MEDIA: Appearance on Moolala (Sirius XM)

Pleased to appear on Moolala (Sirius XM radio), joining host Bruce Sellery to talk about my new book, Defusing the Family Business Time Bomb.  You can listen to our chat here.

This discussion is a great reminder that what’s good for companies in general is also good for family businesses!  Too often, family businesses tend to have the view that catering to what’s best or most convenient for the family is an acceptable priority (and sometimes, the main priority!).  In our highly competitive, rapidly evolving, technology fueled world, this approach can be particularly dangerous.  Consider the following realities:

  • Consumers favour flexibility and convenience, in terms of how they procure goods and services.  With a world of options at their fingertips, consumers have never had more choices, and companies that do not perform well or fail to meet expectations are quickly replaced by more savvy competitors.  Getting a customer back once they have been lost is difficult, if not impossible, in many cases.
  • An abundance of things that used to be done “manually” are now driven by technology, think shopping, logistics, communications, manufacturing, and even depositing a cheque.  Companies who have not kept up with the technologies that impact their industry or have failed to invest in these areas are unlikely to have a future (they barely have a “present”).  Family business leaders who consider succession to be as simple as handing over the keys to the next generation need to think again.
  • A well managed company leads to good outcomes, including financial performance, customer loyalty, and longterm employees; these are some of the building blocks of establishing a brand.  When a company is guided by what is most convenient for itself, shuns the systems and processes that generate good performance, and fails to seek advice to bring valuable perspective and expertise, it is not in a position to establish a brand presence that represents meaningful value to a potential successor or acquirer down the road.

Think about what this means.  When family businesses fail to operate in a manner that is based on fundamental business practices and the needs of the marketplace, they put the future of everyone involved at risk; this reality has never been more true.  Business leaders must take action, now, to ensure viability over the longterm, to the benefit of the company and the family (and those in the Baby Boomer generation, who have led companies for a while and are now facing retirement are a particularly important group, when it comes to succession considerations).

Get started by reading Defusing the Family Business Time Bomb, helping business leaders face the most explosive challenge in a generation.  Your business and your family’s wealth generation should have a future, right?

MEDIA: Appearance on SET for Success (680 CJOB Radio)

Pleased to have appeared on SET for Success on 680 CJOB with Richard Lannon discussing my new book, Defusing the Family Business Time BombSince many business leaders expect that their company will be sold at some point in time, often to fund their retirement, it is critical to understand the many challenges that could stand in the way of this goal, some of which might be surprising.  Business leaders tend to not fully appreciate potential problem areas, failing to realize just how high the likelihood is that their company will be impacted, putting their future plans at significant risk in the process.  Some hold the view that they “have it all figured out” or “don’t need to address those issues”, bringing a false sense of security and trouble at the worst possible time.  These scenarios are, unfortunately, all too familiar in the case of family business.

While it is typical for many family businesses to experience the “aches and pains” that are associated with members of a company having longstanding, personal relationships with one another (think conflict, role uncertainty, and the strife that comes with life developments such as divorce, illness, and death), there are other challenges that are just as important.  The world in which we live includes a number of external factors that make these days like no other, including:

  • Demographic factors: aging Baby Boomer business owners have a limited number of potential successors.  Do they know it?
  • Disruption of key industries: new and complex business models and rapid digital/technological advancement could reduce expected valuations and make transition to new owners either irrelevant or much more costly.  Is the company of relevance to customers, now and in the future?
  • Dramatic change in the global economy: making strategic planning difficult, increasing competition, and escalating the cost of doing business, thereby shrinking profit margins.  Can the company compete on a profitable basis?
  • Uncertain tax rules: new and complex tax changes, restrictions to family income sprinkling, and a clawback of the small business deduction all impact profitability, investment opportunities, and access to capital. This challenge could be especially difficult for young entrepreneurs or successors who want to scale up the business for the future.  Is the company getting the right advice?

Take a moment and think about each of these significant developments.  Any of these areas is a lot to deal with on its own, but when combined, these factors have the potential to stop a company in its tracks, making succession or sale of the business unattainable.  Consider what the impact of this discovery could mean to a business leader, their retirement, the future of the company, and the family.

This book helps business leaders to understand the areas that need to be addressed, now, including practical guidelines for facilitating important conversations with key advisors.  Doing so not only helps to improve how a company operates today, but can also address the issues of tomorrow, including succession, sale of business, strategic partnerships, and seeking investment capital.  These areas are also of key relevance to entrepreneurs and potential successors, who face unique challenges of their own.

You can listen to our conversation hereContact us to learn more about how we can help; your company, family, and peace of mind will be better for it.