Minding the Gap: How Advisors Empower Founders to Address Transition
Drawing on survey findings and the experiences of hundreds of family enterprise advisors, Dennis Jaffe and Chris Graves examine the psychological, relational, and practical barriers that often stall transition planning.
Frozen Narratives: Why Old Feelings Keep Showing Up
Family enterprise conflicts are not always about the issue at hand. Rebecca Meyer and Carolyn Greenspon introduce the concept of "frozen narratives" and explore how unresolved interpretations of the past can shape governance, relationships, and decision-making for years to come.
The Art of the Great Question: A Cross-Cultural Framework for Deeper Client Conversations in Family Enterprise
In the fifth article in our 2026 series from FFI Virtual Study Groups, Hamza Nidaazzi and Dave Specht of the VSG for Africa examine what makes a question truly effective, especially across cultures.
Rip off the Band-Aid: When a Faster Succession Is the Right Succession
In this third issue of our 2026 series from BanyanGlobal, Rebecca Yu and Rob Lachenauer challenge the conventional wisdom of a slow succession process, arguing that, in some cases, prolonged transitions can create ambiguity, undermine new leadership, and ultimately delay the very change they are intended to support.
FFI Practitioner: Most Popular Articles of the First Half of 2026
As we reach the midpoint of 2026, we're taking a moment to look back at the editions that resonated most with our readers.
A Reflection on Family Trusts as the Longest-Lived Family Members
Family trusts are typically viewed as legal and financial structures, but what if they are also members of the family system?
The Fifth Inheritance: Can Artificial Intelligence Transmit Judgment Across Generations?
As artificial intelligence reshapes how knowledge is captured and shared, family enterprises face a provocative new question: Can judgment itself be inherited?
Prenuptial Agreements as Wealth Governance: A Framework for Family Office Leadership
Prenuptial agreements are often viewed primarily as legal documents designed to protect assets in the event of divorce.
The Geek Way in Family Businesses: Moving from Intuition to Long-Term Sustainability Without Losing the Family Soul
Family businesses often balance two powerful forces: the emotional bonds that sustain the enterprise and the governance structures needed to ensure long-term success.
Stop Calling It Succession: How Language Is Sabotaging Family Enterprise Transitions
How we frame family enterprise transitions matters. In this thought-provoking article, Jean Meeks-Koch argues that the language commonly used by advisors—particularly the term succession—may inadvertently create resistance among founders by signaling loss, replacement, and diminished relevance.
Reflection on Ghosts in a Family System
In this week’s edition of FFI Practitioner, Jay Hughes, Mary Duke, and Stacy Allred offer the second in their 2026 series of Reflections on Family Flourishing, a companion to their upcoming new book.
Passing the Torch: Leadership, Legacy, and the Future of Family Business Scholarship
To continue the conversation with Family Business Review editors—Pramodita Sharma, G. Tyge Payne, and Donald Neubaum—join the FFI Practitioner podcast to discuss the evolution of the journal and the growing maturity of the family business field during their tenure.
Advisor Development That Lasts: Aligning Culture, Coaching, and Collaboration
In family enterprise and wealth advisory environments, development is rarely an individual endeavor.
Welcoming the Second Trustee
The transition from a first trustee to a second trustee represents a pivotal moment in the life of a family system shaped by trusts.
The Fiduciary Vacuum: AI Adoption, Trust Law Erosion, and the Governance Gap in Family Enterprise Succession
What happens when artificial intelligence meets a rapidly evolving fiduciary landscape?
Mediated Prenups for Children of Wealth Embarking on Marriage
Prenuptial agreements are often treated as purely legal instruments, but for families of wealth, they carry significant emotional, relational, and systemic implications.
Context Matters: Understanding Latin American Family Firms Through Culture and Continuity
In the fourth article in a series from FFI Virtual Study Groups, contributors examine how context shapes the practice of advising family enterprises in Latin America.
What to do When Owning your Family Business Has Become an Obligation Instead of a Privilege
As an advisor working with family enterprises, it is important to recognize when ownership begins to feel like an obligation rather than a choice for next-generation members.
From Blank Page to Global Field: The Origins of Family Business Review
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.
When Succession Goes Public: How NextGens Build Legitimacy Beyond the Boardroom
Succession has traditionally been negotiated behind closed doors—within families, boards, and leadership teams.