Author Archives: Andy

As the sixth of seven children it may not surprise that the most common refrain heard in our household was ‘That’s not fair!’ As I think back, I can’t imagine how my poor mother managed our competing demands for her … Continue reading →

Andrew Fastow, the former Enron CFO, and poster boy for one of the greatest corporate frauds in history, is now out of jail and on the speaker circuit. As reported in the August 19 Globe and Mail Report on Business, … Continue reading →

In this third and final installment we explore how family legacy decisions can affect strategy and how good planning can mitigate risk in today’s rapidly changing business environment. For family business owners, strategic planning really begins and ends with a single powerful … Continue reading →

In this second installment of a three part series we build on the initial premise in part one that the ‘Family’ dimension of ‘Family Business’ can be the secret weapon of business success. But the family dimension is not without its own … Continue reading →

Family owned companies possess a secret weapon for competitive advantage: the long term vision of the founding family. In this first installment in a three part series we explore the important linkage between the business family at large, and its … Continue reading →

For families, patterns of behavior can become entrenched, and pose an obstacle to the productive dialogue needed to deal with the difficult questions that ownership and leadership succession pose.  The discipline of principled negotiation developed at Harvard University and detailed … Continue reading →

In golf, going out of bounds is something you truly want to avoid. After all, golf is tough enough without launching your ball beyond course boundaries. In family business crossing boundaries can also prove to be penal.  While less obvious … Continue reading →

Recap In this 3rd and (perhaps?) final installment on ownership succession we continue the story of Arnold and  Bonnie Kettle (‘A&B’), owners of Ma & Pa’s, a retail housewares business. After 25 years they are finally making decisive plans to … Continue reading →

In Part 1 of this series titled ‘Arnold & Bonnie’s Succession Dilemma’ we introduced Arnold and Bonnie Kettle (‘A&B’), owners of Ma & Pa’s, a successful retail housewares business. After 25 years they are now giving thought to having their … Continue reading →

Arnold & Bonnie Kettle own a successful retail housewares business called Ma & Pa’s Kettles. It is Friday and as is tradition, they gather for lunch with Erica, their General Manager, who plays a vital role in the success of … Continue reading →