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August 31, 2026

Before the Holidays: Letting a Family Member Go

August 31, 2026

You've already decided this person has to go. You just haven't told them yet. Here's why waiting until January is the right call — and what to do with the six weeks you have before it arrives.

August 31, 2026

August 25, 2026

When a Family Member Steals From Your Business

August 25, 2026

A family member is stealing from your business. You know what happened. You know what needs to happen. Here's why you haven't moved yet — and exactly what comes next.

August 25, 2026

August 20, 2026

What Happens After You Fire a Family Member

August 20, 2026

You fired them. The role doesn't disappear — it lands on you. Here's what actually happens after you fire a family member, what your team is watching for, and the one hiring mistake that puts most owners right back in the same position.

August 20, 2026

Jillian Smith M.A. 1/19/26 Jillian Smith M.A. 1/19/26

Family Business Decision Making: Why Nothing Actually Moves

Are you running a business or a family meeting? Because right now you might be running both — which means you're running neither. Here's why family business decision-making stalls and what it actually takes to fix it.

Jillian Smith M.A. 11/5/25 Jillian Smith M.A. 11/5/25

Burnout in a Family Business: Signs You're Carrying Too Much

You're exhausted. Your calendar has no room in it for you. And you keep telling yourself it will slow down. It won't. Here's what family business burnout actually looks like — and why it doesn't fix itself.

Jillian Smith M.A. 11/5/25 Jillian Smith M.A. 11/5/25

Is a Business Coach Worth It for a Family-Run Business?

You run your family at home. You run your business at the business. Except nobody told your family that. Here's what actually changes when a business coach steps in — and why nobody who's tried it has walked away.

Jillian Smith M.A. 10/16/25 Jillian Smith M.A. 10/16/25

Why Your Best Employees Keep Leaving Your Family Business

Your best non-family employee isn't leaving because of pay. They're leaving because they've been absorbing your family's drama for months. Here's what that costs and what actually fixes it.

Jillian Smith M.A. 10/15/25 Jillian Smith M.A. 10/15/25

When You Can't Fire the Family Member Who's Hurting Your Business

Firing a family member in a family business is the hardest call in ownership. Here's why it keeps getting delayed — and what the business loses every month it does.

Jillian Smith M.A. 10/15/25 Jillian Smith M.A. 10/15/25

How to Fire a Family Member in a Family Business

Firing a family member in a family business is one of the hardest decisions an owner will ever make. Here's what the exit actually looks like — and how to do it without destroying the family in the process.

Jillian Smith M.A. 10/13/25 Jillian Smith M.A. 10/13/25

Difficult Conversations in a Family Business: Why They Don't Happen

Hard conversations don't happen in family businesses because everyone is protecting the relationship. Meanwhile the business pays for it. Here's what it costs.

Jillian Smith M.A. 10/10/25 Jillian Smith M.A. 10/10/25

Family Business Burnout: When Everything in the Business Depends on One Person

Are you willing to change? That's the first question. Because family business burnout at this level isn't about how much you're doing. It's about why you won't stop — and what it's costing the business while you don't.