Family Business Advisory Services

July 2, 2021

Summer 2021 Reading

Family Business Director is off enjoying 4th of July festivities this week. For our readers that are looking for some beach reading, we thought we would direct your attention to some of our more popular posts in case you missed them the first time around.

Valuation Principles Family Business Directors Should Know in 2021

Family business directors will make plenty of difficult decisions in the remainder of 2021, and many of those decisions will require assessing the value of the company’s shares, a particular business segment, or a potential acquisition target. What should you and your fellow directors know about valuation? In our experience, there are six basic valuation principles that can guide directors as they make tough valuation-related decisions in the coming year.

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Navigating Tough Family Business Conversations

How should your family business have discussions around sensitive topics? Perhaps it is a patriarch who has run one too many strategic board meetings, the cousin who refuses to take their Vice President role seriously, or the aunt who is rather loose in defining what a “business meal” is. “No Aunt Millie, this is not a case of defining what ‘is‘ is”.

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The Three-Legged Stool of Family Business

Our family business advisory practice is focused on three strategic financial questions that weigh on family business directors and can keep them awake at night. Clients often solicit our advice because they are struggling with one of these questions. But, in our experience, the questions can’t really be tackled in isolation. Each question comprises one leg of the three-legged stool of the family business. As an engineering-minded client recently pointed out to us, while it is impossible for a three-legged stool to wobble, it can be crooked. If the three legs are not designed to work together, the stool won’t be level, and won’t hold anything valuable for long.

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All EBITDA Is Not Created Equal

In the world of family-owned and other private businesses, EBITDA is the most commonly cited performance measure. Every company has EBITDA, but some EBITDA is better than others. Why is that?

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The Economics of Family Shareholder Redemptions

Regardless of the reason, significant shareholder redemptions are among the least understood corporate transactions. In this post, we consider the economics of family shareholder redemptions from three perspectives: the selling shareholder, the family business, and the remaining shareholders.

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We hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable summer break. If you know a family business director or advisor that might benefit from our content, forward this note or email us and we will be sure to add them as a subscriber. Happy reading!

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Looking Ahead to the 2026 Transitions Spring Conference
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Transitions Spring Conference
Looking over the agenda for the 2026 Transitions Spring Conference, several themes stand out that resonate with the issues we discuss frequently with family business boards and shareholders.
Mercer to Sponsor Transitions Spring 2026 Conference
Mercer Capital to Sponsor Transitions Spring 2026 Conference
Mercer is proud to again sponsor the Transitions Spring 2026 conference presented by Family Business Magazine, taking place March 18-20th at The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida.Transitions brings together family business owners, executives, and next-generation leaders from across the country for meaningful conversations about what it really takes to move a business forward. Through keynote presentations, small-group discussions, and informal networking, attendees explore practical approaches to governance, ownership, leadership development, and succession.Supporting this conference reflects Mercer’s ongoing work with family enterprises as they navigate pivotal moments of change. From succession planning to ownership alignment, Mercer partners with families to bring clarity to complex financial decisions and help position both the business and the family for long-term continuity.Travis Harms, President of Mercer Capital, will attend on behalf of the firm. He leads the firm’s Family Business Advisory Services Group, where he focuses on valuation, financial education, and strategic financial consulting for multi-generation family businesses. With more than 25 years of experience, Travis helps family shareholders, boards, and management teams navigate key financial realities and opportunities in support of thoughtful transitions and long-term success.For registration details, agenda highlights, and general information about Transitions Spring 2026, visit the event’s official website at https://events.familybusinessmagazine.com/event/TS26/home.
Benchmarking Without Context Is Worse Than No Benchmarking
Benchmarking Without Context Is Worse Than No Benchmarking
Benchmarking without understanding context can lead to importing someone else’s priorities into your boardroom. And in family enterprises, priorities are rarely generic. Used carefully, benchmarking illuminates. Used mechanically, it distracts. The difference lies not in the data, but in the discipline applied to it.

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