A father watches his older daughter patiently help her little brother tie his shoelaces. She doesn’t show off or give instructions; she’s simply there, helping him at his pace until he gets it right. This simple interaction captures something profound: in a family, love isn’t measured by how we feel but in what we do […]
Cottet Óptica, serving customers since 1902
Javier Cottet is the president of Cottet Óptica, a family-owned Spanish firm that traces its roots to the late 1800s in industrial France. In 2019, the company revitalized its business model with a more brand-centric and innovation-driven approach. I got my official start in the family business as an intern in the early 1990s, and […]
McKinsey: 4+5 equals FOB outperformance
Recent research by McKinsey confirms the adaptability, resilience and impact of family-owned firms, whose structures and best practices leave them uniquely equipped to navigate business challenges in uncertain times. According to the authors, family firms that combine four critical mindsets with five strategic actions have the capacity to quadruple their business value in the next […]
Pension priorities: the impact of family ties on ethical decision making
With corporate responsibility gaining traction around the world, more and more business leaders are considering the ethical dimensions of management. Among global scholars, pension funding is one of the hot-button topics under review. Employee pension schemes are common in the U.S. and might soon expand in Europe, where governments are considering hybrid models to solve […]
A conversation with Ibukun Awosika
I recently had the great honor of interviewing Ibukun Awosika for IESE’s This Is Real Leadership podcast. Ibukun Awosika has had a long and illustrious career as an entrepreneur, leader, speaker, former president of First Bank of Nigeria and author of several books, including The Girl Entrepreneur. In this episode, we discuss authentic leadership, decision-making […]
7 ways to alleviate tension in the family council
The family council is the ideal forum for owner families to reach consensus on the core decisions regarding their business. It is the preventive mechanism par excellence to analyze, discuss and debate critical issues, and make solid decisions based on shared criteria and commitment. In this way, family councils serve as firewalls, preventing conflicts from […]
Evolving perspectives on ownership in family firms
In traditional economic-based views on governance, owners are often portrayed in a somewhat passive role, with an emphasis on the incentive structures they install to motivate employees and other key stakeholders. Under these frameworks, owners provide financial resources, while management–driven by the right incentives–execute day-to-day operations to create value. Yet this perspective fails to fully […]
5 tips for working in your family business
After years of working alongside her parents, Parima Ijaz founded her own company as an extension of the original business. In this Forbes article, she offers five insights for people who are contemplating joining the family firm, including the importance of confidence, humility and a collaborative approach. Tips For Working With Family and Continuing Your […]
8 pillars of a professional board of directors
Robust corporate governance systems in family firms shouldn’t be any different than those in well-managed non-family firms – at least in theory. In practice, it’s another story. Boards of directors in family businesses have adjacent psychological and psychosocial dimensions, and disregarding these dynamics can easily lead to tensions among board members. During my tenure as […]
Family firms see their largest growth increase in 15 years
Family-owned firms reported their largest growth increase in 15 years according to the 11th PwC Global Family Business Survey, carried out across 82 countries between October 2022 and January 2023. Strong values, employee communication and digital capabilities are among the traits shared by top-performing family firms. PwC Global Family Business Survey Homepage image: Jonathan […]
Seven communication insights for entrepreneurial families
At the start of a new academic year, let me first extend a warm welcome to everyone! The Chair of Family Business team is back, with our batteries fully charged and ready to continue offering you new insights and ideas to boost your firm’s performance. For my first article of 2023-24, I would like to […]
