The Family Business Podcast

As we continue our look at sustainability I am joined on the show by Maurizio Bragagni who is the CEO if Tratos. We discuss the strategy that Tratos have adopted over many years and highlight the fact that much of what is considered "sustainable" is in fact more achievable than perhaps first thought. Maurizio tells us how decisions made 30 or 40 years ago are still evident today and that a sustain...

On this weeks episode of the show we continue our look at sustainability and I speak to Catherine Grum of BDO about the role that diversification is playing in this. We look at what diversification is, what is driving the conversations that are being held about this and how to navigate the complexities that can arise when looking at diversifying. We discuss the role that diversification can play i...

On this weeks show I am joined by Dr. Bridget Kustin as we discuss The Ownership Project. The project explores $1bn family enterprises and collates what they are doing into a "Toolkit for Responsible Ownership". The study looks at seven narratives that we often hear about family businesses: Family Business as a force for good We have a long term orientation. We think in generations, not financial...

On this weeks show I am joined by Becky Valentine from Spenbeck. They are a small family owned business based in Nottingham. We discuss how they have used the UN's 17 Sustainability Development Goals or SDG's to embrace sustainability at the core of what they do as a business. Becky shares how they got started and the lessons they have learned along the way. Spenbeck’s building health consultancy...

On this episode of the show I am joined by Josie Morris MBE. Josie is the MD of Woolcool Ltd, a 2nd Generation family business and a Certified B-Corp business.  What is a B-Corporation? Certified B Corporations  are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community...

Continuing our series on Sustainability I am joined this week by Fiona Graham from the IFB. We discuss a really important consultation that the UK Government are undertaking on audit and governance reforms. You can read more about that here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/restoring-trust-in-audit-and-corporate-governance-proposals-on-reforms   If you would like to respond to the...

It can be quite intimidating to know how and where to start and so in this episode I speak with Andrew Bryson who is Head of Business Transformation at  FBN International . What is Sustainability? According to the UN’s own website, sustainability is defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”  In the show A...

If you are looking to grow your business and are considering ways in which to do that, it may be that private equity is a way to access both liquidity and support. In this episode of the show I am joined by Dominic Graham from Waterland Private Equity as we discuss the different types of private equity, tackle some of the pre-conceptions and look at the reasons why you might want to take a close l...

In this episode I explore the importance of having clarity as an individual as to what you want to achieve in life, clarity as a family as to why you own your business together and how these can be combined to influence the strategy of the business. Work With Russ If what I have spoken about in the show resonates and you want to discuss how I can help you and your family business drop me an email:...

In this episode I am joined by Jamie Yeunger and Piet Hurkmans from Storykeep, a private podcasting company. We discuss what private podcasting is and how it can be used as a tool for communicating within your family business, or as a way to help preserve your family history and protect your legacy. You can find out more about Storykeep on their website www.storykeep.com Work With Russ If what I h...

The past year or so has seen businesses facing unprecedented trading conditions and whilst some have thrived, others have not and are simply surviving. Some may be facing the difficult position of looking at the ongoing viability of their business. On this show I am joined by Gareth and Steph Buckley from The Insolvency Company. We look at when a business becomes insolvent and the steps you can ta...

One of the elements to the last year or so that we may look back on as a silver lining to the cloud that has been the global pandemic is that it has accelerated certain elements of how we run our businesses. One area this has been seen is in the digitisation of the family business. Whether that is in our processes, our documentation or simply in how we meet with others using technology in the abse...

Mental health awareness is vital at all times but as it is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK and Mental Health Awareness month in the US it seemed timely to have a discussion about mental health in the family business. Mental health issues is estimated to affect 1 in 4 of us and given the complicating factors that can exist within a family business it is something that we should all be aware...

When a family business is sold, there can be significant amounts of cash released and when these amounts reach certain levels, it may be appropriate for you to consider the establishment of a Family Office to manage your family wealth. There are options available to you regarding the type of family office you establish and we cover those in this episode. We also look at the timeframes you should b...

Many of the common challenges that the families I work with are facing can be traced back in some way or another to a boundaries issues. When you work with your family the informality or lack of boundaries can be empowering, it can be what sets you apart as a family business. However, it can also be what creates the tensions that if left unchecked can lead to full blown conflict and the potential...

A relationship breakdown can be really difficult for a family to deal with at the best of times, however when this involves the family business there is an additional level of complexity that needs to be thought through. In this episode I am joined by Zahra Pabani from law firm Irwin Mitchell as we discuss what you can do to protect the families assets, including the family business, in the event...

Back in 2018 The Family Wealth Report bought together a panel of advisers to ultra high net worth families and discussed how effective business models were at serving the complex needs of these families. Their conclusion was that, whilst there were great firms serving the space, there was no stand out model that fully served these families. In addition, when speaking to families who had attended t...

I am joined on this episode by Daniel Trimarchi as we discuss a recent article from a collaboration between KPMG Private Enterprise and The STEP Project Global Consortium looks at how to create value through Governance. Empowering the future of family business – a four part article series on some of the key topics impacting business families including succession, women in family business, governan...

On this weeks show I am joined by Dr Jim Grubman. Jim spoke with us last year in a really popular episode and I am sure that this episode will be equally popular. We are discussing the Ten Domains of Family Wealth. This is a piece of thought leadership from The Ultra High Net Worth Institute that looks at all of the various domains that families with wealth need to focus on and highlights to advis...

In this weeks episode we continue our look at Trusts and I speak with Cindy Radu about Trust Governance. In particular we explore the concept of a Trust Advisory Council. This helps the parties related to the Trust to understand The Purpose of the Trust, away from the legal aspects How communication and financial education can be provided Provides an independent adviser to the trust If you would l...

Trusts can be a fantastic way to specify how our assets are used and how our wishes are carried out beyond our lifetimes. They can be used to pass down wealth between generations including the family business. However, there are a number of things to be aware of and considered before setting a trust up and in this episode I am joined by Matt Braithwaite from Wedlake Bell as we discuss Trusts and t...

When I started the podcast I had no real expectations beyond trying to put out insightful information to family businesses from experts around the world. In this episode I reflect back on the previous 99 episodes and summarise my thoughts on important issues such as: Communication Governance The need for coherent advice Succession does not mean success I would love to hear from you with suggestion...

Richard Hearn is the Membership Director for the Institute for Family Business and Daniel White is the Assistant Director of the Kansas Family Business Forum. Both organisations exist for the benefit of their members, and in this episode we discuss the value of belonging to these organisations. If you are not UK or Kansas based, this will still be of value to you as there are other organisations o...

This weeks show is an interview with Jeremy Manford. Jeremy is the CEO of his family business, Compu-Stor based in Australia. In this interview we discuss Jeremy's experiences of joining the business, succeeding his father and how he and his brother have recently clarified their roles to make best use of their resources. We also hear about the value that Jeremy and his family have found in being m...

On this weeks episode I am joined by Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer from Banyan Global as they discuss the 5 rights of ownership and much more from their book Harvard Business Review - Family Business Handbook. Josh and Rob describe these rights as being: 1 - The Right to Design 2 - The Right to make decisions 3 - The Right to Value 4 - The Right to Inform 5 - The Right to Transfer In this engaging...