While bringing in outsiders offers significant opportunities, it is not without risks, and the decision requires careful consideration of both the business and family dynamics.

The real challenge now lies in how organisations adapt their structures, decision-making models and ways of working to make AI genuinely useful.

For family businesses, 2026 is shaping up to be less about chasing the next big thing and more about stewardship and protecting what matters, while preparing for what’s coming.

Family businesses have long been the backbone of economies across the world, yet they often operate quietly, modest in posture, mighty in impact.

The most successful family businesses are those that find harmony between two often competing priorities: the immediate demands of today and the legacy they hope to build for tomorrow.

The idea of a management buyout (MBO) is fast gaining traction as a viable, and increasingly necessary, alternative to traditional succession.

If the first quarter of the 21st century has taught business leaders anything, it is that stability is no longer the norm, it is now the exception.

Imposter syndrome, the persistent belief that one’s success is undeserved and likely to be exposed, has moved from the realm of psychological curiosity to a strategic concern for family businesses.

Family enterprises are everywhere: small shops on high streets, manufacturing dynasties that have quietly scaled across borders, and tech founders who still ring in relatives on the board.

Founders who show up, talk and act like human beings instead of corporate robots, and let people in, are building serious momentum.

Who really has the power to influence and shape decisions in a family business?

Shareholders agreements are important to minimise potential conflicts in family firms

After four months of elevated confidence, September saw a return to levels seen in the first part of the year. The latest Lloyds Business...

In an era defined by rapid globalisation, digital disruption, and shifting consumer expectations, one business model continues to quietly...

Gender-based quotas are an effective way to challenge power structures and improve the number of women on major board committees, finds new research by emlyon business school. But ownership matters: state and institutional investors open the door, while family owners often keep it firmly shut. The study, conducted by Professor Jean-Luc Arregle, Professor of International Strategy at emlyon business school, and his co-authors investigated how national quotas and corporate owne

Family businesses are unlike any other form of enterprise. They are often built on legacies, shared identities, and deeply personal...

Discussions about leadership are everywhere – it’s all over LinkedIn, on podcasts and there’s plenty of quotes about vision, inspiration...

Family Business United is delighted to announce the launch of a new Family Business Management Programme in association with Brunel...

It usually starts quietly - on the drive back from a board meeting, or over a drink between siblings. A question, half-joking at first:...

Leaders who say one thing but do another aren’t just letting their teams down — they’re harming their own performance too, according to...