Dividends are about more than distributing profits. They are about distributing confidence that the business is healthy, that management is accountable, and that the true meaning of the family business is being honored.
Corporate Finance & Planning Insights for Multi-Generational Family Businesses
Dividends are about more than distributing profits. They are about distributing confidence that the business is healthy, that management is accountable, and that the true meaning of the family business is being honored.
We released our newest booklet, “Capital Budgeting in 30 Minutes,” a few weeks ago. The purpose of this booklet is to assist family business directors in evaluating proposed capital projects and contributing to capital budgeting decisions that enhance the value of their businesses. Capital budgeting can’t be avoided — the only question is whether your family business has a consistent and disciplined process for evaluating potential investments or instead makes significant capital commitments in a more haphazard way. The capital budgeting guide provides practical insights to help directors make informed, disciplined investment decisions that align with the company’s long-term goals. Get your copy and learn more about capital budgeting in this week’s post.
Brown Brothers Harriman’s third annual Private Business Owner Survey offers insights from nearly 500 owners of family and privately held companies. The report provides a revealing look at how these owners approach succession, growth, and shareholder returns. For family business directors, the findings serve as a valuable opportunity to reflect on the governance, planning, and alignment practices that sustain long-term continuity and success.
Capital budgeting decisions are among the most important choices a family business board will make. Capital Budgeting in 30 Minutes helps directors understand how to evaluate proposed investments using tools like net present value and internal rate of return—while also considering strategic fit and non-financial constraints. This guide equips family business leaders to make disciplined, informed capital allocation decisions that enhance long-term value.
When families articulate a shared mission, they define what truly matters. But in family enterprises, that mission must align with what the business means economically to the family. Whether the business is built for growth, preservation, liquidity, or lifestyle, clarity about its financial role ensures that purpose and prosperity move forward together.
We recently read a fantastic post on the Altair Advisers’ blog, “Words on Wealth,” by Jason M. Laurie, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer. The post addresses five things that founders wish someone had told them before selling their businesses to private equity firms. We thank Jason for allowing us to share the post with our readers.
Selling a family business is both emotional and strategic—much like auctioning a rare treasure. Inspired by Phyllis Kao’s insights at a recent event with Diversified Trust and Sotheby’s, this piece applies four auction principles—provenance, presentation, timing, and the auctioneer—to the sale process. By telling your business’s story, presenting it effectively, and acting at the right market moment with trusted advisors, families can maximize value while honoring their legacy.
If the income statement is a movie that records how your family business performed during a particular period, the balance sheet is a snapshot that records what your family business looked like at a particular date. The balance sheet answers two core questions: “What are the assets our family business owns?” and “How has our family business paid for those assets?”
We’ll flesh out the first question in this week’s post, and turn our attention to the second question in a subsequent post.
It can be all too easy for family business directors to focus on maximizing performance in the current year for the company. However, it is equally important for directors to not ignore less urgent matters that can undergird the long-term health of the company and the family. In this post, we put together a to-do list that includes important tasks for family business directors to complete whether planning for a one-time share redemption or establishing a family shareholder liquidity program.
Clear communication is essential in family business governance, yet shared definitions are often overlooked. That’s why the UHNW Institute’s new Wealthesaurus caught our attention. This online glossary brings clarity to the complex vocabulary of family wealth and enterprise conversations. This resource also provides standardized definitions of common and specialized family wealth advising industry terms. For directors, it’s a valuable reference that supports informed decision-making and effective dialogue across generations.
