The Road to Why

At the age of three, Ed Hajim was kidnapped by his father, driven cross-country, and told his mother had died.  As his father tried to find work overseas during the Great Depression, Ed spent his childhood in a string of foster homes and orphanages.

Despite these dire circumstances, Ed earned a scholarship to attend the University of Rochester, served in the U.S. Navy, graduated from Harvard Business School and went on to build an extraordinary career on Wall Street.  As a philanthropist, Ed has supported numerous charitable organizations through his family foundation.

In today’s episode, Ed shares his story and life lessons, which you can read much more about in two books he recently published: On the Road Less Traveled and The Island of the Four P’s – a Modern Fable about Preparing for Your Future.

In the episode we will learn:

• (2:13) – Where does Ed’s story begin?
• (6:06) – What does Ed remember about his father’s relationship with him and wealth?
• (8:10) – How important is education to Ed?
• (10:25) – What interested Ed in the financial services industry?
• (13:47) – What, beyond his analytical ability, was the key to Ed’s success in the financial services industry?
• (15:44) – What does Ed mean when he says ‘You should never start anything from scratch’?
• (17:55) – What are some life lessons that Ed has for parents raising children from a position of wealth?
• (21:12) – Why is family so important to Ed?
• (22:44) – What is the “Why” that drives Ed?
• (25:27) – What did Ed find out about his family from a forgotten suitcase of letters?
• (28:24) – How does Ed feel his childhood affected him?
• (29:49) – What does Ed believe to be the four pillars of success in life?

Nikè Anani is the Director of Next Gen Advisory at Northern Trust. She grew up in an enterprising family in Nigeria, where her father, a self-made entrepreneur, founded and ran their family business.   At the age of nine, Nikè relocated to the United Kingdom with her mother and two siblings in search of a better life as her father remained in Nigeria to run the family business.  Sixteen years later, Nikè returned to Nigeria where she learned that her father’s “family business” had grown significantly over the years into a large-scale business enterprise. 

In this episode, Nikè shares how her experience shadowing her father, and ultimately running his family office, shaped her decision to devote her career to helping the next generation of wealth inheritors realize their potential.

What we discuss:

• (2:00) – What was Nikè’s upbringing like?
• (4:09) – What was it like moving from Nigeria to the UK?
• (5:31) – How was life for Nikè in the UK until she moved back to Nigeria?
• (8:18) – How did Nikè transition to working in her father’s business?
• (10:34) – How did Nikè’s involvement in the family business affect her relationship with her siblings?
• (13:07) – What are some of the challenges of being part of a family-owned business?
• (15:11) – If Nikè could go back in time, what would she like to have done differently during her on-boarding to the family business?
• (17:19) – What are some effective strategies for transitioning wealth or business ownership from one generation to the next?
• (20:17) – Why can there sometimes be hesitancy towards having conversations about wealth and legacy between generations?
• (22:10) – What is the difference between the next-gen and the rising-gen?
• (24:27) – Why is it important for the next-gen to form peer groups and communities?
• (26:47) – What is the ‘why’ that drives Nikè?
• (27:23) – What does Nikè’s father think of her new role?
• (28:43) – How have Nikè’s life experiences and her role with Northern Trust influenced the way she teaches her own children about wealth?

Brian Adam is the owner and President of Milwaukee-based Olympus Group, a 120-year-old company that started as an American flag manufacturer and over the years has expanded to become a world-class custom printing business and the largest mascot manufacturer in the U.S.

In this episode, Brian shares how his father bought Olympus when it was on the brink of bankruptcy and later sold the company to Brian. Under Brian’s leadership, Olympus Group has continued to grow, and along the way Brian has built a framework with his father and brother for working together to expand the family’s investments into other start-up businesses in the spirit of building a “family enterprise”.

Learn more in the book that Brian co-wrote with Dave Fellman, Rules Of Engagement: A Guide To Better Communication And Better Relationships With Everyone Who Is Important To Your Business.

In the episode we will learn:

• (2:09) - How did Brian get started with Olympus Group?
• (3:56) – What did the deal between Brian and his father for the company look like?
• (6:44) – How did the sale of the business play into the family’s overall wealth strategy?
• (8:14) – What shaped Brian’s advisory board?
• (9:51) – What kind of people are on Brian’s advisory board?
• (11:17) – What is the why that keeps Brian working hard at Olympus Group?
• (13:53) - How does Brian incentivize his workforce?
• (16:37) – What are some key takeaways from Brian’s book, ‘Rules of Engagement’?
• (18:39) – What are the core values Brian is trying to instill in his own children?
• (20:53) – How did Brian get into the mascot manufacturing game?
• (22:50) – What was Brian’s first mascot-related claim to fame?
• (25:06) – What advice does Brian have for any young entrepreneurs listening?
• (27:28) – How do you cultivate a healthy work culture?

Scott O’Neil is one of the most innovative executives in the entertainment and sports industries.  As CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Scott oversaw the company’s portfolio including the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils.  Scott has also served as President of Madison Square Garden and was Alternate Governor for the NBA and NHL for over a decade.

Last year Scott made a significant career change, moving to London to become the CEO of Merlin Entertainments, the world's second-largest visitor attraction operator, overseeing attractions such as Madame Tussauds, The London Eye, and LEGOLAND.

In this episode, Scott shares some of the principles he lives by both at home and at the office and how he and his wife are instilling those values in the next generation.

Learn more about Scott’s story in his book Be Where Your Feet Are.

We’ll also find out:

(2:08) – How did Scott’s upbringing shape the person he is today?

(8:44) – How did culture and innovation fuel the success of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment?

(9:55) – How did the 76ers turn struggle into success during Scott’s tenure?

(13:40) – How do Scott and his wife instil values in their three daughters?

(15:30) – Why does Scott view failure as a good thing?

(19:34) – Why is it important to “assume positive intent” in business and in life? 

(21:12) – What is Scott’s “WMI”?

(22:34) – Why does Scott believe it is important to “ruthlessly prioritize”?

(24:17) – What impact did Scott’s mentor, the late NBA Commissioner David Stern, have on his life?

In 1999, Tiffany Taylor and Leon Chen started a business delivering hot-from-the-oven cookies out of Leon’s college apartment in Austin, Texas. Today, Tiff’s Treats has 90 stores across the U.S., 1,800 employees and continues to grow. But their road to success wasn’t exactly easy.

In this episode, Tiffany and Leon discuss the challenges they encountered as they built Tiff’s Treats over the past 20 years, the importance of embracing failure as a tool for growing your business, and insights into teaching your children about hard work and perseverance.

Learn more about Tiffany and Leon’s story in their bestselling book It's Not Just Cookies.

We’ll also find out:

(1:50) – How did Tiff’s Treats start?

(5:16) - What were some of the failures Tiff and Leon encountered (and learned from) along the way to success?

(7:07) - Why is it important to be open about your failures as well as successes?

(8:16) - How did Tiff and Leon’s upbringings shape their career paths?

(10:09) - What are some of the values Tiff and Leon want to impart to their children?

(11:34) – What are Tiff and Leon’s core family values?

(15:51) – Why were Tiff and Leon initially hesitant about appointing a board of directors and how has their board helped them grow?

(18:20) – What are Tiff and Leon’s thoughts about life after Tiff’s Treats?

(21:04) -  What is the ‘why’ that motivates Tiff and Leon to put the hard work into their business?

(23:32) – What’s it like being in business with your spouse, and how do they deal with conflict successfully?

(26:16) – What advice do Tiff and Leon have for young entrepreneurs starting out on their own business journey?

(28:30) – What inspired Tiff and Leon to write their book, It’s Not Just Cookies?

Twenty years ago, entrepreneurs Vanessa Troyer and Chris Farentinos founded Architectural Mailboxes on the conviction that a small online company by the name of Amazon would one day deliver packages to doorsteps across America.

 In this episode, Vanessa and Chris share how they built their business and redefined their industry through creativity and grit, their decision to sell the business after two decades of growth, raising grounded and motivated children, and using the sale proceeds to create a legacy for future generations, among other topics.

We'll also find out:

(1:49) - What inspired Chris and Vanessa's parcel receptacle idea? 

(2:57) - How did Chris and Vanessa begin creating a design for their parcel receptacle, and how did the design evolve? 

(4:47) - How did the transformation and evolution of online shopping impact the design and creation of the Oasis product line? 

(5:48) - How did Vanessa formulate a plan to scale the business, and how did they connect with the market's leading vendors? 

(12:29) - How did Chris and Vanessa's partnership play into the company's dynamic, and what were the challenges and benefits of running the business as a couple? 

(16:02) - What ultimately provoked Chris and Vanessa's decision to sell their company, and how did they prepare an exit strategy? 

(20:19) - What advice would Chris and Vanessa give to business owners contemplating the sale of their company? 

(21:42) - What have Vanessa and Chris been working on since the sale of the business? 

(24:54) - As business owners, how were Vanessa and Chris able to approach having a conversation with their children about money, work, and pursuing their passions? 

(27:53) - How did Vanessa and Chris find their passion in building mailboxes, and what did they gain personally from the work? 

(29:49) - What does 'legacy' mean to Vanessa and Chris, and how have they created a lasting impact through their business? 

As President of Nickelodeon, Gerry Laybourne turned a tiny children's network into a multi-billion dollar television empire. Later in her career, Gerry was inspired to co-found a new network for women, Oxygen Media.

Join us on the season premiere of The Road to Why, where we learn how understanding the perspectives of the younger generation helped to shape the trajectory of an entire industry. 

Gerry speaks about her innovative approach to leadership at Nickelodeon, raising entrepreneurial children, and giving kids a voice in family discussions on wealth and philanthropy. She also discusses her “joyous work-life imbalance,” being a female senior executive in the 1980s, and her current focus as co-founder of Day One Early Learning Community, among other topics.

We’ll also find out:

(2:56) — What were some of the key influences in Gerry’s upbringing that helped shape her values?

(5:10) — How influential was early television on Gerry’s career?

(6:09) — What led Gerry to work in television?

(12:02) — How did Gerry change the culture at Nickelodeon?

(14:08) — How did Gerry create programming that kids of the ’80s could relate to?

(15:47) — How did Gerry’s partnership with Oprah develop?

(20:19) — How did Gerry’s career influence the professional lives of her children?

(23:45) — What drives Gerry to build, create and inspire others?

(25:52) — What was Gerry’s experience in the television industry as a woman in the ’80s?

(27:54) — What are ‘Global Women’s Mentoring Walks,’ and how did Gerry found the initiative?

(29:52) — How did Gerry make the transition from children’s television to children’s education?

(32:40) — In Gerry’s view, what makes a good board member?

(34:55) — How does Gerry approach conversations on wealth and legacy with her children?

Join our host, Eric Czepyha, Director of Business Services at Northern Trust, as he speaks with business owners, entrepreneurs and visionaries about business, family, wealth and legacy and shares advice and life lessons from those who have found success in ways expected and unexpected.

Coming soon.