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16. Episode 16: Asking for Forgiveness Rather Than Permission | Restarting the Family Business as a G2 | Why Self-Care Is Good for Business
45:04||Ep. 16In 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.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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15. Episode 15: Grief and Giving Back in a Family Business | Staying On After Selling the Company | Finding the Right Family Office
48:12||Ep. 15In 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.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.14. Episode 14: A Second Chance at Success | Preparing to Sell Your Family Business | The Importance of Staying Nimble
48:16||Ep. 14In 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.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.13. Episode 13: How a Family Business Bond Thwarted a Buyout | Running a Family Business the ‘Toyota Way’ | Giving Thanks for 100 Years
40:46||Ep. 13In 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.12. Episode 12: Departing Disney for the Family Business | Inheriting an Island | Keeping Your Family Council Fresh
35:34||Ep. 12In 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.11. Episode 11: What Do Your Shareholders Really Think? | Keeping a Growing Family on the Same Page | Family Business Is a People Business
32:53||Ep. 11In 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.10. Episode 10: A Sustainable Legacy | How Forgiveness Can Heal a Family | Culture’s Impact on Longevity
34:20||Ep. 10In 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.