Category: Applied and Practice

Franchising can be an alternative to private equity or self-financing to help companies scale, and a win-win for both franchisors and franchisees if done right. If you’re a startup thinking about Read more

Planning Succession? These 10 Decisions Are Critical

Succession is not a single choice -- It is a chain of choices that interlock and compound. Avoiding any one of them will create friction or ambiguity. Succession is the defining challenge of the Read more

The 7 Gears of Leadership, And When to Use Each One

Leaders acquire tremendous human capacities as they rise to the top. Their challenge is to deploy the right strength for each difficult situation. Navigating the unique landscape of family businesses Read more

Family Firms: Building Resilience Across Generations

Building on three specific attributes -- long-term orientation, social capital, and values-driven governance -- helps families build strengths for generations to come. Family businesses are often Read more

Successful entrepreneurs solve the right customer problems, but some of them are not worth solving or building a business around. Here's how to analyze the possibilities. Problems surround us. From Read more

Like marriage, business alliances start off with a honeymoon, but rocky times are inevitable. Here are the predictable phases and how to navigate common problems. Part 3 in a series Strategic Read more

Effectively negotiated contracts clearly define roles, responsibilities, goals, and milestones, preventing misunderstandings and problems down the road. Second in a series Strategic alliances are Read more

Here’s an overview of how they work, why they succeed or fail, and how to choose a partner wisely. First in a three-part series Strategic alliances are powerful instruments for companies seeking to Read more

AI helps both current and future entrepreneurs accomplish tasks that would have been difficult or impossible before, clearing the way for higher-level thinking, strategizing and learning. EDITOR’S Read more

A New Way to Resolve Extreme Conflict in Family Businesses

Family members may feel “trapped” in conflicts, unable to resolve substantive issues without damaging their familial relationships. This often leads to disputes that persist for decades. Conflict Read more