The Inadvertent Multigenerational Family Business: Secrets of Longevity
Multigenerational family businesses are a testament to the Evergreen 7Ps, particularly their importance through decades, if not a century, of technological advances, economic cycles, interpersonal family dynamics and competition both domestically and abroad.
Tugboat Institute Summit guest speaker Spencer Burke is an expert in guiding families and their businesses through these inevitable challenges in his work at The St. Louis Trust Company and Washington University in St. Louis. His deep understanding of their history and practices has allowed him to synthesize and share specific strategies that enable multigenerational businesses to thrive for the long haul. As Burke states in his talk, “It’s not a straight line. … Sometimes you need to reinvent yourself and keep moving forward.”
Update from Rebecca Rusch
As a seven-time ultra-endurance mountain bike world champion, Rebecca Rusch exemplifies Perseverance. In 2017, Rebecca set out on a deeply personal odyssey in search of her father’s Vietnam War crash site and final resting place along the 1,200-mile Ho Chi Minh Trail — a journey documented in the film "Blood Road." At our most recent Tugboat Institute Summit, Rebecca gave us a preview of her enormous project and the inspiration that led to the most important ride of her life.
First Starting Out
Some leaders know from day one that they want to build an Evergreen company — lasting, purpose-driven and private. For others, it takes a mentor, a life-changing event or a new idea to realize the kind of legacy they want to leave. At last year’s Tugboat Institute Summit, our members shared the watershed moment that brought them on the Evergreen path.
Featuring: Amy Simmons, Stephane Fitch, Steven Jacob, Jay Wilkinson, Courtney Kingston and Jairemy Drooger.
Original Values
Our parents are often our first teachers and shape who we become. The values we learn from them become the foundations of our lives. In this candid Tugboat Institute Summit video, a few of our members reflect on the most important lessons from their parents.
Featuring: Carrie Van Winkle Greener, Jay Wilkinson, Amy Simmons, Jair Drooger, Daniel Goldstein, Courtney Kingston, Stephane Fitch and Steven Jacob.
VIDEO: Evergreen Description
If you would like to watch the complete panel interview with Dave Whorton (The Tugboat Group CEO), Amy Simmons (Amy’s Ice Creams President), and C.Richard Panico (Integrated Project Management CEO) on how to build a business to last 100 years, please click here.
Engineering a Comeback: From Biggest Crisis to Best Year Ever in 18 Months
Jessica Rovello is the co-founder and CEO of Arkadium, an online gaming company based in Ukraine and the U.S. that provides brands and publishers with interactive, brand-safe content. In early 2014, when 100 of her Ukraine-based employees were affected by the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, Rovello’s commitment to Perseverance and putting People First was put to the test.
In her talk, Rovello walks us through a chronological series of geopolitical business challenges that nearly shut down her company. Through sheer grit and determination, Arkadium, within 18 months, went from the edge of despair to its highest year of revenue and profitability, all while solidifying its unique company culture.
Successful Habits
Grit, persistence, not taking no for an answer — these are some contributing factors that have helped our CEOs drive toward success. In this short video from Tugboat Institute Summit 2017, our members reflect on what’s made the biggest difference in their careers and what they continue to do each day to be successful.
Featuring: Robert Glazer, John Keatley, Jim Creel, Bryan Pape, Ross Evans and Rick Sutton.
Creating an Engaged Board
The roles and responsibilities of an Evergreen company board differ significantly from that of a publicly traded or exit-oriented company board. The dynamics between board, management, owners and family are more nuanced, with board influence varying significantly depending on the governance structure of the particular company. Chip Dickinson, CEO of sixth-generation E. Ritter & Company, has extensive experience with boards of directors and boards of advisers and shared his wisdom at last year’s Tugboat Institute Summit.
In his talk, Dickinson provides a helpful framework for the different types of boards that an Evergreen business can adopt, while explaining why an engaged board of directors is key to a company’s success.
Trident Takeaways
American hero, Tugboat Fellow and business consultant Commander Rorke Denver is back on our stage giving us an update on his new projects and a few more memorable Trident Takeaways. We are grateful for the support Rorke’s shown to our Evergreen community. Most notably, Rorke shares with us what it means to constantly improve your position and reach for an extra inch.
Step One: Know Yourself
“We all look to be something great and leave our mark on this world,” says John Keatley, celebrated Seattle-based portrait photographer. Photography was a side hobby for Keatley until a chance conversation awoke his passion to pursue it professionally. But it hasn’t always been easy. In a field where technical and editorial skills are commonplace, it is difficult to create a voice that is unique to the artist.
In his talk, Keatley shares the importance of truly knowing oneself and being authentic in the work that we produce as the key to lasting success — a guiding message that is relevant to us all irrespective of profession.
