Family businesses often focus on succession planning – but what about the transitions the business itself needs to grow and evolve? In this episode of Legacy: Navigating Family Business with Anne Bauer, sixth-generation family business leader, leadership coach, and energy practitioner Anne Bauer explores how businesses hold their own energetic path – separate from the people who steward them.

Anne shares candidly from her own journey as CEO of Racket, weaving in stories of resilience through six generations, lessons from the pandemic, and the power of honoring creativity in leadership. She introduces Bruce Feiler’s framework of transition – the Long Goodbye, the Messy Middle, and the New Beginning – and shows how these phases apply not only to families, but to businesses themselves.

This episode is especially for:
✅ Family business leaders navigating change beyond succession.
✅ Women in business balancing legacy with new beginnings.
✅ Entrepreneurs seeking clarity, creativity, and courage.
✅ Anyone curious about how leadership coaching and energy work can create space for new opportunities.

Plus, Anne offers an invitation to the upcoming Legacy Women’s Retreat – a two-day experience combining community, coaching, and energy work to help women leaders step into clarity and transformation.

🔗 Learn more: thelegacyevolution.com/retreat

In this solo episode of Legacy: Navigating Family Business, Anne Bauer reflects on how travel – whether across the globe or just across town – has shaped her journey as a sixth-generation family business owner and leader.

Anne opens up about the complex emotions and conflicting responsibilities that come with travel in a family business, especially for working parents and leaders. She shares how time away, when approached with intention, can become a powerful leadership tool – not just a luxury.

You’ll learn:

• Why intentional time in your own energy is essential for clarity, creativity, and sustainability in family business leadership
• The difference between a vacation and a true retreat – and why it matters
• How shifting your physical environment can unlock new insights for your business and yourself

Plus, Anne offers a personal invitation to the upcoming Legacy Women’s Retreat, designed exclusively for women in family business leadership, happening this October.

If you're a family business owner, next-gen leader, or part of a multigenerational enterprise, this episode will inspire you to rethink how and why you take time away – and how it can help you come back stronger.

🔗 Learn more and apply for the retreat: www.thelegacyevolution.com/retreat

In this powerful episode of Legacy: Navigating Family Business, Anne Bauer sits down with sixth-generation family business owner Kevin Hancock, Chairman and Managing Owner of Hancock Lumber, one of the oldest family businesses in America. Together, they explore Kevin’s unexpected leadership journey, from aspiring college basketball coach to transformative business leader.

Kevin opens up about the life-altering moment he developed spasmodic dysphonia, a rare voice disorder, during one of the most challenging economic periods for the lumber industry. What began as a personal challenge sparked a profound shift in leadership style—one that ultimately catalyzed organizational transformation.

Listeners will hear how Kevin’s decision to lean into employee empowerment, shared leadership, and decentralized decision-making turned adversity into an opportunity for deep healing—both within himself and throughout his company. This conversation is a must-listen for family business owners, operators, and anyone interested in the intersection of human-centered leadership and business resilience.

Key themes include:

• Leading a sixth-generation family business through change
• Dispersing power and cultivating voice in a legacy-driven organization
• Turning personal adversity into company-wide transformation
• Creating employee-centric cultures in multi-generational enterprises
• Business as a force for healing and human growth

🎧 Tune in and discover how trust, shared voice, and personal growth can lead to transformative leadership in your family business.

Show notes: You can learn more about Kevin’s work & writing at https://www.thebusinessofsharedleadership.com/

In this transformative episode of Legacy: Navigating Family Business with Anne Bauer, we explore a revolutionary concept for family business leaders, especially Rising Gen and Next Gen successors: your business has its own energetic identity – separate from yours. Anne Bauer, a 6th-generation family business owner, coach, and energy healer, introduces the idea of working with the energy of your business rather than pushing against it.

Perfect for new leaders navigating generational transition, delegation challenges, or the emotional weight of inherited legacy, this episode offers a fresh lens to view leadership, stewardship, and sustainable growth. Learn how energetic boundaries can ease succession, reduce burnout, and create space for intuitive decision-making and authentic innovation.

Whether you're stepping into a leadership role, preparing to receive the reins, or redefining your relationship with a legacy business – this episode is your invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and lead with greater clarity and alignment.

To learn more go to www.thelegacyevolution.com 

In this inspiring episode of Legacy: Navigating Family Business, Anne Bauer sits down with Briana Borten – founder of Dragontree Spas, co-author of The Well Life, and co-creator of the Dragontree Life Coaching Program. Briana shares the deeply personal and entrepreneurial journey she and her husband Peter have navigated in building a thriving, values-driven family business. From humble beginnings painting spa walls together to co-leading a multi-faceted wellness company, Briana reflects on the evolving nature of partnership, leadership, and staying aligned in a shared mission. Anne and Briana explore the dynamics of being co-founders and co-parents, the balance of defined roles vs. creative overlap, and what it really takes to grow a soulful business while keeping your marriage and family strong. Whether you're in business with a partner or just curious about blending life and leadership, this episode is rich with wisdom on collaboration, intentional growth, and honoring individuality within unity.

In this foundational episode of Legacy: Navigating Family Business, Anne Bauer dives deep into the core of her transformative framework: the Three Pillars of Legacy. 

Discover how clear communication, healthy boundaries, and energetic awareness work together – not as a checklist for perfection, but as an interconnected braid that supports the healing, growth, and evolution of family businesses. 

Anne shares insights from her personal journey, practical tools for deepening relationships, and powerful reflections on why these pillars matter more than ever in today’s complex family business dynamics. 

Whether you’re a business owner, team leader, or next-generation successor, this episode offers grounded wisdom and an invitation to embody change from the inside out.

In this episode of Legacy: Navigating Family Business, Anne Bauer talks with Melissa Hildebrand Reed, 4th-generation Operations Manager at Hildebrand Farms Dairy near Junction City, Kansas. Melissa shares her journey from college to the family dairy, where she now works alongside multiple relatives & a team of employees to bottle and distribute milk across the state.

She opens up about the blessings & challenges of working with family, her philosophy around raising the next generation on the farm, and how setting healthy boundaries has helped their business – and relationships – thrive. 

🎧 Tune in for real talk on family, farming, and building a legacy.

Hildebrand Farms Dairy

https://www.hildebrandfarmsdairy.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HildebrandFarmsDairy

https://www.instagram.com/hildebrand_farms_dairy/

In today’s episode of Legacy: Navigating Family Business, we’re diving into a topic that’s close to my heart – and incredibly important for anyone navigating the unique world of family business: Healthy Boundaries. If you’ve been with us for a while, you know how much I believe in the power of boundaries. They’re one of the three pillars of creating a lasting legacy, alongside clear communication and energetic awareness. Why? Because healthy boundaries help foster balance, growth, and harmony within both your family and your business.

If you’re a new leader in a family business, you know how tricky it can be to balance personal relationships with professional responsibilities. But setting clear, thoughtful boundaries doesn’t just reduce stress – it creates opportunities for deeper connection and business growth.

In this episode, we’ll talk about:

• The unique challenges family businesses face when setting boundaries (and how to turn them into opportunities!)
• How healthy boundaries can help you navigate family dynamics while leading with confidence
• Practical tips for distinguishing between your family roles and your business roles
• The power of self-awareness and communication in creating stronger, more resilient relationships

If you’re looking for a little guidance, support, or just a reminder that you’re not alone in this journey, this episode is for you. Tune in and discover how creating healthy boundaries can lead to a more peaceful, productive, and thriving family business.

Want to learn more? Hop over to www.thelegacyevolution.com and look for the pop-up to receive my FREE guide: 5 Pitfalls of Family Business and How to Avoid Them

In today’s episode, we’re tackling one of the biggest challenges in multi-generational family businesses: how to start the conversation. Whether you’re part of the rising generation entering the family business or a seasoned family member, navigating sensitive topics can feel intimidating – especially when you’re unsure how to bring up ideas, challenges, or opportunities for change.

We dive into why these conversations can be particularly difficult for the rising generation, who may be bringing fresh perspectives to an established family business. Learn practical strategies for opening the lines of communication, building trust, and tackling those tough discussions with family members like parents, siblings, and grandparents.

If you're ready to navigate these tricky conversations and create healthier communication in your family business, this episode is for you!

In this episode of Legacy: Navigating Family Business, we chat with Dawn Kennedy, CEO of Convoy Road Coffee Roasters in Van Wert, Ohio, about how a Christmas gift turned into a thriving family business. What started as a hobby of roasting coffee at home with her husband, Mike, grew into a multi-generational venture, fueled by passion and family.

This is a longer episode but if you're a fan of coffee, you will LOVE this deep dive into a family's passion project turned multi-generational business! (For a little snapshot into the Kennedy’s family business story, check out the featured article in our latest issue of Legacy Magazine: www.thelegacyevolution.com/magazine)

Show notes: 

Convoy Roach Coffee Roasters: https://convoyroadcoffee.com/

Dawn & Mike’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ConvoyRoadCoffeeRoasters