The Business of Family

When is the right time to enter a family business? How do you navigate working with siblings? Join me as I chat with Charlie Smith, Operations Manager of the Kool Group (Joe Kools, Tobbagan Brewery, Fellini Koolini and Runt Club), where we deep dive into the rich tapestry of this London Ontario family business that has been serving delicious meals and creating cherished memories for over 40 years....

what would it look like to have a system driving the value of your small to medium business?  EOS- what is it?  Join me as I chat with Jeff Jans, Professional EOS Implementer, about all things EOS and the value of bringing vision, traction, and health to your business to meet and exceed your goals.  Thank you to Hilary Mackie, of BlueRoots for this episode's outro.

Did you know in Canada over 97% of farms are family-owned? That is over 190,000 farms! Join me as I chat with Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of the Grain Growers of Canada and Andre Harpe, former Chair of the Grain Growers of Canada, to explore strategies for the farming industry to overcome the unpredictable changing landscape to keep family farms in the family. Thank you to Jeff Jans of EOS  Wo...

With the start of 2025, how do you begin on a new path for your business? Do you declare a New Year's resolution or do you set new goals? Join me as I chat with AnnMarie Flinn, Founder of Champion Change Agency, about getting back to values to create a business mission for 2025 and how to motivate your leadership team for a positive mindset.  Don't miss these tips for unlocking potential in leader...

AH. Those pesky New Year's resolutions. It's a love-hate relationship many have with New Year's resolutions, highlighted by staggering statistics showing that only 9% of people succeed in keeping them. Instead of vague resolutions, join Tammy Buss as she explores setting SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely—to ensure accountability and a clear path to success. As we...

The holidays can be tricky when family and business mix. Join us as we share tips for keeping the festive spirit alive while setting healthy boundaries!  In this short episode, we’ll cover: Business Talk Off-Limits:  Designate times and places where work discussions are off the table. Creating Business Zones:  Set specific areas for business talks to keep family time free from work. Scheduled Bus...

What is the Family Enterprise Canada? What do they do? How do they support family businesses in Canada? How do you join? Join me as I chat with Steve Beauchesne, CEO of FEC,  where we deep dive into the benefits of family businesses joining the FEC and the programming you can get involved in for support. Thank you to Laurie Lashbrook of Ivey Business School, for this episode's outro.

What happens when you're an entrepreneur but break away from the family business? How? What's next?  Join me as I chat with Nathan Yeung, of Find Your Audience, about how he grew outside of his family business to channel his talents into growing his own organization.  Thank you to Nicole Novick of BlueRoots Inc for this episode's outro.

What are subject matter experts? We can't know everything about everything- especially when a business grows and evolves over time. How do you identify when it is time to bring in an expert to get a project off the ground to success. Join me as I chat with Barbara Kephart of Projects Pivot about the importance Family Businesses identifying when a project needs help with implementation from a Proje...

What could happen if every female was empowered by looking and feeling their best? How does it start? How can one idea evolve and grow into a successful family business?  Join me as I explore the evolution success of Hangar9 with Jo-Ann Fisher & Emily Ferguson. Where did they start? Where are they now? Where are they going? Imagine a legacy of empowering females- what an accomplishment! ...

Have you ever felt alone in the unique challenges you face as a family business? Have you ever wondered if there is some kind of resource for family businesses? a way to connect with other family businesses going through the same pains as you?  Join me as I chat with Angie Jones, Director at the University of Toledo Business Center about the programming, community and resources available to Fam...

Why are family conversations about the business so important?  Can your children run the family business together? Join me as I chat with Bryan White, Co-President of Ardent Industries Ltd, where we explore his family business story and discuss what running a business is like as Co-President with his brother. Thank you to Lori Collins of Buss Financial Group for this episode's outro.

Surrounding yourself with an advisory team is crucial for family business owners and their success.  By building a diverse group of experts, business owners can navigate challenges more effectively and capitalize on opportunities.  Join me as I chat with Chris Delaney, author of the Naked Opus, exploring the essential steps to create a powerhouse advisory team that supports your family busines...

How do family businesses thrive and grow? How do they beat the odds that 1 in 3 family businesses won't make it to the 3rd generation? Join me as I chat with Matt Nielsen, a third-generation shareholder, director and executive for Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Inc., Managing Director of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas International BV and Managing Director of Nielsen Real Estate BV. Listen as we dive into the c...

What generation is the largest in today's workforce? How is the changing the way companies need to address their employees? Join me as I chat with Melody Gratic of Xcelmil about the different generations in the workforce, and how companies can attract, recruit and retain Millennials and Gen Z as the Boomer generation retire. Thank you to Barbara Kephart of of Projects Pivot for this episode's outr...

You've built a business, but is it a family business? Is it a business you want to bring your family into?  Join me as I chat with Shawn Bellefeuille of Retirement by Design & Buss Financial Group about the difficulties faced when bringing family into the business and how to overcome them.  If you would like to reach Shawn, you can email him at shawn.bellefeuille@dfsin.ca   Thank you to...

Company culture- we've all heard this term used before, but have you ever considered why it is so important?  Join me as I chat with Steve Utech of Illumyx, a people analytics and culture consultancy, about the importance of learning how people work to create a company culture that will achieve your organization's purpose.  Thank you to Martha McDonald of National Bank for this episode's outr...

 How important is it to have a clear and written down plan and to have conversations with your family before your passing? Join me and Chris Delaney as we dive into part 2 of a case study on the Libfield $4-billion dollar family feud. Could Teodor have prevented his sons from ending up in court?  If you missed part 1, you can find it on The Business of Family 2 weeks ago!  Thank you to Tyle...

Why is it so important that women focus on empowering each other in the business world?  How can women achieve this without feeling like they are in competition?  Join me as I chat with Barbara Kephart of Projects Pivot, while we chat about how we met and how we can continue to grow a community of empowered women.  Thank you to Chelsea McPhail of Buss Business Solutions for this episode&#3...

What happens if you choose not to plan for your business and family? What happens when you do not share or write down your wishes for your family?  Join me and Chris Delaney as we dive into part 1 of a case study on the Libfield $4-billion dollar family feud. Could Teodor have prevented his sons from ending up in court?  Let's break it down in this 2 part Case Study.  Thank you to Myra...

What is it like to grow up in a family business? Our hope at BlueRoots is to help Family Businesses plan years in advance for what the exit of Gen 1 will look like. What happens if that plan is not in place?  Join me as I chat with Trevor Lively, 2nd Generation Owner of Blue Jay Irrigation & Sprinkler as we explore what happens when you fail to plan and the struggles that need to be overco...

What is a family meeting?  Join me as I chat with Chris Delaney, author of the Naked Opus, about the importance of having regular family meetings and how to have successful ones that benefit your family and your business. To reach out to Chris or to purchase the Naked Opus, please visit his website www.familywealthpress.com  Thank you to Craig Linton of Norquay Developments for this episodes...

How do you survive working with your parents? your children?  Every generation in the workforce brings a new perspective and set of skills. Join me as I chat with Melody Gratic of Xcelmio, about the unique challenges multigenerational family businesses face and how you can leverage the next generations talents to grow your business.  Thank you to Amy White of Lastig (www.lastig.cc) for this e...

How do you separate the dinner table from the boardroom table?  How do you bring the next generation into the family business?  Join me as I chat with Lisa & Emily Ferguson from Hangar9 about their journey navigating the complexities of bringing the next generation into the family business, & how to differentiate family and business.  Thank you to Rhonda Bernardi of Nova Vita Hair S...

what is charitable giving? how does planning your charitable giving benefit you? Join me while I chat with Shawn Bellefeuille owner of Retirement by Design and Buss Financial Group, as we explore the impacts of giving while living and planning for your estate gifting. If you are looking to reach out to Shawn you can contact him at  shawn.bellefeuille@dfsin.ca Thank you to Michele Bolton from MY911...