Cornell University's Smith Family Business Initiative and University of St. Thomas Family Business Center: A conversation with Dann Van Der Vliet and Jon Keimig. | The Family Biz Show Ep. 134
Release Date: 09/08/2026
Cornell University's Smith Family Business Initiative and University of St. Thomas Family Business Center: A conversation with Dann Van Der Vliet and Jon Keimig. | The Family Biz Show Ep. 134
The Family Biz Show
Where can family business owners turn when the hardest challenges aren’t just about running the company—but navigating the family behind it? You don’t have to figure out the complexities of family business alone. “Who can we talk to about the issues we can’t discuss anywhere else?” “How do we start conversations about succession before it becomes urgent?” “How do we prepare the next generation without pushing them into the business?” “How can we make better decisions together as our family and business grow more complex?” “Everything is going well. Why should we start...
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How ESOPs Help Family Business Owners Exit Without Losing Their Legacy | The Family Biz Show Ep. 40
The Family Biz Show
What if you could step away from your family business without walking away from everything you've built? What if your exit strategy could protect your people, preserve your culture, and secure your legacy for generations to come? "I've spent decades building this business. How do I leave without losing it?" "I don't want to sell to a buyer who will change everything we've worked for." "Is there a way to retire while keeping our employees and company values intact?" "How do I create an exit plan that benefits both my family and my team?" This conversation gives you the answer. In this episode...
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The #1 Mistake That Could Cost You MILLIONS When Selling Your Business | The Family Biz Show Ep. 133
The Family Biz Show
Ready to sell your business? What if one mistake could cost you millions before negotiations even begin? "Am I really getting the best price?" "What if my business isn't worth what I think?" "Should I accept the first offer?" "How do buyers actually value my company?" "What if I'm not as prepared as I thought?" This conversation gives you the answer. In this episode of The Family Biz Show, Michael Palumbos sits down with Cameron Bishop, Partner and Managing Director at Raincatcher, to uncover the costly mistakes business owners make before selling their companies. From owner dependency and...
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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...
info_outlineWhere can family business owners turn when the hardest challenges aren’t just about running the company—but navigating the family behind it?
You don’t have to figure out the complexities of family business alone.
“Who can we talk to about the issues we can’t discuss anywhere else?”
“How do we start conversations about succession before it becomes urgent?”
“How do we prepare the next generation without pushing them into the business?”
“How can we make better decisions together as our family and business grow more complex?”
“Everything is going well. Why should we start preparing now?”
This conversation shows you where to start.
In this episode of The Family Biz Show, Michael Palumbos sits down with Dann Van Der Vliet of Cornell University’s Smith Family Business Initiative and Jon Keimig of the University of St. Thomas Family Business Center for an inside look at how university-based family business programs educate, connect, and support business families.
While their programs operate differently, Dann and Jon share a common mission: helping family businesses navigate challenges that extend far beyond day-to-day operations.
From educational programs and peer groups to research, community events, and opportunities for next-generation leaders, family business centers can give families something that is often difficult to find elsewhere—a trusted environment to ask questions, learn from other families, and have conversations they may have been avoiding.
Dann Van Der Vliet has spent more than two decades working in family business education. At Cornell, he has helped build an ecosystem connecting students, alumni, family business owners, researchers, practitioners, and family office executives through education, outreach, and research.
Jon Keimig leads the University of St. Thomas Family Business Center, whose roots date to 1991. His work is primarily community-facing, supporting family businesses through educational programming, peer groups, executive education, and opportunities for families to learn from one another.
Together, they reveal an important truth: family business support is ultimately about people, relationships, and trust.
Dann describes family business centers as being in the “trust business.” Families often arrive believing they are the only ones dealing with difficult dynamics. Meeting other business families can change that perspective and create a safe environment for conversations that may not happen with an attorney, accountant, or even around the family table.
And those conversations don’t have to begin with complicated structures.
Dann introduces the distinction between “little g governance” and “big G governance.” Big G governance includes formal policies, bylaws, boards, and other structures. Little g governance can begin much more simply—with good communication.
Sometimes that means sitting down with a parent and asking:
What is your plan for me?
Would you ever sell the business?
What happens when you die?
The questions may be uncomfortable, but starting these conversations early can prepare families for the decisions that become more complicated as the business grows and generations multiply.
Dann and Jon also explain why the best time to prepare may be when everything is going well. Waiting for retirement, conflict, an unexpected death, a market disruption, or another crisis can make already difficult decisions even harder.
Family business centers give families an opportunity to start learning and preparing before they reach that point.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
- Why family business centers can provide a trusted community for owners and families who feel isolated
- How Cornell University’s family business initiative combines education, outreach, and research
- How the University of St. Thomas Family Business Center supports family businesses through community programming and peer learning
- Why trust is at the heart of effective family business education
- How “little g governance” can start with better family communication
- Why difficult conversations about succession, retirement, ownership, and the next generation shouldn’t be postponed
- How family business centers help next-generation leaders explore whether joining the business is right for them
- Why spouses matter even when they aren’t employees or owners
- How communication “triangles” can prevent families from dealing directly with difficult issues
- Why increasing success and multiple generations can create greater complexity
- Why families should prepare for the future while the business and relationships are strong
You don’t have to wait for a crisis to seek support.
Whether you’re an owner thinking about the future, a next-generation family member deciding where you fit, or an advisor working with business families, this conversation offers a closer look at the communities and resources available to help family businesses communicate, prepare, and make more informed decisions together.
Want more conversations and practical insights designed specifically for family businesses?
Explore more episodes of The Family Biz Show and discover insights to help your family business navigate leadership, succession, communication, and long-term continuity: