Acknowledgments

This book is a continuation of my first book Understanding the Family Business: The differences between family and non-family businesses (2018). In teaching my family business classes as well as performing research and consulting with family firms, it seems most of the family-owned firms could benefit by having an increased emphasis on governance. Many of the problems could have been prevented and/or managed by better governance procedures. This book explains in detail how to use governance tools as well as why and when. For example, the age-old problem of succession can be discussed sooner by having a family council and by the creation of a family constitution. Proper governance can help professionalize the family-owned firm.

I wish to thank California Baptist University for granting me a sabbatical to have the time to perform the research and write the draft of this book. I thank my students for their encouragement and tough questions.

I also want to thank my acquisitions editor at Business Expert Press Rob Zwettler for encouraging the publication of this book. Thanks to Charlene Kronstedt and Sheri Dean at BEP for answering all my questions. Thanks go out to the Entrepreneurship and Small Business collection guest editor Scott Shane. I would also like to thank Rene Caroline and her team for excellent copyediting and book production.