Conflict, divorce, illness or a premature death of a key member in your family business are major potential threats to your business as well as fragile family relationships.   A proactive business leader can help avoid catastrophic situations by separating the life-cycle of the business leader from the life-cycle of the business. This is a key element -- recognizing that the business is a distinct and separate entity that is (hopefully) not fully reliant on the leader.

You own a family business, or you’re part of a family business.  Maybe you’re the founder or one of the presumed successors.  Wanting the family business to grow and prosper, and hopefully thrive into future generations, are natural wishes and dreams.  Reality and history show us that not many family companies survive for generations…both from a pure business perspective and because families don’t always maintain unity and support.  Long-term success with family-owned businesses is rare and is generally the reward for those business leaders that understand the odds are stacked against them and take proactive measures to help ensure long-term sustainability.

The last few weeks have been lessons from the field.

• Get Out of Your Comfort Zone 
• Small Equals Big

This final installment continues with some general pearls of wisdom, themes and lessons we’ve observed from many forward-thinking, successful family farm businesses.

The top performers in most every agricultural business sector generally Walk The Talk.  Whereas low performers tend to just talk the talk…as in...Big Hat, No Cattle.  

Another article in The Traverse City Record-Eagle about our new Michigan Winery Benchmark Program.

Thank you for the coverage.

There was a nicely written article in Wines and Vines Magazine about our new Michigan Winery Benchmark Program.

Thanks Linda Jones McKee!