From Blank Page to Global Field: The Origins of Family Business Review

WEEKLY EDITION • April 1, 2026

The creation of Family Business Review (FBR) was not inevitable. It began with a conversation among scholars and practitioners who believed that family business deserved its own field of study.

In a recent discussion, early editors Ivan Lansberg, Kelin Gersick, and Joe Astrachan reflected on those formative years—how the journal grew from what Lansberg described as “a blank piece of paper on the deck” into a globally respected academic publication.