Recent Blog Posts
- Don’t Worry - You’re Just Like Family: Compensation for Non-Family Executives: Non-family executives may do everything and more than the best of family members, but often, they ca...
- The Company We Keep: At a recent DC Family Business Alliance event, facilitator and “Professional Outsider” David Belden ...
- Crane & Company – This “Stationery” Family Keeps Moving in the Paper Business: Imagine making it to the third or fourth generation, a time when the founder would most certainly ha...
- That's a Shareholder Problem!: Family business owners, managers and professional advisors must always be mindful of the unique natu...
- “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?”: Brothers in Family Business: The relationship between brothers who are business partners is exceptionally complex and -- potentia...
Fierce Conversations in Your Family Business
One of the most important things a business family can do is prepare themselves for the conversations they don’t want to have. Continue reading
Posted in DCFBA Blog, Relationships
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Focusing on the Mission: Lessons Learned from One Family’s Charitable Endeavors
I have seen it many times that a family business loses its real focus and it is at that point that the business may start to flounder. Continue reading
Facing Common Ownership Challenges: Insights and Strategies from Walker & Dunlop’s Family Leadership
On Thursday, September 22, Mallory and Willy Walker of Walker & Dunlop addressed a group of members, partners and other invitees of the Greater Washington DC Family Business Alliance on the topic of family ownership and transition, and how it has affected their family business. Continue reading
Posted in DCFBA Blog
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It’s YOUR Name on the Door: Keeping the Family Name Clean
In business, including family businesses, there are some definitions of ethics that are more universal. Continue reading
Posted in DCFBA Blog, General Business Practices, Marketing
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Family Business Axioms That Need to Get the Ax
In the world of family business, it seems that some “generally accepted” axioms are out of date, yet still frequently quoted. Here are four family business axioms that may need to be put out to pasture. Continue reading
Posted in DCFBA Blog
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Goverment Contracting Opportunities for Women-Owned Businesses
Family owned business with women owners ready to take management control can position themselves well for increased opportunities to do business with the government. As such businesses are thinking of succession planning, they should keep this in mind if the next generation of leaders includes women. Continue reading
Posted in DCFBA Blog
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Investment Strategies for Family Businesses: Developing a Strategic Portfolio
Posting by W. Dean Smith, Senior Vice President, Capital Group Private Client Services
Successfully managing an investment portfolio is a daunting, yet essential, task for any family business. Recent economic fluctuations have made these types of financial decisions…
Posted in DCFBA Blog
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Why Family Businesses Need Business Meetings, Part 2: Different Types Of Meetings
One of the complexities of a family business is that issues around business management, family members, and company ownership are intertwined. They all need to be addressed, just not at the same time with the same people. Creating a schedule of regular meetings for each category ensures that nothing, and no one, is left out. Continue reading
Posted in DCFBA Blog, Management
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Compensation at the Heart of Many Family Business Questions
When asked about their top concern, compensation in family companies tends to rank right up there with succession planning. It’s a tangible symbol of the family enterprise’s multifaceted relationship with family members and others it employs. Continue reading
You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling: Getting that First Generation Family Business Enthusiasm to the Second and Third Generations
Only approximately 30% of family businesses survive to the 2nd generation and, of those, only around 10% survive to the 3rd. And in many cases that first generation may still be involved, accounting for much of the forward traction. Are there patterns or clues as to why the passing of the business is not successful?
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Posted in DCFBA Blog, Succession/Estate Planning
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