kids today
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BROOKS FAMILY BUSINESS
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Are you ready for more voices on how to run the business?
At times, the bottom-line demands of your business can be at odds with maintaining positive relationships in your family. Apart from successfully running your business, you are probably challenged by addressing the various interests of family members who may be owners or employees – or both!
John Brooks
Rest assured, it is possible to balance the needs of the family with the demands of running a successful business. By helping your ownership group work well together and ensuring your business is governed effectively, Brooks Family Business can help you achieve the goals of your family and your business. To schedule a free consultation, contact John Brooks at 800.778.8769. Visit our website for a complete list of consulting services at BrooksFamilyBusiness.com.
Business experience. Ownership Experience. Consulting experience. Let’s face it: experience counts. And John Brooks has it. He understands the business issues, having worked in a wide range of management positions over 15 years for General Mills, a Fortune 500 company. John’s experience includes sales, operations, strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and financial management. He has also served on numerous business and non-profit boards, typically in leadership positions. He understands the ownership issues, based on over 30 years of active participation as a third-generation shareholder of Malt-O-Meal and Intek Plastics, which have combined sales of
over $500 million. Since the early 1980’s, John’s family has been meeting annually as a family council to discuss and act upon issues associated with their ownership of the businesses. Both companies have handled management succession effectively, and the family has successfully passed ownership from one generation to the next. And he understands that “best practices” are not always “best” for everyone, having helped family businesses achieve their goals for over 14 years with solutions that consider their unique traditions and culture.
Are you so busy running your business that family and shareholder issues take a back seat? You’re not alone. It’s an all-too common problem. You’re busy. You’re under constant pressure to make smart business decisions. It’s tough to find time for family and shareholder issues, such as that job application from your nephew and those requests for increased dividends. You know you shouldn’t put them off, but these issues are complicated and always seem packed with emotion. Bottom-line, the family has big expectations from the company, so that’s your first priority. And you’ve been thinking how great it would be to have the input of experienced, independent executives on company operations and strategy. How can you
find the time to find good directors and establish an effective board? That’s where Brooks Family Business can help. John works with you by designing and implementing a governance system that organizes the family ownership group and establishes an effective advisory board or formal board of directors. By acting now, when issues are relatively minor, you and your family will be better prepared to manage difficult family issues and critical business challenges like management succession and ownership transitions.
Brooks Family Business can help you achieve the goals of your family and business by helping your ownership group work well together and ensuring your business is governed effectively. Follow The Brooks Blog for John’s observations and recommendations on a variety of family business topics. John’s monthly newsletter, BFB Insights, provides proven, practical advice on how to address issues that challenge nearly every family business.
Minneapolis and Vero Beach offices
1-800-778-8769
BrooksFamilyBusiness.com