“In every conceivable manner, the family is a link to our past and a bridge to our future.” ~ Alex Haley In many families, there’s a tradition that happens year after year. Someone makes the same dish, everyone gathers around the table, and the family comes together as it has for years. To the youngest generation, it may feel like
There’s a Japanese art called kintsugi, in which broken pottery is repaired with gold. The cracks aren’t hidden; they become part of the piece’s story, making the repair visible rather than erasing what happened. Alexander Saunders, Practice Director at Dialogos, introduced this idea when he joined us for Episode 65 of the Legacy Builders Podcast. He wasn’t talking about pottery
One of the more fascinating aspects of family life is how easily familiar roles reappear. We leave home, build careers, raise families, and take on significant responsibilities. Experience changes us in countless ways. Then we return home for a holiday, a family gathering, or a weekend together, and within moments something feels familiar. Conversations unfold in ways we’ve experienced before.
“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” ~ Peter Drucker There is a pattern I’ve come to recognize in many family enterprise conversations. The agenda is clear: succession, ownership, leadership, or compensation. Everyone arrives with clear intentions, ready to resolve a practical issue. Then the conversation shifts. A discussion about dividends becomes one about fairness. A
Most family enterprises receive strong support. They have experienced accountants, lawyers, M&A advisors, and wealth advisors. The difference is rarely the quality of the individual advisors. More often, it is how well they work together. During a significant business transition, decisions in one area inevitably affect another. The strongest outcomes come not from isolated expertise, but from advisors who share
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” ~ Peter Drucker In family enterprises, the most important exit decisions are often made long before anyone begins talking about an exit. Ownership structures, governance, leadership, and strategic choices quietly shape the future years before a transaction enters the conversation. For advisors working with business owners, the moment the
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