Our guest today is Trudy Cathy White. Trudy is the youngest child and only daughter of Chick-fil-A founder Truett and Jeannette Cathy. Like her father, she is a beloved leader, communicator, and entrepreneur.
Episode 68: Entrepreneurial Family Business: From Survival to Success with Dr. Dianne Welsh, Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of North Carolina Greensboro
Our guest today is Dr. Dianne Welsh. Dr. Welsh is a known scholar in entrepreneurship, family business, and franchising at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She grew up in her family business, Boyt Division of Welsh Sporting Goods.
Dr. Welsh has published 130 journal articles and eight books, including the go-to book for cross-campus entrepreneurship programs, Creative Cross-Disciplinary Entrepreneurship.
In this episode of Family Business Today, you will learn:
How growing up in her family business influenced her thoughts on the cross-sector of entrepreneurship and family business
What the difference is between learning about entrepreneurship and learning about business
How a family business can create an environment for entrepreneurship to flourish beyond the first generation
What a NextGen leader can do to help their family business survive past the first generation
Is there an indicator for family business success?
And more…
Dr. Dianne Welsh is the author of Entrepreneurial Family Business: From Survival to Success. Her book focuses on the role of innovation in the development and longevity of her family business, Boyt®. It highlights the integral roles that each person plays in the success of a business and emphasizes that each role deserves respect and praise. To get your copy, visit Entrepreneurial Family Business.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like a Family Business…. We Know!
Episode 67: Join me at a storied family-owned pub, Bumpa’s, located in the historic French Quarter, Charleston, South Carolina, where everybody knows your name
Our guests today are brothers, Dan and Conor Sullivan, owners of Bumpa’s, in Charleston, South Carolina. Bumpa’s serves up specialty French fries, proprietary-blend burgers, and other elevated bar food in tribute to their grandfather, “Bumpa”.
In this episode of Family Business Today, we will share:
How their experiences working somewhere else helped prepare them to launch a family-owned business
What the founding principles their business is built on and how they maintain them on a daily basis in their work
Learn how two brothers communicate with each other to ensure business success
The “rules” they have in place when conflict arises
How they survived as a restaurant during COVID
Advice to siblings who are considering working together in a family business
Like their food, what are the secret ingredients for establishing boundaries between work and business relationships
What the future looks like for Bumpa’s
And more…
To learn more about Bumpa’s, visit their website at Bumpa's .
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like a Family Business…. We Know!
Episode 64: The Multi-Generational Family Business Behind Some of the Biggest Concert Productions in North America Today with Bob Romeo, Chairman of Romeo Entertainment Group in Nashville, TN
Our guest today is Bob Romeo, Board Chairman, Romeo Entertainment Group, Nashville, Tennessee. Bob followed in the footsteps of his father, Don Romeo, who founded Romeo Entertainment Group in 1954. Today the 3rd generation, RJ Romeo and Michelle Romeo, are managing the daily operations of REG.
Romeo Entertainment Group is a full-service entertainment agency. For more than 65 years they have managed talent buying for fairs, festivals, clubs, casinos, corporate and rodeo events.
In this episode of Family Business Today, we will share:
How Don Romeo started the family business in 1954 and what Romeo Entertainment Group does today.
Stories about working with acts from Lassie and the Three Stooges to the Rolling Stones and nearly every country act.
Why it was important to Don and Bob for the company to remain a family business and prepare it for transition to the next generation.
Why it is important for business owners to be storytellers.
Advice to a family business owner who may be considering inviting their children to join the family business.
What the future looks like for Romeo Entertainment Group.
And more…
To learn more about Romeo Entertainment Group, visit their website at Romeo Entertainment Group.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like a Family Business…. We Know!
Episode 63 : A Five Generation Family Business Shaping Solutions for Tough Raw Materials with Mac Steele, President, JC Steele & Sons
Our guest today is Mac Steele, President of JC Steele & Sons, Statesville, North Carolina.
Mac along with his cousin, Marian Steele Clark, joined the family business in 2010 founded by their great-great grandfather, JC Steele, in 1889. Mac oversees all worldwide sales and customer service.
JC Steele & Sons is the corporate parent of The Steel Group and the global leader in stiff extrusion machinery and solutions for customers in heavy clay, iron & steel, ferro alloys and gypsum/wallboard.
In this episode of Family Business Today, Mac will share:
The story of how JC Steele started the family business in 1889 and what JC Steele does today.
Why it is important to remember and share your legacy and values to today’s family members, team members and customers.
The importance of crafting a clear, compelling vision and getting stakeholder buy-in for your business success.
What some of the challenges and benefits of working with siblings and cousins in a family business.
What questions a next generation family member should ask before joining the family business.
What the future looks like for JC Steele & Sons.
And more…
To learn more about Mac Steele and JC Steele & Sons, visit their website at www.jcsteele.com.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like Family Business….We Know!
Episode 57: How a Virginia Peanut Changed an Industry and Created a Family Legacy, Hubbard Peanut Company with Marshall Rabil
Our guest today is Marshall Rabil. Marshall serves as the Sales and Marketing Director of Virginia-based and family-owned Hubbard Peanut Company, which his grandmother and grandfather founded nearly 70 years ago. Named one of Inside Business’ 40 Under 40 in 2019, Rabil helps lead the company with a big heart for his community and his multifaceted experience ranging from sustainable development studies to leading student groups internationally.
In this episode of Family Business Today, Marshall will share:
How the specialty peanut company Hubs got its start with Marshall’s grandmother Dot, her unique recipe, and a unique Virginia peanut
The steps Hubs has taken to expand from their homegrown roots while staying connected to the legacy and the community of Sedley, Virginia
About his background in international teaching, community development projects, specialty grocery, sustainability, and service
That an important part of a succession plan is clear communication of goals, of timelines, and of how the baton will be passed to the next generation
The opportunities Hubs has for the business and the people of the business to give back to their community
And more…
To learn more about Marshall Rabil and the Hubbard Peanut Company, visit https://www.hubspeanuts.com/.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like Family Business…..We Know!
Episode 56: What’s in Your Cup? A Cup of Coffee/Tea and a Conversation with Bill Smith, Royal Cup Coffee & Tea and Double Iron Consulting
Our guest today is Bill Smith. Bill Smith has been involved with his family business for over 30 years. Royal Cup Coffee & Tea has been in his family since his grandfather bought the company in 1950. In 2014, Bill was promoted to the President and CEO role, following his uncle and moving the guidance of the business to him as a third-generation leader. Bill launched Double Iron Consulting in 2021 to serve and help small to medium-sized businesses and family business owners and executives clarify and achieve their goals. He understands what it’s like to be in their position and knows the care that goes into a business, especially when it’s a family business.
In this episode of Family Business Today, Bill will share:
His grandfather’s passion for buying, owning, and running a business, which started the Smith family legacy in Royal Cup Coffee & Tea
How his 25 years in the family business began with learning how to roast coffee at 16 and lead to his work in the company’s national infrastructure
The value of providing immersion opportunities to the next generation when it comes to learning and developing passion for the family business
How important it is for a family business to respect both the family aspect and the business aspect when growing the company
How family business owners need to give themselves the time to successfully transition their business to avoid reactive or rushed transition
And more…
To learn more about Bill and his business Double Iron Consulting, visit www.doubleironconsulting.com/.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like Family Business…..We Know!
Episode 47: Where Every Traveler Has a Friend with Stephanie Stuckey of Stuckey's Co.
In this episode of Family Business Today, Stephanie will share:
How her grandfather went from selling pecans and making candy to becoming the first roadside retail chain in the country
How storytelling is a family business’s superpower
How she stepped up to the plate in 2019 to keep the company in family hands
How her experiences as in trial and environmental law taught her how to advocate for the underdog
What she has found in her experience traveling the backroads of America
And more…
Episode 46: Facing the Unexpected and Keeping on Trucking with Crissy Wieck of Western Express, Inc.
Crissy Wieck was born and raised in Nashville and graduated from The Harpeth Hall School. After working at Dell for 12 years, Crissy joined her family business after the death of her father’s business partner. Crissy has spent 10 years at Western Express and is currently the Chief Sales Officer and a minority owner. In this capacity, Crissy is responsible for Sales and Operations (~$850M) and is a member of the Executive Team. Crissy is married to Matt Wiltshire and has three daughters, a son and two stepsons.
Crissy left Nashville to play soccer at Maryville College. After graduating in May of 2000, she headed to Dell. The company opened an office in Nashville the month before she graduated and made a commitment to the city to grow local talent organically. By 2009, Crissy was the General Manager and Global Site Lead for Dell Nashville and the Regional Sales Director for the East Coast. Three buildings, 2500 employees and a $5B footprint in Nashville allowed for her to be the CEO of the largest non-headquarter site for Dell. Her direct P&L represented $2B of the $5B in Nashville. This proved to be a perfect training ground for the unexpected career change in 2012 when she joined her family business.
Western Express is a top ten Truckload Carrier in the country with over 3,000 trucks running the US and Mexico. The company has been in business since 1991 and was started by Crissy’s grandfather (minority owner) and another family, with only 5 trucks. Her father joined the company in 1996, when they had 36 trucks, and across the ten years that followed, grew the company to 3000 trucks. She and her brother joined Western Express upon the death of their father’s business partner to help run the business and they are both minority owners in the business, while their father is the majority owner. Today the company has 4,500 drivers and ~750 non driving associates across 6 locations in the US.
Crissy has been on several Boards including; The Adventure Science Center, Nashville Public Television, The Maryville College Alumni Board, The Bank of Nashville, The Banner Advisory Board and The Harpeth Hall School.
In this episode of Family Business Today, Crissy will share:
How two neighbors talking over a fence in 1991 grew into a multi-generational company with 3000 trucks in 2006
How the vision for the company grew as the company grew, and how it has changed as the economy has changed around it
What it means to have “fun” as a business’s core value
How the company has adapted and rebuilt through a tornado in 2020 and COVID in 2021
How her experiences at Dell helped her learn about how to run an entire business
And more…
To learn more about Western Express, Inc., visit http://www.westernexp.com/.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like Family Business…..We Know!
Episode 45: A Company That Helped to Mechanize the Mid-South with the Morgan Family of John Bouchard & Sons, Co.
For over a century, the John Bouchard & Sons Co. (JBS) tradition of innovation and excellence has helped create and maintain the systems that keep the Mid-South running. Beginning as a Nashville machine shop in 1900, the company was incorporated in 1913. Today it is a fifth-generation, family-owned, diversified company serving modern industry through four fully-integrated divisions: Industrial Sales, Machine Services, Construction and Foundry. Their home office/shop is in its original Nashville location.
After working in areas of journalism, architectural restoration, home education & serving numerous non-profit Boards, Lisa Bouchard Morgan joined the JBS Board in 2011. Now the Chairman & CEO, Lisa oversees and nurtures the fifth generation of her family’s business. Protecting the rooted history and rich values, while fanning new sparks of innovation and change, are the balances to her vision. In its 121st year, Lisa led the process for JBS to become a Certified Woman Business Enterprise (WBE), making them even more of an asset to their customers and partnering contractors. For JBS, the GOD-given value of each worker, and the value of that work to them, are foundational priorities as they keep the hardworking infrastructure of the Mid-South running.
After working for Exxon’s offshore district operations, William Morgan joined JBS in 1986. Mentored by his father-in-law, he tackled challenges in various departments of the Company and developed as the leader of operations, ultimately serving as President, from 2001 to the present. His keen engineering sense keeps the navigation of the entire Company on a solid, steady course. He is a graduate of the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering and holds an MBA from Vanderbilt’s Owen Business School.
The eldest child of Lisa & William, Carver Morgan joined JBS in 2014, after spending 3 years in the corporate world. He was mentored by JBS tradesmen and technicians during a 3.5 year apprenticeship throughout the diversified areas of the company. Since, he has served as Company Historian, as interim Safety Director and in various project management roles. He currently co-leads the JBS Machine Shop. He holds a BS from the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering and an MBA from Lipscomb University.
In this episode of Family Business Today, Lisa, William, and Carver will share:
The longstanding history of John Bouchard & Sons Co., taking the company into its fifth generation
How John E. Bouchard III led the company with his actions and his faith
How the common thread of infrastructure can be traced from the company’s very beginnings, in Nashville, TN and across the Mid-South
Lisa’s passion for the business she inherited from her father and the steps she has taken to provide for her associates in her role as CEO
How the pandemic strengthened the family business’s resolve to continue to “help companies do what they do”
And more…
To learn more about John Bouchard & Sons, Co., visit https://jbouchard.com/.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like Family Business…..We Know!
Episode 43: Changing with the Times Has Resulted in a Century-Old Family Business with Ben Grossman of Grossman Marketing Group
Ben Grossman, along with his brother, David, are the fourth generation of family leadership and have been leading Grossman Marketing Group for ten years. Their family business was founded as Massachusetts Envelope Company in 1910 by Maxwell Grossman, whose lifelong dream was to own his own business. Now, 111 years since its founding, the company is a full-service resource helping clients with a broad range of traditional and digital marketing needs.
Ben Grossman holds a BA from Princeton University and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Prior to Columbia, Ben worked as a strategy consultant to Fortune 500 clients, as well as started and sold a sportswear and marketing firm.
In this episode of Family Business Today, Ben will share:
The story of how Grossman Marketing Group has evolved over time and throughout generations
How observation and continuous learning paired with a mind for application can help you in your family business
How important his time outside the family business gaining experience, both in the consulting world and in the start-up world, has been in helping him lead his family business
That a large part of his family business’s longevity is to not take anything for granted
How he and his brother started their tenure as leaders of Grossman Marketing Group by asking people’s input into the company using the HR stop-start-continue method
And more…
To learn more about Grossman Marketing Group, visit www.grossmanmarketing.com.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com. If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one on one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like Family Business…..We Know!
Episode 40: Relying on Technology, Your Team, and New Business Development Opportunities in the New Norm with Laurie Guzman of The Inside Story, LLC
Your host, Greg Lewis, talks to Laurie Guzman. Laurie is the founder and president of The Inside Story, LLC, a virtual assistance organization located in Nashville, TN. Laurie has established herself as an Opportunity Broker, a Master of Connecting the Right People and the Right Business to the Right Opportunity. Laurie is also the mother of two amazing sons, who inspired her to launch her business that encourages flexibility and life balance.
In this episode of Family Business Today Laurie Guzman will share:
How having and recovering from COVID made her appreciate having the right people in her business and the importance of relying on your team and your processes
How business owners need to rely on the power of calendar management instead of depending on their own mind and memory, especially during times of growth
The critical role virtual assistants can play in the technological and the business development sides of the business as we experience our “new norms”
How her passion for connecting people has not only led to the success of her own business but the success of those she works with locally, nationally, and globally
How businesses can use the circumstances of 2020 to refine their vision and lean more on the support of other business leaders
And much more…
To learn more about Laurie Guzman and her business, The Inside Story, LLC, visit their website at https://www.theinsidestoryllc.com/.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one on one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. (a $299 value)
Until next time, There’s No Business Like Family Business…..We Know!
Episode 39: Each Tiny Effort Builds on the Next so that Brick by Brick, Magnificent Things Can Be Created with Andy Sneed of WASCO, Inc.
Episode 35: Lawrence Mize – The Heimansohn Family nears 125 Year Milestone in Business
Your host, Greg Lewis, talks to Lawrence Mize, Lui Heimansohn Steel & Salvage, located in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Lui Heimansohn first started a trading post in the Cadiz, KY in the late 1800s before moving to Clarksville, TN to open a storefront in 1896 to access rail and river trade. Joined by his three sons, the family business continues on today with the fourth generation now involved.
Episode 34: NashvillePrinting.Com– The Coolest Family Printing Company in Town
Your host, Greg Lewis, talks to John Taylor, President of Minuteman Press and Nashville Printing Company located in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashvilleprinting.com is owned by the Taylor Family. In business in Nashville for over 20 years, they have grown from a small franchise printer into a mid-size commercial printer and internationally-recognized branding specialist.
Episode 32: Goo-Goo – A 100 year old American Candy Bar wrapped in Family Tradition
Your host, Greg Lewis, talks to Laurie Spradley, Vice President Operations and Brand Development at Goo-Goo Candy Company located in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1912, in a copper kettle at the Standard Candy Company at Clark & First Avenue in Nashville, TN, America's first combination candy bar was invented. A roundish mound of caramel, marshmallow nougat, fresh roasted peanuts and real milk chocolate the Goo-Goo was a treat that I couldn’t wait to enjoy as a child. I still enjoy them today!!!
Episode 26: Meet powerhouse mother-daughter duo, Eileen and Anne Huntington, who work together in their family business, Huntington Learning Centers.
Your host, Greg Lewis, talks to Eileen Huntington, co-founder and her daughter, Anne Huntington, VP Business Development at their family business, Huntington Learning Centers. The relationship between a mother and daughter can only truly be understood by mothers and daughters. If you love each other tremendously, enjoy spending time together and trust each other, then working together in a family business may be just for you.
Episode 24: Sibling Success: When brother and sister work together in a family business with Laurie Straus Aronoff and Andy Straus, Goldner Associates, Nashville, Tennessee
Episode 16 Cal Turner, Jr. discussing his recent book, My Father’s Business, the Small-Town Values that built Dollar General into a Billion Dollar Company.
Episode 14: JK Elkin – Attorney at Law, Spicer Rudstrom PLLC – What I Learned from Working with my Dad in Business
A 2014 study showed that women – mostly daughters – are increasingly being selected to take over their family-owned businesses. Among conclusions in the study, “Women in Leadership: The Family Business Advantage”, by EY and Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, one of the most compelling was that “70 percent of family businesses are considering a woman for their next CEO, and 30 percent are strongly considering a woman for the top spot.”