An Act of Congress is ready!!

I began writing this book several years ago with the idea that the lessons our family learned from this episode would help others avoid the heartache we experienced. It's turned into a new business venture for me. My new company is called The Forum for Family Business. In addition to the book, I've developed a keynote address featuring the real-life issues of communication, succession and preservation which are so important in a family business.

When I wrote and published, An Act of Congress - The Real-Life Story of Power & Politics in Family Business, I re-discovered the mistakes we made. Even though my new business targets relationships in family businesses, closely-held corporations and small businesses in general will benefit from our program. Had we learned and utilized the keys in my program, before going through the tragic and painful lawsuit, our families would have saved more than $1,000,000 and the destroyed relationships which can never be healed.

Every business owner or prospective entrepreneur needs to hear our story! An Act of Congress is an excellent tool for attorneys, financial advisors and accountants to put a fire under clients who swear they will eventually put together a plan for succession, but don't feel the urgency.

Over the next few weeks and months, I'll deal with some of the numerous ideas for preventing disaster from non-planning. I'll just end this blog with this advice...Even before you open a new business, make a plan for where you expect it to eventually go. Will you sell it, pass it on to the next generation or merge with others. The thought process should start at conception!