Multi-generational stewardship

Next Gen Development

February 23, 2021Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting, Wealth Psychology Consulting

When does a family business become a family business? Answers vary but usually include something to the effect of two or more family members owning a majority and having significant strategic influence over the business. One of the most common seeds of a family business (FB) is sown when the founder of a business decides to include other family members in ownership and leadership, whether now or in the future. While the founder can engage cousins, a spouse or other Read more »

Teens Role in Family Spending Decisions?

January 13, 2021Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting, Wealth Psychology Consulting

I was captivated by a recent Wall Street Journal article entitled, “Should Parents Involve Their Teenagers in Big Spending Decisions?” The article featured two financial advisors with opposing views on this question. I thought I’d weigh in. Lazetta Rainey Braxton, co-CEO at 2050 Wealth Partners in New York, basically says that “if done right, it can be empowering and educational,” while Michelle Perry Higgins, a financial planner and principal at California Financial Advisors in San Ramon, Calif., says teenagers shouldn’t have a say in these decisions. Ms. Rainey Braxton is basically taking the tack Read more »

Ethical Wills – Share Your Love and Wisdom!

August 13, 2020Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting

Several years ago, I wrote about ethical wills. While they sound “legal”, they are not legal documents at all. An ethical will is a letter to children, grandchildren, really any loved ones, written to express wisdom, values, life lessons. It is a way to transfer non-financial/non-material wealth. Best shared when the writer is still alive, there can be invaluable interaction between the writer and recipients. I found the process of writing my own (shared in the blog several years ago) Read more »

Article with Merrill Center for Family Wealth

May 27, 2020Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting, Wealth Psychology Consulting

I consulted with a grandfather who achieved a high level of financial success (and also had a lot of emotional intelligence and love for his family) and with his daughter and her husband who have a two and a half year-old. The grandfather attended a workshop I gave about raising children in a family business/wealth context and thought his daughter and son-in-law would benefit from some ideas and coaching. The daughter said early on in the conversation more or less, Read more »

Raising Family Business Kids – Free Workshop

April 28, 2020Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting, Wealth Psychology Consulting

Hi Friends/Colleagues, I’m facilitating a free, virtual workshop about raising children in the context of a family business. The workshop is in coordination with NYCFEC (NY City Family Enterprise Center) and is intended for business families in the greater NYC area. Tuesday, May 5th, 2020 – 4 pm – 6 pm. Come as my guest for no fee using code – JS051 – at checkout. This is a small, personal and highly interactive workshop – learning and fun. Feel free to share this with anyone who Read more »

Coronavirus and Family Business

March 25, 2020Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting, Wealth Psychology Consulting

My family business clients all have various amounts of what every family has: closeness and harmony, as well as distance and conflict, to name a few elements. And, they share various levels of involvement in a business – leadership, management, ownership, or simply working there to see if that is what they want for the coming decades. Being tightly connected to family can put a smile on your face, or a pit in your stomach – and sometimes both. I Read more »

Forever 21

February 23, 2020Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting, Wealth Psychology Consulting

Do Won Chang and Jin Sook Chang created the retail chain Forever 21 from nothing when they came to the U.S. from South Korea. They built it to revenues of more than $4B at its height and had 43,000 employees. Their daughters, Linda and Esther, both received Ivy-league educations and were given high-level executive positions. Mr. Chang was CEO dealing with real estate and vendors and Mrs. Chang was heading up design and merchandising. At the end of last year, Read more »

Rock ‘N Roll & Family Business (Neil Peart)

January 19, 2020Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting, Wealth Psychology Consulting

If you’ve read any of these posts over the years, you know I like to connect rock music and family business one way or another. Earlier this month elite rock drummer Neil Peart, of Rush fame, died. I’ve been a Rush fan since 1980 and have been mesmerized by the speed and complexity of Peart’s drumming and the deep, meaningful lyrics for which he was mainly responsible. Often known as “nerd rock” or “cerebral rock,” Rush quoted Shakespeare and Ayn Read more »

Jeff Interviewed by Jane Scaccetti

October 24, 2019Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting, Wealth Psychology Consulting

Jeff was interviewed by Jane Scaccetti of Drucker and Scaccetti – “The Tax Warriors .” Really more of a conversation between friends, sprinkled with great questions from attendees, they discussed wealth transfers within families. Please have a listen . Among the most significant insights for attendees was how early this process can begin and how little focus on “money” is necessary to set a solid foundation. As far as starting early, an example was given of how NOT to talk to a four-year-old about a family business (and how TO do Read more »

Jeff interviewed by Jane Beddall

June 25, 2019Family Business Consulting, Family Wealth Consulting, Wealth Psychology Consulting

Jane Beddall, my good friend and colleague, invited me to be interviewed for her podcast, “Crafting Solutions to Conflict.” You can CLICK HERE to listen to the interview. She and I have been members of a study group in New York City for many years. We present cases and support one another in the challenging profession of helping families work together productively across time and make generational transitions. I find the support of the group invaluable; the range of professional disciplines represented Read more »

‹1 234 5 ›»