Women in Family Business (WIFB)

In its Global Gender Gap Report 2022, the World Economic Forum states that it will take another 132 years before gender pay parity is achieved globally at the current rate of progress. This is the context within which women seek to build their careers and businesses, and for many these challenging professional demands are compounded by expectations at home. In this episode of WiFB, Naomi George, founder of Optimum, which equips people with the positive mindset and enhanced wellbeing that enables them to thrive, discusses unrealistic expectations and how to manage them. She speaks from experience, offering advice to those who feel they don't have enough energy or time to accomplish what they think they need to and how to deal with their guilt when they ‘fall short'.

KPMG Private Enterprise has famously published numerous studies and thought leadership articles on women in family businesses from across the globe, but none of these publications has looked exclusively at the role of women in Saudi Arabia. Until now! With the number of women in the Kingdom's workforce increasing over the last decade, and women assuming leadership roles in Saudi companies, many of which are family businesses, their contribution and influence deserved a closer examination. In this episode of WiFB, Kholoud Mousa, Partner & Head of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity and Buthainah Albaity, Director Private Enterprise – Family Business & Family Offices, share insights and findings from KPMG's recent publication, The Power of Women in Family Businesses. The study was local to Saudi Arabia, featuring in-depth interviews with 14 female family business leaders from across the Kingdom and focuses on the changing role of women in these enterprises.

In this episode of Women in Family Business, Sophia Rascoff, co-founder and CEO of Recon Food, talks about starting a brand-new social media platform with her father, being an entrepreneur in her teens and establishing a healthy work/life balance. She also addresses some of the issues surrounding other social media platforms and how these can be managed by creating a stronger sense of community.

As one of the top generator suppliers in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, employing more than 1,400 people, Jubaili Bros realises the importance of contributing to society and the environment. And with a range of ESG and sustainability initiatives that attract new talent firmly embedded in the company's culture, they're addressing these concerns while ensuring growth and profitability. In this episode of Women in Family Business, Sana Jubaili, Group HR Director of Jubaili Bros, discusses how companies can embark on ESG and sustainability initiatives to drive growth. She draws from her experiences to offer advice on promoting and establishing change in a way that attracts talent and grows profits while simultaneously benefitting the wider community and environment.

In many ways, the experiences of women in family businesses in India are different from those elsewhere – especially those in the West, which has traditionally been the focus of family business research. And within India itself, the experiences of women in family businesses differ widely based on their social, cultural, economic, institutional, geographical, and generational contexts. In this episode of WiFB, Nupur Pavan Bang, Associate Director at the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise, explores the role and status of women in family businesses in India, partially through the lens of her experiences. Nupur examines the specific challenges these women face and how those challenges can be overcome by both genders championing equality. She also discusses how these women's roles are beginning to change and offers advice for those who wish to amplify their voices.

How to Make Ambitious ESG And Sustainability Agendas a Reality by Women in Family Business

On this episode of WiFB, Maissa Abou Adal Ghanem, Social Entrepreneur, CSO & Board Member of the HOLDAL Group, discusses how family businesses can build and implement successful ESG agendas that speak to the immediate needs of their community. Founded in Lebanon in 1947, the HOLDAL Group has embedded IMPACT in their everyday operations. Despite the difficult circumstances in Lebanon's recent history, the healthcare, beauty, wellbeing, lifestyle and luxury group has managed to prosper while staying true to its core values and “raison d'être”. Maissa's experiences with the HOLDAL Group and beyond are proof of the transformative potential of ESG. Hers is a strong case for others who wish to add resiliency to their communities and by extension, their organisations.

Family businesses around the world are increasingly focused on implementing a sustainability agenda in their often tradition-bound companies. Some have gone further than others by embedding sustainability practices and standards at the very heart of their business model, requiring significant changes to supply chain, governance and organisational culture. Koninklijke Van Wijhe Verf, currently led by fourth-generation CEO Marlies van Wijhe, is one of these companies. Not only was Van Wijhe Verf the first company in the Netherlands to achieve B Corp status – an accreditation that guarantees performance, accountability, and transparency through ESG metrics – it was the first chemical company in the world to do so. In this episode of WiFB, Marlies van Wijhe discusses her family enterprise's journey towards this sustainability milestone, the leadership practices that got them there and what's next for Van Wijhe Verf.

On this episode of WiFB, Claudia Astrachan, Head of Governance, Generation6, discusses how to embed cohesion into the culture of a family business, highlighting the importance of doing so in an authentic way that works for the family itself. She considers who should take the responsibility of advocating for family cohesion, as well as contributing factors to its potential erosion.

On this episode of WiFB, Ramia is joined by Sara Stern to discuss how gender can affect the overall approach to family business leadership.

Building an art collection serves not only as an investment and overall asset diversification, but also as a way of creating and preserving a legacy. Although traditionally dominated by high-net-worth males, the art industry is now seeing an increasing number of female collectors who are responsible for a significant share of the market. In the past two years, 34 per cent of female collectors spent more than $1 million versus 25 per cent of male collectors. And in the first half of 2021, as the industry was bouncing back from the Covid-19 pandemic, spending by female collectors increased by over one-third compared with just 9 per cent for their male counterparts. On this episode of Women in Family Business, Paola Matallana González discusses the process of building an art collection and taking it from private to public, including some of the common challenges faced and how they are best overcome. She also outlines the importance of encouraging the next generation of art collectors to share their collections, and passes on her advice to those who are uncertain how to start building their collection and creating their legacy. Key takeaways: “Art doesn't belong to us; we are just custodians of it.” The next generation of art collectors should take time to understand who they are and the direction in which they want their collection to go. Pick a theme and be strict with it, so that all the pieces in the collection are in harmony and dialogue with one another. “Sustainability is a very important democratization of art.” Collecting art to make a profit can now be tied in with important issues such as sustainability. The focus is using education to start a shift to making the right profit, not just any profit. The next generation of art collectors should listen to their heart and explore their passion. Mentoring is crucial – ensure these are people outside your immediate family that you trust and admire.

Despite a significant shift in perspectives in the conversation on women in family business, women still face significant challenges when it comes to the roles they are expected to fill. Even today, women are frequently type-cast in positions that provide emotional support to other family members — chief emotional officer, for example — while positions of greater responsibility or influence are taken by husbands, brothers, or other male family members. And for those women who do ascend to top tier positions within their family firms, an entirely new set of complex hurdles lay before them. But even with these persistently familiar impediments, women are steadily transforming the family business space. In this episode of WiFB Conversations, Fredda Brown, Founding Partner of the family consulting firm, Relative Solutions, and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss how women are leveraging catalysts, such as inheritance and generational wealth transference, in conjunction with self-reliance and their formidable skillsets to reshape family businesses around the world. Fredda and Ramia also talk about adaptation, preparation, and key strategies women can use to navigate through and upward in their organisations, along with the steps that lead to success once they arrive at the top.

The Family Office is evolving in MENA and taking forms that are significantly different from the traditional construct first used by European industrial families to manage their wealth. Similar to most business and investment endeavours in MENA, it is the specificities unique to the region, its nuances, growth and dynamism that are also shaping the family office space. And it's those same regional influences that will likely help define the role women play in family offices over the coming decades. Ekta Tolani is the Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer of Astrolabe Holding and runs the Family Office for one of Kuwait's largest families. She has seen the challenges that still exist for women in MENA, and how technology and startup culture has become a popular option for women who face the region's barriers of entry into finance and investment. The opportunities are growing for women, but more support and sophisticated conversations are needed to elevate their contribution in the investment sector and the Family Offices within it. It can be a fight, but women must advocate for the education they need and the business positions they want. In this episode of the WIFB podcast, Ekta and Farida speak about how the finance sector is changing, why education is the engine driving that change, and what her journey to the top of one of Kuwait's largest family offices was like.

In Latin America, family businesses are the predominant economic players. Their sustainability is crucial to national ecosystems, as each family brings unique cultural and economic contributions. However, like any regional cluster, these Latin American business families are subject to prejudice, myths and stereotypes that can limit their potential for growth. Financial expert Elaine King, CFP® , founder and president of the Family and Money Matters Institute, is no stranger to these myths. As a Latin American woman in a male-dominated industry, she has had to break through many stereotypes to be treated equally as her male counterparts. Despite the steady progress in creating a more gender-inclusive environment, many women in Latin American family businesses still experience stigmas and expectations that hinder families from tapping into the full pool of diverse talent potential. Redefining the structure of family businesses as a whole and encouraging evolution will help create a lasting legacy for the next generation of entrepreneurs. In this episode of WiFB Conversations, Elaine King and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss the myths surrounding Latin American family businesses, women’s role in those businesses and how that role is evolving.

When discussing women’s roles in the family business, we often fail to recognise how different perspectives can change the conversation. A shift towards this recognition is critical for empowering the next generation and promoting a more inclusive environment. Daniel Trimarchi, Director of Family Business Advisory at KPMG Private Enterprise in Canada, conducted in collaboration with the STEP Project Global Consortium, a survey of family business leaders to understand the various perspectives that affect the structure of their companies. These perspectives change from generation to generation and are often influenced by the relationships people form within the family and the business. What’s more, each perspective determines women’s roles, as well as the rate of change attributed to those roles. In this episode of Women in Family Business, Ramia El Agamy and Daniel Trimarchi discuss the difference in generational perspectives, the way in which we define our roles and how we can empower the next generation of leaders – both men and women.

Business Consulting Resources (BCR) undertake an annual research project on the topic of women in the family business, creating a platform for women to share their personal experiences and shed light on issues that may have previously been overlooked. Through intimate one-on-one conversations with the participants, a collection of stories of how women in the family business are evolving, learning, adapting and succeeding comes together. For the first time, this year’s study featured male as well as female family business members, focusing on next gens and their perceptions of both their predecessors and their own future in family business. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Jean Santos, Celine Casamina of Business Consulting Resources and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss the results of the latest research, how the impostor syndrome impacts women and the way in which women in the family business are adapting to create their own success.

For Mackey McNeill, owning her own business always seemed like the obvious choice. After many successful years of helping companies make better business and financial decisions, her daughter Sarah Grace joined the team, and the mother-daughter duo entered the world of family business. While this transition was not without its hardships, Mackey and Sarah Grace were able to employ introspection, as well as outside tools and advisors, to better understand not only the business but also each other. Following the success of her own family business, Mackey decided to share her knowledge in a practical and accessible way through her new book The Prosperity Playbook. For Mackey, prosperity is about more than just having money; it’s about living your passion day in and day out, and understanding finances is a key part of this idea. With this book, she aims to provide concrete steps that family businesses can take to discuss finances in a way that eliminates the taboo surrounding the subject and boost their chance of success during succession. In this episode of WiFB Conversations, Mackey McNeill and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss the importance of understanding finances, how to encourage a successful succession and what family businesses can do to survive during global economic crises.

For Angelina Perryman, joining the family business was always part of the plan. From helping her father tinker with logos in the basement to typing up contracts after school, she – like many others – has been preparing for the transition to join the family business for as long as she can remember. While the transition into the formal workplace has not always been easy, Perryman Construction has a history of adaptation, with the very foundation of the business being built on disruption. Through mentorship, the incorporation of technology and a reassessment of the basics, Perryman Construction has overcome every challenge along the way – including the recent global pandemic – to ensure the success of the business for generations to come.  In this episode of Women in Family Business, Ramia El Agamy and Angelina Perryman discuss the transition to a formal role within the family business, the female millennial perspective and how family businesses like Perryman Construction are safeguarding their future.

Over the past three months, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on many communities, families and businesses. While the global lockdown has presented many challenges, it has also provided an opportunity for reflection on our societal and business structures. One of the major flaws that the worldwide lockdown has revealed is our dependence on the global supply chain. With minimal access to international products, many businesses have had to rely on increased supply chain localisation, benefiting businesses and communities. The pandemic has also shed light on inequality in women’s roles, both within the family business and in the nuclear family. With women realising the need for greater balance in their roles, there has been an acceleration towards a movement for change. In this episode of WiFB Conversations, Susanne Bransgrove and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss the current COVID-19 situation, its effects on family businesses and how families can cope with the surmounting changes. This episode of Conversations with Women in Family Business is co-produced with Susanne Bransgrove, director of LiquidGold Consultants.

Nike Anani did not plan on dedicating her life to the family business segment in Africa. Fate, it would seem, chose for her. Nike is the founder and CEO of Nike Anani Practice, Ltd., in Lagos, Nigeria, where she helps second-generation family business members collaborate with the founding generation in an effort to build sustainable family enterprises in the region. No more than 2 per cent of African family businesses successfully transition power to the second generation, and Nike has made it her mission to facilitate this generational merge. Family business has always been central in Nike’s daily life. Her parents were in their twenties when she was born and wanted to give their newborn a better life. They decided that launching a business was the best way to do so. When she was nine, the family relocated from Nigeria to the UK, where Nike spent her formative years. After graduating university with a degree in Economics, she began working at Deloitte. While she loved her colleagues, she found the work itself dull. Her true destiny was beckoning, and she could not ignore the call any longer. Nike returned home to Nigeria for what was meant to be a three-month break from work. More than a decade later, she is still there. After working in her family’s business for several years, she decided to follow her passion for helping other African next-gens, like herself, and thus created the Nike Anani Practice. Women in Family Business sat down with Nike Anani to discuss the specific appeal of working with next-gens, the factors in Africa’s low succession rate and how the unique cultural landscape of Africa impacts family business development.

After being traditionally excluded from the succession process, women’s role within the family business is finally changing. This shifting trend coincides with the leadership transition from Baby Boomers to younger generations. The fundamental, generational difference in attitude about gender is helping to fuel this progress; however, as Professor Francesca Maria Cesaroni knows first-hand, obstacles persist. Full Professor at Italy’s University of Urbino and co-author of “Do dreams always come true? Daughters’ expectations and experience in family business succession”, Professor Cesaroni has interviewed countless women around the world about the challenges of manoeuvrability in their family businesses. For many, unequal expectations for sons and daughters continue to colour the family business experience. However, Professor Cesaroni believes that to achieve success and sustainability, families must level the playing field by adopting an inclusionary approach that taps on all available talent. WiFB spoke with Professor Francesca Maria Cesaroni about her research and how she believes it will influence the future of women in family business and entrepreneurs alike.

Through their Hawai'i-based consulting firm, Business Consulting Resources (BCR), Jean Santos and Ken Gilbert have more than three decades of experience providing critical support for family businesses across a wide range of industries. Over the last three years, Jean and Ken conducted a special research project to document the complex nature of family-owned businesses. The first year of the initiative focussed on the founding generation and the issues that impact their ability to navigate succession. The following year, they examined the successors' perspective: how does the second generation build on what is handed to them?  This year, Jean, Ken and Celine Casamina conducted hundreds of hours of interviews with women in leadership positions to better understand the specific challenges they overcome on their journey to family business success.  The testimony they heard includes stories of women expertly juggling roles as mothers, sisters, partners, CEOs and managers of their family businesses. Unlike those with non-family employers, women in the family business do not have the luxury of leaving their work when the day is over. Regardless of their familial obligations, their work is often a 24/7 proposition. For many, the journey to family business success is defined by struggle against harmful stereotyping, the compulsion to overachieve, impostor phenomenon and, often, time itself. Sharing their stories creates the awareness needed to help mitigate these obstacles for others on the path.

The path to success was not a linear one for Sharon Flynn. She travelled the world in search of the best fermentation practices for 20 years before returning to Australia, where she committed to putting her newfound knowledge to use. Her first task: re-educating Australians regarding their choice of food. Sharon’s passion for traditional fermented foods stems from the positive effects on our health her family experienced first-hand. In 2013, she founded The Fermentary to reverse the trend of highly processed food consumption by spreading the concept of “gut democracy” – a term she coined to describe an ideology for improving our diet. Sharon is also blazing a path forward for women in business. The success she has garnered in a male-dominated field is a testament to her leadership style. Her collaborative approach and relationship-building skills are just some of the ways she is modernising business practices. Sharon Flynn discussed with WiFB’s Ramia El Agamy and LiquidGold’s Susanne Bransgrove a return to traditional foods, gut democracy and women leaders in business. This episode of Conversations with Women in Family Business is co-produced with Susanne Bransgrove, director of LiquidGold Consultants.

Christina Foxwell knew something was not quite right; she just could not exactly put her finger on it. After working exhaustively, coaching and training executives in the area of management and leadership skills in Australia, she was not seeing the results she was hoping for. After a long and comprehensive reflection, it occurred to her that the issue was not related to the trainer or the trainees; it all came down to what the training was focused on. Traditional leadership training was centred around hard skills and a logic-centric approach. What was missing, she determined, was leadership training that incorporated empathy and other “soft skill” emotional qualities. In 2012, Christina Foxwell took this newfound insight and founded Ignite Purpose, a professional coaching operation based on the notion that people are central to the success of every organisation. At Ignite Purpose, Christina Foxwell seeks to help businesses reach their full potential by helping employees reach theirs. Rather than denying the importance of skills and logic, Christina Foxwell believes that, at its core, skill is derived from a logical and emotional connection. Those two facets have to come together for an individual to truly find wisdom. The results of this approach speak for themselves. Since launching Ignite Purpose in 2012, Christina Foxwell has helped several huge businesses such as Clorox, Newscorp and GSK to improve their overall leadership capabilities. Christina Foxwell discussed with WiFB’s Ramia El Agamy and LiquidGold’s Susanne Bransgrove the disconnect between theory and practice of leadership best practices, the difference in coaching men and women and coaching to bridge the generational divide. This episode of Conversations with Women in Family Business is co-produced with Susanne Bransgrove, director of LiquidGold Consultants.

In today’s technologically advanced and highly distracted world, we have more information available to us than ever before. While this increase in knowledge can be a great advantage, a level of mindfulness is required to let go of past experiences and expectations for the future in order to be fully present in a situation. Today’s generations are more mindful than previous ones. With greater awareness of diversity, they are more aware of the necessity to modify their behaviours to live together peacefully. Mindfulness is also a useful tool for business leaders to outgrow limitations and create a thriving workplace. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss what it means to be mindful and how to take advantage of mindfulness to improve the workplace.

Throughout our life, we all inevitably meet someone we don’t get along with. In our private life, we can simply avoid these individuals. However, when toxic relationships seep into the workplace, the situation can become detrimental to the business as a whole. The workplace setting magnifies the details of our relationships. In some cases, existing irritations are emphasised. In other cases, we become disillusioned about a person’s true nature. In either case, our natural instinct is to avoid conflict as much as possible. However, doubling up on communication is the best solution to smooth over complicated relationships, even if it means bringing in a third party to help facilitate the conversation. In this episode of WiFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss difficult relationships in the workplace, their effect on the family business and how to deal with them.

Virtual Racing UK – Virtual Competitions with Real Physical Results by Women in Family Business (WIFB)

As a family business member, it can sometimes be difficult to find the courage to stand up for what you believe. However, it can be just as complicated to walk away from a difficult situation. Being brave means more than just having the courage to speak your mind. It means having the courage to believe in a better future, know who you are and be vulnerable with those around you, even if that means stepping outside of your comfort zone. It is crucial for all family business members to understand their role within the company. However, if that role does not coincide with their ideals, beliefs and aspirations, it is sometimes necessary to be clear and draw the line. In this episode of our WiFB conversations, Susanne Bransgrove and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss what it means to be brave and why courage is conducive to a more harmonious family business environment.

Episodes of tension between family members are normal and quite common in a family business. However, when stress reaches a certain level, it may be a sign that it’s time to move on. The decision to leave is loaded with emotional baggage, but creating a dialogue that is free of guilt can help ease this decision and its terms. Moving away from the family business does not necessarily imply a blunt end; in some cases, a temporary step back might be all the family needs. A planned break can help bring a sense of clarity and even open up the possibility of negotiations for a more agreeable role in the business. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss the decision to leave the family business and how to create honest and constructive dialogue surrounding this choice.

Passion and ambition are inextricably intertwined. Passion, our internal drive, is the force that guides our ambition and leads us to meet our goals. These two components are essential for a thriving family business. However, family members must be able to find their own passions and ambitions not only in the business setting but also in their personal lives. The structure of family businesses is changing as women move to the forefront of the workforce, and the next generations of family business leaders are bringing new ideas to the table. It is imperative for family businesses to harness these new voices without sacrificing the wisdom of the older generations. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Susanne Bransgrove and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss passion and ambition, how best to utilise them within a family business and the succession challenges facing family businesses.

More women are graduating from business schools than ever before and yet, women are still vastly underrepresented in senior leadership positions. Why is this the case and what can be done to close the gap? Helping leaders reach their full potential is a focus area in Janice DiPietro’s work with clients as the Founder and CEO of Exceptional Leaders International (E.L.I), a Boston-based business consulting firm. For more than 30 years, Janice has helped emerging and next-generation family business leaders understand what it takes to successfully navigate the often choppy waters of an evolving family business. E.L.I supports family businesses in areas such as growth, transition and succession planning and performance improvement. Janice’s experience with E.L.I, along with her previous role as President of the human capital consulting firm Morgan Samuels, has given her a unique perspective on the ever-changing landscape of women in business leadership positions. WiFB had the opportunity to sit down with Janice DiPietro to discuss the factors that are still standing in the way of women assuming leadership positions, what skills they should hone to better position themselves within an organisation and one of the things women need to do that men are already doing.

Rhonda Steger does not regret leaving a lucrative career in the insurance industry; becoming an entrepreneur has proven just as rewarding. Her leap off the beaten path started small when she opened her own compliance firm, but passion soon drew her even further afield, first to retail and then wholesale. Today, she leads Cobblestone Living, a women’s fashion and lifestyle brand that has turned into a thriving family business. For over 15 years, Rhonda and her husband have built their family brand together. While it began as a small retail shop, from bricks and mortar towards a wholesale business model, Cobblestone has seen sales grow exponentially ever since. As a result, Rhonda is not only building on success but also writing her daughter – now 18 and about to enter university –into corporate succession plans. We recently had a chance to sit down with Rhonda Steger to discuss her journey towards entrepreneurial success, her challenges achieving work-life balance and the prospect of her daughter taking over the business one day.

Every family business has a foundation of love and values passed on from generation to generation. However, love alone cannot resolve the issues that will inevitably arise from time to time. Family businesses also need to establish governance frameworks and a shared vision. Women can use their empathy and deep understanding of emotions to keep balance in the family during difficult transitions. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Susanne Bransgrove and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss how bringing up the subject of love in a family business context can help resolve conflict and dysfunction.

Starting a business for the first time presents a host of challenges, from securing capital to figuring out the marketing strategies that will best reach customers and prospective clients. For entrepreneurs, there are often the added hurdles of self-doubt and discouragement. Those hurdles can seem even higher when the entrepreneur is a woman. A strong support system can make a significant difference in overcoming the obstacles female entrepreneurs face, especially in the early stages of their business. Family and friends who provide encouragement through setbacks play a vital role. Others who have shared similar experiences offer invaluable insight, while a business coach can truly inspire and provide the type of guidance that leads to success. Trish Tonaj is a coach, author and passionate believer in the power of mentorship. With over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience and through her books A Diary of Change: 12 Personal Tools and Breaking Barriers, she has helped business owners and enterprise leaders to reach their full potential while creating a culture of success along the way. Ramia El Agamy had a chance to sit down with Trish Tonaj to discuss the unique issues that women entrepreneurs face today and how mentoring and storytelling can help them expand their horizons.

On International Women's Day, the WiFB Community reaches out to men and women everywhere with some inspirational messages on family business. Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash Music: My Home by Serge Narcissoff | https://soundcloud.com/sergenarcissoff Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

Introducing new technology into the family business is not an easy process but one that all businesses have to initiate sooner or later. With their strong empathy and communication skills, women have the ability to facilitate the process and lead the fourth Industrial Revolution. The key to an inclusive and smooth transition lies in developing expertise while asking the right questions on the social impact and unintentional consequences of new technologies. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss how women can implement new technologies into the family business more smoothly and efficiently.

Imbued with their family’s entrepreneurial spirit and experience, sisters MaríaCamila and Daniela García Caballero set out to innovate and expand the clothing options for expectant mothers and managed to challenge the status quo of the fashion industry in the process. María Camila is an economist and business administrator with an MBA from Duke University. Her younger sister Daniela works in public relations for fashion and luxury brands in Paris and is a graduate of ESMOD (the École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode). With a concept as unique as their contrasting personalities, the first-time business owners secured financial backing for their idea through a remarkable programme offered by María’s in-laws. The two sisters launched fashion brand BothCollection in 2017, following through on their long-time dream of creating a company together. Theirs is an extraordinary journey born within the family, with the help of family, for the benefit of other families everywhere. María and Daniela spoke with Women in Family Business host Ramia El-Agamy about the advantages and anxieties associated with building a family business and facing cultural roadblocks head-on.

When working in a family business, it’s not unusual to become absorbed in one’s role and push personal ambitions aside. Sometimes, this is simply due to the sense of belonging and the natural focus on the greater picture. However, if not addressed, it can lead to resentment and a feeling of being “stuck”. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss the importance of defining one’s own brand and goals to avoid or overcome the feeling of being stuck in a role within the family business.

Finance is a delicate topic that can sometimes lead to emotionally charged discussions, especially within family businesses. Obtaining access to finance-related information and understanding the information provided are two aspects that can give rise to fears. However, financial literacy, transparency and a bit of planning can go a long way in dissipating these fears. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss some ways to address the fear of finance and avoid conflicts in the family business.

Defining the role of each family member within a family business is rarely a straightforward process. Identity evolves with time, and roles can be reverse-engineered and adapted based on the person’s skills, interests and, sometimes, the needs of the business. Understanding one’s own motives is a crucial first step towards defining every member’s role and identity. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss the challenges and possible solutions to finding the one’s identity within the family business.

The concept of coaching is continuously evolving to meet changing needs. Despite a growing offer, many businesses still find it hard to turn towards a coach to solve their problems. This is especially true for family businesses, where sharing concerns and problems with non-family members can be more challenging. In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss the evolution of coaching and its benefits for family businesses.

In an interview with Alison Gutterman, we discuss the unique situation of daughters working with and succeeding their fathers in the family business.

Conflict is an almost unavoidable part of every family business. If not tackled, unresolved conflict can escalate and damage relationships or even the whole company. But are conflicts always negative, or can they be analysed under a different lens to increase cohesion and take the business to the next level? In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy discuss conflict resolution in the family business.

In an interview with Ana Maria Matallana Boggio, we discuss the challenges of raising children as responsible heirs to the family business.

In this episode of our WiFB Conversations, we discuss the role of emotions in leadership positions and the importance of leading by example.

Best Upon Request is truly a family affair. Jessi Lima Bollin reports directly to her mother Tilly, who serves as the company’s CEO. She also works alongside her younger sister Natalie who works in the HR department. Recently Ramia El Agamy from the Women in Family Business podcast and Amy Katz from Daughters in Charge sat down with Jessi to discuss the opportunities and challenges found in working so closely with both parents and siblings.

In an interview with Holly Isdale, founder of Wealthaven, Ramia El Agamy and Amy Katz discuss the intricacies of selecting a family business advisor and the common pitfalls to avoid in this process.

In this episode, Amy Katz from Daughters in Charge and Ramia El Agamy from WIFB sat down with Sarah Grace Mohr to discuss her long and often turbulent journey in creating a successful mother-daughter family business.

In this episode of our WIFB Conversations, Amy Katz speaks to Farida F. El Agamy, General Manager of Tharawat Family Business Forum and Co-Founder of WIFB, and her sister Ramia Marielle El Agamy about what it's like to work together in the family business, how it changed their relationship, and why they would do it all over again.

In this episode of our WIFB Conversations, Amy Katz and Ramia Marielle El Agamy explore the role of Money in the pursuit of a career and recognition in the family business.

With her e-book Women in Family Business, Kim Harland explores the unique experience and perspectives from women who have navigated these often-times choppy waters. Recently WIFB had the opportunity to sit down with Kim to discuss the e-book’s origins, her findings, and whether or not women’s perspectives on the family business experience are similar regardless of culture.