Family Business Initiative

Helping South Florida Family Businesses Grow, Innovate, and Thrive Across Generations

About the Family Business Initiative

The Family Business Initiative, part of the Adams Center for Entrepreneurship at the Florida Atlantic Entrepreneurship Institute within Florida Atlantic University's College of Business, is dedicated to helping family-owned businesses build lasting success through innovation, strong leadership, and thoughtful succession planning.

Family businesses are the backbone of South Florida's economy. Whether navigating generational transitions, accelerating growth, or adapting to changing markets, these businesses face unique opportunities and challenges. The Family Business Initiative provides the expertise, education, and connections needed to help family firms remain competitive while preserving the values that define them.

Our mission is to strengthen family-owned businesses through research-based best practices, prepare Florida Atlantic students to lead and serve entrepreneurial and family enterprises, advance scholarship on family business, and foster collaboration across the University and the South Florida business community.

Areas of Focus

1. Governance
   • Strong governance creates the foundation for long-term success.
   • Building effective governance structures, advisory boards, and boards of directors
   • Developing successful leadership transition and succession strategies
   • Managing family relationships, communication, and conflict
   • Establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes
2. Strategy
   • Successful family businesses continuously adapt while preserving their legacy.
   • Planning for sustainable growth
   • Evolving organizational structures as the business expands
   • Competing effectively in changing markets
   • Building a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
3. Operations
   • People and processes drive long-term performance.
   • Addressing challenging personnel and family employment issues
   • Balancing day-to-day operations with innovation and new opportunities
   • Attracting, developing, and retaining talented non-family employees
   • Strengthening organizational culture and leadership
4. Finance
   • Sound financial planning supports both business success and family goals.
   • Modernizing financial and accounting systems
   • Estate planning, tax strategy, and wealth management
   • Balancing profitability, growth, stewardship, and long-term family objectives
   • Planning for business continuity and future generations

Programs and Services

Advisory Services
Receive confidential guidance from experienced family business advisors on topics including governance, succession planning, strategic planning, family dynamics, conflict resolution, organizational culture, innovation, human resources, and business growth.

Networking
Connect with fellow family business owners and leaders through events designed to encourage collaboration, peer learning, and the exchange of best practices.

Educational Programs
Learn from nationally recognized experts and experienced practitioners through seminars and presentations covering governance, succession planning, innovation, leadership, finance, tax strategy, estate planning, sales, marketing, and other topics critical to family business success.

Workshops
Participate in interactive workshops that provide practical tools and actionable strategies for addressing today's most pressing family business challenges.

CONTACT

If you are interested in sharing your expertise in family business and/or facilitating or conducting a workshop, please contact us at innovatefau@fau.edu.