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Anne Eiting Klamar had not been groomed to succeed her father in the family business. In fact, she embarked on an entirely different career. But when it turned out she needed to run the family business, she stepped into her father’s shoes. And she quickly found out they didn’t fit her.

Through SEED Beauty, the Nelson family has disrupted both the traditional cosmetics company model and the notion of what it means to be a family in business.

Through SEED Beauty, the Nelson family has disrupted both the traditional cosmetics company model and the notion of what it means to be a family in business.

It’s extremely rare for a fifth-generation family business to still be in the same industry they started out in. So, how did an 88-year-old family business Schurz Communications leave the traditional communications industry without leaving any of their family members behind? They have to pivot, but as they did so, how did they make sure none of the family members get left behind? Todd Schurz of Schurz Communications describes his family’s successful transition to a new industry.

No matter how often we hear the phrase “unprecedented times” in reference to the coronavirus, fourth-generation family business Pella Corporation knows that they have seen times like these before. Chairman Adam Farver has dozens of examples of difficult situations and market downturns. Family businesses will lead the way through this not-unprecedented crisis.

Reviewers described Radio Flyer as “Americana on four wheels,” but just because it was beloved didn’t mean it would last forever. Soon after joining his multi-generational family owned business, Robert Pasin learned the company was in trouble. Though the company hadn’t changed, consumer preferences had. How could they gain a competitive advantage without losing everything that made Radio Flyer an iconic part of Americans’ childhood memories?

Coming June 14 2020 from Kellogg's Center for Family Enterprises and Esther Choy at Leadership Story Lab, Family IN Business features stories of leaders, their families, and the family enterprises they transformed. Storytelling is a great way to learn and be inspired. The stories you will hear from Family IN Business are the ones you can relate to, they might be battles you’re already fighting. These stories contain practical wisdom so that you don’t have to learn everything alone or the hard way.