How Three Generations Built a Thriving Tile Business | The Family Biz Show Ep. 111
Release Date: 03/31/2025
Built To Last: Sustainable Success For Family-Owned Construction Businesses | The Family Biz Show Ep. 132
The Family Biz Show
Growth can look like success from the outside. But inside a family-owned construction business, growth can also create pressure, confusion, and decisions the original business model was never designed to handle. “You built something successful, but why does it feel harder to run?” “Why is every decision still coming back to you?” “How do you pass the business forward without damaging the family?” “What happens when wealth grows faster than communication?” “Are your advisors solving separate problems, or helping you see the whole picture?” This conversation gives you the...
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What Wealthy Parents Must Teach Their Children Early | The Family Biz Show Ep. 131
The Family Biz Show
If you are raising children in a wealthy family, you may wonder how to give them opportunity without taking away their drive. This conversation helps you understand what children need to learn early so wealth becomes a source of responsibility, not entitlement. “I want my kids to appreciate what they have.” “I don’t want comfort to make them soft.” “How do I talk about money without saying too much?” “How do I raise grounded children when life is already easier for them?” “What if I’m accidentally making things too easy?” This conversation gives you the answer. In this...
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The $84 Trillion Opportunity Most Family Businesses Are Missing | The Family Biz Show Ep. 130
The Family Biz Show
You can build a successful business… and still lose the family along the way. Most family business transitions don’t fail because of one catastrophic mistake. They fail because of small conversations that never happened. Because leadership wasn’t prepared. Because expectations were never aligned. Because no one wanted to ask the hard questions. “What happens when I step away?” “What if my kids don’t want the business?” “How do we protect both the company and the relationships?” “Why does every conversation about succession become emotional?” This conversation gives you...
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The Family Business Problems Legacy Can Solve | The Family Biz Show Ep. 129
The Family Biz Show
Most conversations about family business problems focus on what’s broken—conflict between generations, lack of succession clarity, or stalled growth. But what if many family business problems aren’t caused by dysfunction at all? What if they’re caused by something far less obvious—and far more fixable? In this episode of The Family Biz Show, Michael Palumbos sits down with second-generation owner Ed Delia to explore a different lens: many family business problems are not operational failures. They are translation failures. They come from businesses that have built something...
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Common Mistakes During Family Business Estate Planning | The Family Biz Show Ep. 128
The Family Biz Show
What if the biggest threat to your family business legacy isn’t taxes, markets, or competition… but the way your estate plan was designed? This episode challenges one of the most accepted beliefs in family wealth: that family businesses inevitably fail by the third generation. “Why does it feel harder to talk about wealth with my kids than it does to build the business?” “How do I prepare the next generation without losing control?” “What if my estate plan is protecting the money… but hurting the family?” “Why do successful business leaders struggle with family...
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How to Grow a Family Business Without Breaking The Family | The Family Biz Show Ep. 127
The Family Biz Show
What if you could grow your family business without losing the relationships that matter most? Too many family businesses succeed financially while quietly falling apart personally. This episode explores how to avoid that. “I feel like the business is creating distance in my family.” “Growth is bringing more pressure and conflict.” “How do we scale without losing trust?” “I don’t want success to come at the expense of relationships.” “Can family and business actually work together long term?” This conversation gives you the answer. In this episode, Christina Armentano,...
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Family Business Governance That Actually Works Across Three Generations | The Family Biz Show Ep. 126
The Family Biz Show
What if family business governance was less about formal rules—and more about having the right conversations before things break? If you work with family, you know the tension can feel personal fast. “Why does a small disagreement turn into something bigger?” “How do we keep family roles and business roles clear?” “What happens when the next generation wants to grow differently?” “How do we honor the founder without staying stuck?” This conversation gives you the answer. In this episode, you’ll hear from Peter Roberti of Adrian Jules, a third-generation custom clothing...
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What Makes a Family Business Last Across Generations | The Family Biz Show Ep. 125
The Family Biz Show
What actually keeps a family business alive across generations? And how do you protect both the business… and the family relationships that come with it? “Why does succession feel so complicated?” “How do you prepare your kids without creating entitlement?” “What happens when family dynamics start affecting business decisions?” “How do you know if the next generation truly wants this life?” This conversation gives you the answer. In this episode of The Family Biz Show, you’ll hear the powerful story of Domenic Cortese and Cortese Construction Services — a family business...
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Why Brand Can Make or Break Family Business Succession & Legacy | The Family Biz Show Ep. 124
The Family Biz Show
What if the biggest threat to your family business succession isn’t leadership… but your brand? What if the trust your family spent decades building disappears the moment leadership changes? “Why do customers only trust the founder?” “What happens when the next generation takes over?” “How do we protect our reputation across generations?” “What if our culture exists only in people’s heads?” “Can a family business survive without continuity?” This conversation gives you the answer. In this episode, Michael Palumbos sits down with Megan Lynch of Six Point Strategy to...
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Passing On the Family Business—Without Passing It Down | A Father-Daughter Story | The Family Biz Show Ep. 123
The Family Biz Show
What if the greatest way to protect your family business… was not passing it down at all? What happens when the next generation chooses family, balance, and a different future instead of the CEO seat? “I don’t know if I can do this.” “What if selling the company is the right decision?” “How do we preserve our family relationships through a major transition?” “What happens to employees when a family business gets acquired?” This conversation gives you the answer. In this episode, Brad and Olivia Mountz of Mountz Inc. share the deeply personal story behind navigating...
info_outlineWhat does it take to build a business that lasts for generations?
Not years.
Not decades.
Generations.
Have you ever wondered:
"Will the next generation want to join the business?"
"How do we pass leadership without losing momentum?"
"Can a family business continue growing while staying true to its roots?"
"What separates businesses that survive from those that disappear?"
This conversation offers a real-world example.
For more than 50 years, the Firkins family has built, expanded, and evolved Tile Wholesalers through changing markets, economic shifts, industry disruptions, and generational transitions.
In this episode, Michael Palumbos sits down with three generations of the Firkins family to explore the decisions, relationships, and leadership principles that helped transform a one-man operation into a thriving regional business.
Meet the Guests
Al Firkins founded Tile Wholesalers in 1972 after years of industry experience and a willingness to take a leap into entrepreneurship.
Dave Firkins, second-generation president, helped expand the company into commercial markets, modernize operations, and lead significant growth initiatives.
Kathryn Firkins, Vice President, provides a unique perspective on family relationships, communication, and the trust required to work alongside family members every day.
Conor Firkins, third-generation leader, shares how he is preparing to guide the business into its next chapter.
Thriving family businesses don't survive because they avoid change.
They survive because they embrace change while preserving the values that matter most.
The Firkins family demonstrates how trust, communication, service, and continuous learning can create a foundation strong enough to support multiple generations of leadership.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
- How trust strengthens leadership transitions
- Why customer service remains a competitive advantage
- How family businesses can adapt without losing their identity
- Why learning from previous generations matters
- How to prepare future leaders for success
- Why great teams are essential to long-term growth
- How family businesses remain competitive in changing markets
Every family business hopes to create something that lasts.
This conversation shows what that journey looks like in practice—through hard work, trust, adaptability, and a commitment to serving both customers and future generations.
If you're building a family business for the long term, this episode provides valuable lessons from a family that has successfully done it.
Ready to strengthen your family business and learn from other multi-generational leaders?
Listen to more conversations and access additional resources at: