A free monthly e-zine with articles and tips from Family Business Experts who understand family values and business systems.

May 8, 2003 Issue #013 Family Business Experts

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In This Issue...

1. Our Managing Director Announces -

2. Business first family...Family first business

Family Mission Statements

3. Best Practices

See Family Mission Statements in Family section

4. Around the Family Business Experts web sites

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SPONSOR MESSAGE #1

1. Our Managing Director Announces -

What with Spring Break, Tax season, a major system "meltdown" and a major tune-up of the whole site preparatory for a Yahoo Directory listing, it's been a busy couple of months.

This issue is short, but it deals with a very important topic to family businesses.

The interaction between the family and the business is at the root of virtually every problem we encounter.

Although there is no "magic pill" to cure all problems, we deal in our new web page and this month's issue with a tool that can surely help - the Family Mission Statement.

Read below and visit our new page - learn why this statement is important, what it can do to help, and how you can create your family mission statement.

One of the most useful management concepts is leverage - and a family mission statement can give you tremendous leverage from a very modest investment of time.

Don Schwerzler, Managing Director
Family Business Experts

BizPlanBuilder [Jian] Helps you create your business plan quickly by organizing your thoughts into carefully scripted text. Great spread sheet templates for the financial projections. Includes resources and not just blanks to fill in.

Visit Jian's web site

SPONSOR MESSAGE #2

2. Business first family...Family first business:

Family Mission Statement - bring order from chaos

Many of you are familiar with company mission statements: a few words to several paragraphs that set the philosophical basis and direction of the organization. And many of you know how important we consider the company mission statement is for your family business.

One of the most basic factors we see in our family business consulting is the need to identify the basis of the family and business interaction, or as we describe it: "Are you a Business first family or a Family first business?".

The "how" for creating a family mission statement is deceptively simple.

Start by contemplating the mission of your own life. Each family member does this, and the variety of results will be fascinating.

Define your family. Sounds simple... but these days, blended and extended families complicate the picture for many family groups. But it is important at the outset to consider all the perspectives and factors that must be dealt with day-to-day.

Schedule a time to meet. Ah-ha... comes a tricky part. Often this is much easier said than done. But the foundation for success of this process is the interaction of the family, so time must be found on a regular basis. Period.

Write down what your family is all about. In our company mission statement section we have some guidelines and hints for actually writing mission statements... a key point is that they need not be too long or detailed. But, you must be able to use them for guidance. Sometimes a few paragraphs - perhaps a page or so should suffice. Keep it to what is really important. And it must be a consensus from the whole family - beware any family member who tries to turn it into his / her personal manifesto.

Post it in a prominent place in your house. It is a working document to be referred to often.

Use it to stay on track - let it be the guideline for individuals and collective decisions - after all, it is what you are really all about, and will provide guidance during the distractions of day-to-day living.

We have also included references to two experts to help you get a better felling for how to get this process up and running in your family, and to provide some examples of the success other families have had.

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is...

See our full article at

Family Mission Statement

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SPONSOR MESSAGE #3

4. Around the Family Business Experts web sites

Search the entire content site in two different ways

1. A search engine powered by ATOMZ has indexed all the pages on the site and will link you to those relating to any search term you enter.

2. A 'Table of contents' listing that will link you directly to any page / article you select. Visit often, and bookmark the search page in your browser so that you can get directly to the site. http://www.family-business-experts.com/start.html Site Table of Contents

Background information, testimonials to our service and understanding, and answers FAQ's [Frequently Asked Questions]. Family Business Experts

Family Mission Statement - order from chaos is added to the Mission Statement section.

There are several new articles accessible from this page on the left side navigation bar

And remember about our convenient new online billing with 100% assurance! Another step in our process of starting online business. Secure online payment