Can you believe that January is almost behind us? That means February and Valentine’s Day are just around the corner! Unlike Christmas or Thanksgiving, however, we don’t know much about the origins of Valentine’s Day. So I looked it up. What I learned is that Valentine’s Day is steeped in early Christian and Roman tradition. Its folklore includes a few different versions of an early Catholic saint named Valentine, who ultimately gave his life in the name of love – for different reasons. (Of course, that’s the Cliff Note version.)
Interestingly enough, I see a lot of St. Valentine’s fate playing out in family businesses today. But unlike Valentine’s Day, I don’t see a reason to celebrate. Let me explain.
Over the last few years of working intimately with Gen 1 family business leaders, I find that some of them fall madly, deeply in love with building a successful business. Their passion to build success overshadows what I believe is the most successful component of any family business – the family. As a result, feelings get hurt, pride gets wounded and progress becomes stymied.
Love is critical to the success of every family business. But it can ruin your business if it’s not directional, proportional and intentional to your company’s success. If you feel that the love in your family business is misaligned, we can help. We can work closely with your family business to provide a healthy perspective on your relationships. Through our ReGENERATION Partners’ Experiences (RPXP), for example, we custom-tailor events that help your family avoid the fate of St. Valentine. Give us a call. We can help!
-Elle Hansen
