Book Recommendations

Our publishers and editors have hand selected the following books for you to consider adding to your library. Happy reading.

Richard N. Seaman

 

Challenges to the entrepreneurial spirit are complex, particularly in a family business if the entrepreneur wants to have the business survive him/herself and successfully grow into future generations. This vision contrasts sharply with the lifestyle business or "harvest your business" mentality promoted by venture capital or private equity models. To have a vision of growing a small family business into a sustainable multi-million dollar business requires distinctive processes that support innovation, human capital development, strategic planning, and quality assurance in manufacturing and service. Additional distinct processes must be created and implemented that support good governance and effective education and stewardship of future generations of family shareholders. A Vibrant Vision shares the experiences of the author in his growing family business after his father passed away at a young age and building this industrial fabrics business into a multi-million company while at the same time encouraging his children and grandchildren to become stewards of this treasure we call a family business.

Russell J. Fishkind

Surrogate Court dockets are filled with cases involving family members fighting over the assets and intentions of a deceased parent or spouse. Probate Wars of the Rich & Famous: An Insider’s Guide to Estate Planning and Probate Litigation tracks the estate litigation cases of Anna Nicole Smith, Brooke Astor, Michael Jackson, Nina Wang, Jerry Garcia and Leona Helmsley and identifies the five universal factors that caused such disputes. Each chapter provides estate planning insights designed to help individuals plan their estates without causing litigation. 

Ruth McClendon and Leslie B. Kadis
Learn how to keep family problems from affecting the family business!
 
Reconciling Relationships and Preserving the Family Business: Tools for Success presents a comprehensive model for reconciling fractured relationships within the business-owning family. Studies show that more than two-thirds of family-owned businesses don't survive past the first generation—and more than 90 percent of all business enterprises in the United States are owned by families. Written by the founders of the Carmel Institute for Family Business, this unique book is an essential tool for people involved in family businesses, where personal issues can mix with financial interdependencies and work grievances to cause professional failures independent of bad management, market conditions, or financial constraints.
 
Stuart E. Lucas

 

Never has it been more important to read Wealth:  Grow It, Protect It, Spend It, and Share It.

More of us have created more wealth today than ever before; managing our retirement assets is increasingly our own responsibility; and America is bracing for the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in history. Added to this are the recent financial scandals which have left us confused about who to trust for good investment and wealth management advice.  And because most advisors are specialists, the critical task of integrating the varied aspects of wealth management falls on our shoulders. 

Thomas M. Bloch
Does the very thought of preparing your own taxes give you a headache? Get to know the man who is responsible for helping more than 20 million taxpayers with this dreaded annual burden.
 
Henry Bloch is America's tax man. He and his brother Richard pioneered the commercial tax preparation industry, and the two tycoons built the world-leading firm that has prepared over 500 million returns, H&R Block. But Henry's life deserves to be studied for another reason: His remarkable entrepreneurial philosophy and extraordinary humanitarianism will have a lasting impact on generations.