Generation Excellence Podcast

Jim Michelson is the chairman of SMZ and celebrates 56 years in the advertising business. He’s also my father and that makes this a unique conversation. If you’re interested in a real connection to the actual Mad Men era of the business, Jim shows who’s the best storyteller in the family... by a mile. While technology has changed our business (and almost every other) the principles Jim reminds us about remain timeless. I hope you walk away from this episode with a better sense of why and how SMZ has quietly been making noise for generations.

Christopher Klebba grew up in and around the family business. From a single gym to many Planet Fitness locations in the U.S. and Canada, Chris (father) and Christopher have built a family enterprise that now includes Smoothie King franchises, a unique bar/restaurant called Single Barrel Social and additional ideas in the hopper. Christopher is a student and teacher of leadership lessons and we’re lucky to get to learn from his experiences on this newest episode of GENeration EXcellence. Fire it up on your next workout...

Robert Schulte followed the “flight plan” of many second generation business owners by working in every aspect of the business. Machining, delivery, operating the lathe, computerizing the tooling and building of molds, and more. This episode captures that there aren’t really secrets of a fast-growing family enterprise, just a good deal of hard work around serving customers and embracing the principle of continuous improvement. Please enjoy the low key wisdom of Hi-Tech Mold & Engineering’s Robert Schulte.

Rob Shooks is one of the 4th generation owner-operators of Shooks Farm and Cellar 1914 in Northern Michigan. What does it take for a family farming operation to cross the 100 year mark? We’ll learn about how Rob’s analytical skills led the family to make a major shift into starting a winery. Rob shares dramatic stories from the business’s past and shows how the family is already embracing a 5th generation. We talk hoops and running, too. Enjoy a celebratory taste of Cellar 1914.

Scott Leibovitz is the president of Ari-El Enterprises a GENeration EXcellence-style business that acquires, develops and manages commercial real estate. In this episode Scott shares how the business was founded (and named) by his father, his earliest memories of the business and where the family envisions taking Ari-El in the future. I enjoyed talking with Scott about family, about business, and about family business. No surprise they are separate and intertwined at the same time.

We welcome Don Barnes III, president of Belle Tire to GENeration EXcellence. Don continues the family leadership legacy for this tire and automotive service retailer with over 130 stores in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. As Belle Tire nears their 100th anniversary, Don shares the applied wisdom of the Belle Tire “Belief System.” Want to learn about the Infinite Game. Don said that Belle Tire is halfway to 200 and will continue to grow and go. You will learn from this podcast, Period!

Elizabeth Mays a third-generation businesswoman who leapt out of Western Michigan University, having majored in Film, Video & Media Studies and Graphic & Printing Science to make her mark on a legacy printing business in Detroit. In this episode we go from the Tuskegee Airmen, to a business transitioning from analog to digital, to our nation’s endless struggles with racial injustice. Lace up the “roller skates” (you’ll learn) and enjoy Elizabeth’s energy and wisdom.

Martha Zehnder Kaczynski is one of the 4th generation owners of the Bavarian Inn family of businesses in Frankenmuth, Michigan. This is a jam-packed 30 minutes on 132 years of continuous operations, family creed, values, and a never-ending commitment to creating enjoyable experiences. I hope you enjoy and respect Martha’s knowledge of and passion for her family business. Quiz to follow on success vs. significance.

William Alexander is a passionate lecturer at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. We spent an hour (that flew by) talking about perpetuating and stewarding generational family businesses. We get to learn about “expert power” from an expert and touch on values, accountability, family constitutions, ... even Confucian culture. You won’t get this anywhere else!

A masterclass with Sandy Rosen, CEO of Great Lakes Recycling (GLR) and part of the third-generation leadership of a business founded by his grandfather in Detroit in 1927. From scrap paper and rags to today accepting plastic, e-waste and automotive materials GLR is the story of an honest, hardworking and caring recycling company.