In our feature article, we sit down with Jodi Berg, the president and CEO of Vitamix, to discuss how a relentless focus on purpose has made Vitamix a thriving fourth-generation family business. Berg also talks about why working outside Vitamix was essential and how the business is raising the next generation of family business leaders to be successful.
This issue also includes one of our favorite annual features: 19 women to watch in 2019! These inspiring women have demonstrated their power as models of female leadership and innovative entrepreneurs. They are having outsized impact in fields ranging from artificial intelligence to manufacturing to retail to technology.
In this issue’s “By the Numbers” infographic, we look at the state of family businesses and the increasing number of women who are leading their family businesses into the next generation.
In “Four Considerations Before You Start to Sell Your Business,” Christine Moriarty, founder of MoneyPeace Inc., discusses the importance of sustaining your business, building an exit strategy, knowing your values and the impact of a sale on family when considering the sale of a company.
Strong family business governance is a common and critical characteristic among family businesses that thrive for multiple generations. Each family’s approach to governance is unique and suited to its individual circumstance. In “Family Business Governance: What to Know Before Getting Started,” BBH’s Travis Dunn provides an overview of family business governance, including its definition, purpose, benefits, resource commitment and steps to begin implementation.
Finally, in “Five Questions,” Deborah Theobald, CEO and co-founder of Vecna Technologies, a Cambridge-based technology company, discusses the benefits of working with family, her company’s focus on impact and her belief in “using technology to improve the lives of those we touch."