Interview with Christina Wing, founder of Wingspan Legacy Partners, faculty member at Harvard Business School, and business owner The art of communication is the glue that holds family businesses together, yet it’s often the toughest nut to crack. Why do families in business dance around the conversations that matter most? Conflict, relationships, illness – these topics are the bedrock of our family dynamics but are often shrouded in silence. This silence can ripple through generations, affecting everything from who holds the reins to how decisions are made. Enter the world of open dialo ..read more

Image courtesy of Shutterstock Women Leaders in Family Enterprises (WLife) recently released the results of its 2023 research survey, which focused on identifying the biases faced by female family business leaders due to their gender. The survey also examines the repercussions of bias and discrimination within the family business setting, and how they affect perceptions regarding women’s competency, professional performance, and career progression. Produced in collaboration with Business Consulting Resources, University of San Francisco/Gellert Family Business Center, and Loyola Marymount Univ ..read more

In celebration of International Women’s Day, it’s time to shine a spotlight on the collective wisdom and insights of women in the sphere of family enterprises. To honour the occasion, we’ve curated a list of 14 books that not only underscore the incredible strides women have made in the family business world but also address the crucial need for more resources and larger platforms to elevate their thought leadership and contributions. Each book serves as a testament to their impact and a resource to inspire further growth and recognition of women’s roles in shaping the legacy and future ..read more

This episode is brought to you by By Samira Zakour, Managing Director and Head of Private Banking Passion, vision, and leadership play critical roles in determining the success or failure of every family business. However, while passion and vision remain constant sources of inspiration across generations, leadership styles vary and yield diverse results. Often a product of their era, culture, and economic environment, successful business leaders also possess strong strategic compasses that enable them to balance current priorities with long-term objectives. In today’s business landscape, that ..read more

Image courtesy of Shutterstock By Laura Hearn, Director of Marketing and Communications, Veritage International   Communicating your authentic self is essential to experiencing a fulfilling and meaningful life, as well as addressing universal human needs. However, many of us use counterproductive strategies in the pursuit of love, connection, and certainty about our futures. Everyone wants to feel a sense of inclusion and to meet the expectations of their peers or colleagues. When fear convinces us there’s more to lose by revealing our authentic self, it becomes easier, and even natu ..read more

Image courtesy of Shutterstock By Marina Vaughan Spitzy, founder of legacy planning firm, Tecolote Advisory, and fifth-generation family business leader In the dynamic world of family business and wealth ownership, women often face challenges rooted in historical norms and enduring biases. Despite these hurdles, the experiences of 11 remarkable women offer a ray of hope. Ramia El Agamy, Meghan Juday and I had the pleasure of interviewing them for the Women in Power study, where the significance of mentors and peer networks became evident. Creating a Supportive Circle In the words of ..read more

By Marina Vaughan Spitzy, founder of legacy planning firm, Tecolote Advisory, and fifth-generation family business leader Events can catch us off guard, even if they are predictable or expected. A ‘grey rhino’ is a highly probable, high-impact occurrence ignored until it poses an immediate threat – even when the risk is evident and the event is foreseeable. This concept is comparable to succession in family enterprises, which represents a personal grey rhino for many families.[1] In the evolving business landscape, women are increasingly assuming leadership roles and inheriting signi ..read more

Interview with Meghan Juday, Chair of Ideal Industries Inc., governance advisor, and founder of the Lodis Forum, and Marina Vaughan Spitzy, founder of legacy planning firm, Tecolote Advisory, and fifth-generation family business leader Whether gender bias exists within the world’s family enterprises has been unequivocally answered. Yet, despite the gender barriers they face – or possibly because of them – women are amplifying their voices and advocating for themselves within their family enterprises and the male-dominated boardrooms of businesses globally. Many women are actively de ..read more

Interview with Eva Fischer Hansen, Family Business Adviser and Founder of Balance2Perform     The reasons families choose to sell their businesses vary, but the subsequent, often distressing, process of moving on and navigating the unknown is an experience every former family business owner will inevitability face. For Eva Fischer Hansen, the strain of selling her family’s firm was so great that it left her incapacitated and in debilitating pain. Eva hadn’t originally intended to join Brunata, her family’s intelligent energy metering solutions enterprise, but she found herself stepp ..read more

This episode is brought to you by Interview with Haleema Al Owais, CEO of Sultan bin Ali Al Owais Real Estate In 2007, a phone call changed Haleema Al Owais’ life in an instant. The young mother of a toddler had just started a new position in her burgeoning television management career when she learned her father, Humaid bin Ali Al Owais, had unexpectedly passed away. Pressing through her shock and grief, Haleema resigned from her job and, along with her brother, Ali, took on her father’s role in the family’s investment business. Their swift actions prevented the firm from being forced to op ..read more