The Logo There is a story, quoted in James E Hughes “Family Wealth: Keeping It in the Family” that I like. Marshall Lyautey, was one of Napoleon’s greatest generals. General Lyautey was famous for having the most beautiful gardens in France. One day as he and his head gardener were looking over the estate and…
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I stood beside Dr. Camille Rutherford of Brock University at the Ultimate Gaming Challenge in Niagara Falls early in May. We watched two young guys perform in front of an Xbox, guiding a virtual raft down what looked like a rugged tributary of the Amazon. “I’m interested in how games can help families in the…
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Fear is a primal motivator in human beings and a major factor why most business owners haven’t done any succession planning. It’s hard for people who have spent a career building a business to think about stopping. Not building anymore; it goes against their instincts. Business builders are typically optimists; it’s one of my favorite…
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Lost in the day-to-day? Too busy trying to stay ahead of the bankers, bureaucrats and competition to think about succession or any kind of planning? There is a basic business rule that says that your worth to your business is equal to what you would pay someone else to do your job. In more practical…
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There was a battle going on inside me last year that took more than enough energy. It wasn’t an illness it was the emotional battle that follows the sale of a business. While the battle roared inside me there were times when I could stand outside myself, examine the emotions that occupied me and realize…
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The business succession of our owner managed businesses is a big story among professional advisors, bankers and bureaucrats. The discussion seems to be less appealing with business owners themselves. I believe this is largely because our business owners are builders used to being in the centre of the action. Talk of succession planning suggests the…
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At Copper Beech Company, we believe that planning for the future helps create the future you want. We help clients identify goals and we care about the results our clients achieve. Whether the goals are improving financial position, growing the business, transitioning management and ownership. Helping Clarify goals, plan the route and holding the client accountable for achieving the milestones along the way is how we bring value to the engagement.
