Category: Business Coaching

Coaching - Succession- Financial Planning

Why should you consider creating a Family Charter?

A charter is a family constitution, both tangible and intangible benefits are realized by families that draft a charter. A smooth process for leadership succession can be helped by a well drafted charter. Failing to establish and codify a formal plan for succession may produce disastrous consequences for a family business. Research Boston Consulting Group…
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Family business conflict and what to do about
it.

What are the 4 types of family conflict? Family Conflict: This kind of conflict usually happens because one person has an opinion thatdiffers from another person’s and emotions or family dynamics take over. It may be aboutmoney, work, parenting, or even because someone is upset over what someone said or did in thepast. Power Struggle:…
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Why do business leaders join a mastermind group?

There are a number of reasons business leaders join a peer group, networking with other business leaders is one. Having a place to meet other people, your peers, who know the stresses and strains of running a business can be very helpful in times when you need to vent or share ideas. It’s also great…
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Case Study - Seasonal Manufacturing

Case Study – Seasonal Manufacturing

Paul is the CEO of a manufacturing company that produces a seasonal product. At the time of year when production is low (the 3 summer months) the factory operates at about 70% capacity. At the CEO meeting going into the summer, Paul reported this fact in the opening check-in, expecting it to be acknowledged politely…
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The Twilight Zone of Our Bureaucracy

Picture if you will: a woman, working in a stainless-steel kitchen, working with butter, infusing it with herbs and packaging it in small, stylish packages for sale in specialty stores and at farmers markets under the label Gourmet Butter. An agent of the government walks in “I’m closing you down because you are making butter…
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Planning for Family Wealth Transfer

We seem to be hearing less about the coming transfer of wealth from the senior generation to the next generation, I think the baby boomers got tired of talking about it. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen and smart money (that is long term, generational money) stewards are still contemplating how this transfer…
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Who is the Future You

A key when I’m coaching somebody is to establish the goal or goals (maximum 3) that they want to achieve. Defining those goals is very hard for many. I asked my psychologist brother why this seems to be so difficult and his response surprised me…until I thought about it. “Its hard for a person to…
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How to define fairness in Business - Copper Beech Co

How Do You Define Fairness?

I was distressed this summer by the federal government’s announced plans to change the income tax rules to eliminate the “unfair tax advantages” received by business owners. Distressed enough to write to the Minister of Finance and ask him how the government defined fairness; (I have not received a response yet). Was there a formula…
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Future Entrepreneurs - Summer Company

Future of Entrepreneurs

For many years I have been volunteering at a program called Summer Company. This program, sponsored by the Province of Ontario and managed by the City of Niagara Falls, allows students the opportunity to run their own business for a summer. One stipulation is that the “entrepreneur” must be returning to school in September, either…
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The value of advice in business

Value of Advice

There is a term in the financial planning community that is gaining attention: “Gamma” measures the impact for an individual of working with a professional financial adviser. Gamma has less focus on rates of return and more on the broader concept of financial results, it’s more personal. There is unmistakable evidence that having a professional…
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