In this episode of Family Business Matters, host Amelia Renkert-Thomas

welcomes Nikin Shah, founding partner at Front Porch Venture Partners. Nikin shares his personal journey of growing up around his family’s business, co-leading it with his brother, and ultimately making the decision to sell.

Together, they explore the emotional, strategic, and financial dimensions of selling a family business — challenging the notion that selling equals failure. Nikin offers insights into how families can redeploy their capital post-sale and how the experience shaped his own path forward.

Whether you're a family business owner, advisor, or student of enterprise governance, this conversation offers valuable lessons on leadership, legacy, and letting go.

Host: Steve Miller

In this episode of The Family Enterprise Center,host Steve Miller

sits down with Craig Stephenson, President and CEO of COC Properties, to explore the transformative power of good governance in family enterprises. Craig shares his leadership journey, the pivotal moment that led to formalizing their board, and how independent directors have helped unlock strategic potential and build trust among family shareholders. Listeners will gain insights into building a board that sees beyond the present and supports long-term value creation.

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Host: Cooper Biersach

In this episode, Cooper Biersach is joined by Chris Maslin — VP of HR and Organizational Development at The Biltmore Company—to unpack the essential elements of a strong family employment policy. Together, they explore how intentional policy design can reduce conflict, clarify roles, and support rising generation development. Listeners will walk away with a practical framework, key questions to ask, and strategies for balancing family harmony with business needs. Whether you're starting from scratch or updating an existing policy, this conversation offers both insights and action steps to help you build a policy that truly works.

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Cooper Biersach chats with Ted Wentz of Quadratec about his unique path back to the family business—one that began with launching his own venture first. Ted shares honest reflections on the gritty realities of entrepreneurship, earning your place in a family firm, and the importance of “doing the time” before stepping into leadership. They also dive into navigating relationships with family members and leading non-family employees in a way that’s both effective and inclusive.

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Cooper Biersach interviews Cathy Carroll—author of Hug of War and President of Legacy Onward—for a deep dive into polarity thinking. They explore how to move beyond either/or mindsets into both/and conversations that unlock new possibilities for families and leaders. The episode features real-life examples of common polarity tensions and how to navigate them, plus a walkthrough of polarity mapping with worksheets linked in the episode notes.

Episode Notes:

Cooper Biersach sits down with Josh Gentine (MBA ’13) to explore his path back to the family business, Sargento, and the parallel journey he’s built as a family business consultant. Josh shares insights on balancing multiple professional identities, fostering two-way communication across generations, and engaging next-gens in ways that reflect their passions and strengths—not just tradition. From personal experience to professional frameworks, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how clarity and curiosity can strengthen family enterprise for the long term.

Episode Notes 

Cooper Biersach sits down with Durant Bell to unpack the long road home to the family business, Bell Partners. After building a successful career and reaching the partner track at an outside firm, Durant made the difficult decision to return—but on his own terms. He reflects on choosing not to come back right away, even when his family hoped he would, and how that decision shaped his leadership. From starting over to proving himself within the organization, Durant shares honest insights on building trust, navigating family dynamics, and what it really takes to lead in a multigenerational business.

Episode Notes 

Episode Notes: 

Episode Notes