Festival for Business Families. Let's plant trees that will outlive us!

This is one of the most momentous moments in Polish business history! Due to the historical context, the ability to draw on the wisdom of the ancestors, pioneers, and founders of family businesses is being hatched before our very eyes. However, the wealth of these experiences does not make generational change easy: succession is still a challenge. From the research studies by the Family Business Institute, we also know that as many as 78% of adult children of owners want to start their businesses! So, what does the transfer of entrepreneurial values mean in a broader aspect? How can the third generation be introduced to the family business?

“The family business owner "plants trees that will outlive him". Because of their commitment and long-term orientation, they take risks and do things that may seem contrary to their previous management knowledge. This way of thinking influences how the company is run, increases determination and the will to grow, and lasts for generations. It is not necessarily the company itself, but the multiplication of property and power that can result from this capital,” says Adrianna Lewandowska, Ph.D. – President of the Family Business Institute and the originator and initiator of the Festival. 

We inherit successes and failures, dreams and plans, life lessons and traumas, which in all their forms are the truest treasures if we LAST as businesses if we can bring harmony to our FAMILY, if we can act together, in the name of the greater GOOD.

As Dr. Oetker says: “Every family business has the same enormous strength, which may also be its greatest weakness: FAMILY!” Business families need to take care of not only the professionalization of companies but also family harmony and professional arrangement of family governance, the mechanisms that can facilitate this. Where there is property, possession, and wealth, there can also be tensions in the family. That is why it is important to design safe solutions that will act preventively in this area.

The Family Business Institute devotes the Festival for Business Families to this perspective: this time, the Institute invites an intergenerational meeting of entire business families who, surrounded by nature and a friendly family business community, want to develop and discover their truth, power, and roots.

Paulina Żurowska-Wrzesińska has been prepared for the role of the CEO of Altom since her childhood – a year after taking over the management from her parents, she will talk about her development path. What solutions will she replicate, and which will she change, raising the third generation of the family business? On the other hand, Leszek Kaszuba, who prepares his sons and Jamalex for the succession process, has the perspective of a doyen – what solutions does he use? What decisions will he make? Marcin Burkietowicz represents the fourth generation of the Burkietowicz Group – is a family business a vocation, destiny, or a curse for him? How do adult children from business families feel about being part of the "family system"? Entrepreneurs will talk about their experiences in discussion panels at events in the locations near Inowrocław (April 19/20), near Warsaw (May 10/11), and near Wrocław (May 17/18).

Spring meetings are full of discussions, panel meetings, and, to a large extent, creative workshops. It's not about finding the answer but finding the right question! Discussions with experts will help determine where the owner's family is and indicate the most important steps for the coming months and years. Generational change, strategy, internationalization, professionalization of business, family foundation, family office, business angels, communication, and solving conflict situations in the family are just some of the topics discussed during the Festival. 

Read more: www.FestiwalRodzinBiznesowych.pl

About the Festival:

The Festival for Business Families is a series of inspirations for generations who consider it important to multiply wealth sustainably, build family harmony, and create the greater good—opening meetings in 3 regions of Polish, in beautiful places that will open minds and hearts, inspiring closing meeting in October and accompanying events: webinars and meetings in family businesses. We invite entire GENERATIONS of business families to meet, exchange thoughts, and discuss! The program also activates young adults and children from business families! It's a way to show younger generations – successors – how to learn. What is a better way than to let them watch the founders learn from them? These are generations learning from each other how to live differently in the face of the challenges of the 21st century. It's about building strength and intergenerational understanding. If you are a mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, uncle, aunt, or entrepreneur whose strength (and sometimes weakness) lies in the business family, look for meetings in the area closest to you, guarantee yourself a place and experience what is important with your loved ones or alone to be able to tell them about it! 

For more information, please visit: www.FestiwalRodzinBiznesowych.pl

About the Family Business Institute: 

A center of educational and advisory services for Business Families. The aim of the activity is the professionalization of Polish family businesses, m.in. in the SUCCESSION plans, and the preparation of a good generational change. IBR experts are specialists in succession and intergenerational strategy, moderate work on the constitutions of family businesses, and mentor the next generation, strengthening their leadership competencies. IBR disseminates knowledge and good practices, organizes scientific research, publishes results, and has its own publishing house. It is the organizer of the Successor Academy – a managerial program for future managers of a family business, the Festival for Business Families, the Next Generation Congress, Camp International – a program for international internships, and many other events for business families. 

Read more: www.ibrpolska.pl