10 Signs You're Losing Control of the Family Business

What happens when the family business outgrows the family?

As our family businesses grow it becomes increasingly more difficult to maintain the competitive advantages that make us unique from non-family firms.

We need to formalize the financial reporting, bring in non-family key managers and develop a more formal planning method. We also need to retain the small business culture of treating employees as family and staying nimble and responsive with our decision making.

The key is to balance the best of both, professionalize the family business without losing your identity. A family business panel will show you the methods that worked (and didn’t work) as they went through the process of professionalizing their businesses.

Our Participants

We're excited to have three family business members participating in this event.

Two of the companies were recognized in the prestigious Inc. Magazine 5000 Fastest Growing Companies List. They will share their real-life growing pains and how they worked through the challenges.

Facilitator:

Herb Cogliano was formerly CEO of Sullivan and Cogliano Designers, a 53-year privately held family owned, Technology Staffing and Workforce Solutions firm and in 1993, he also founded the Sullivan and Cogliano education business.

He is now spearheading his own advisery practice, Aspire Growth Advisors based on the award-winning books Scaling Up and the Rockefeller Habits. As a business growth advisor and experienced CEO Scaling Up practitioner, he has learned firsthand what it takes to overcome many business challenges.

Family Business Panel:

Dan Fantasia is the founder and CEO of Treeline, Inc. He runs one of the largest sales exclusive executive search firms in the nation. He has been privately held and family run for over 19 years while being recognized repeatedly as an Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Company and Best Places to Work.

Jim Cogliano is the Senior Vice President of Sullivan and Cogliano (CorTech International). He has worked in a family business for over 28 years and was the former President of Sullivan and Cogliano Designers, a 53-year privately held family owned, Technology Staffing and Workforce Solutions firm.