Contributing Editor Dennis Jaffe joins the podcast to explain how family councils can prevent stagnation and embrace a cycle of renewal. For more on this topic, check out Dennis' latest column.

Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.

Don’t miss an episode! Follow Family Business/Business Family on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Episode 11: What Do Your Shareholders Really Think? | Keeping a Growing Family on the Same Page | Family Business Is a People Business

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:50:51 GMT

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.

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Episode 10: A Sustainable Legacy | How Forgiveness Can Heal a Family | Culture’s Impact on Longevity

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 16:45:43 GMT

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.

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Episode 9: Driving Inclusivity (and Go-Karts) | Making Culture More Than Mere Marketing | A Family Council’s Purpose

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:55:12 GMT

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.

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Episode 8: Preserving Legacies While Pushing Boundaries | Learning How to Lead | Creating Trusts Without Destroying Trust

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 15:35:38 GMT

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.

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Episode 7: Firing Your Grandfather | The Healing Power of Lunch | The Middle Ground Between Humility and Hubris

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:59:01 GMT

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.

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Episode 6: Balancing Career and Governance | Forming a Family Constitution | Building Confidence and Credibility

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:50:05 GMT

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.

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Episode 5: Preparing Future Leaders | Fostering NextGen Innovation | Understanding the Generation Gap

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:59:52 GMT

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.

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Episode 4: Inside Lodge Cast Iron’s Family Council | Single Family Offices Scale Up | What Family Offices Offer Families

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 21:05:18 GMT

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.

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Episode 3: Coexisting as Co-owners and Competitors | An Unexpected Family Business | Embracing the Role of Elder

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 01:28:00 GMT

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.

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Episode 2: Lessons From a Life-Changing Crisis | The Path to Entrepreneurship | A Board-Building Cautionary Tale

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 20:46:23 GMT

In this episode of Family Business/Business Family, speaker, author and entrepreneur Octavian Pilati discusses the crisis that cost his family their business and their harmony. He describes the lessons he took from the experience and is now trying to pass along to other family business owners.

Also, Linda Fonner, CFO of family-owned and -operated Edmund Optics, director of HashWatt Inc. and member of the advisory board of TrainedArrow, discusses the do's and definite don'ts of building a board.

And Jamie Shah, president of her family's business, Chem-Impex, and a Polsky Center entrepreneur in residence at the University of Chicago, explains how family businesses can provide a unique pathway to entrepreneurship.

This episode is brought to you by Deloitte Private: serving family-owned companies, family offices, and privately-held businesses, and advising them on addressing a range of issues, from growth, talent and succession to the potential and perils of AI.

Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.

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Episode 1: Buying Out Your Brothers | Can Co-Leadership Work? | Unfinished Plans

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 22:47:13 GMT

In our inaugural episode of Family Business/Business Family, we sit down with Karla Trotman, president and chief executive officer of Electro Soft Inc., the nation's largest Black-owned electronics manufacturing and engineering firm. We discuss how she and her family handled her tricky transition to the top spot, which included the difficult decision to buy out her siblings. We also talk about her new book, “Dark, Dirty, Dangerous: Building the Vibrant Future of Manufacturing.”

Also, Katie Rucker and Jenny Dinnen, second-generation co-presidents of MacKenzie Corporation, drop by to answer an age-old family business question: Can co-leadership actually work?

And Dennis Jaffe, author of the book, “Borrowed From Your Grandchildren: Evolution of 100-Year Family Enterprises” and our newest Family Business Magazine columnist, tells us about a troubling trend he’s noticed recently: families failing to follow through on their estate and succession plans.

Interested in being a guest or have a topic you'd like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.

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