[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”22px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”CTA” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” collapsed=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider color=”#397389″ divider_weight=”2px” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_cta title=”Your Voice Matters. Urge your representatives in Congress to extend and enhance the tax provisions of the TCJA. ” button_url=”https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/taxes\/take-action-help-family-owned-businesses-thrive-support-extension-of-tcja\/” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Click Here.” disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Call To Action Top” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”22px” background_color=”#397389″ custom_button=”on” button_bg_color=”#ff0019″ custom_margin=”-17px|||||” custom_padding=”16px||19px|||” global_module=”9695″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_cta][et_pb_divider color=”#397389″ divider_weight=”2px” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
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For the second straight year, legacy was the word most associated with family business. Legacy is a layered term that could have both positive and negative connotations. Family and succession were also associated words, as well as complicated, private, small, and loyalty.<\/p>\n
For those students identified in the survey whose family owns or operates a family business, nearly 75% of those businesses were founded after 1951, with nearly 50% representing the second generation of their family, and 31% representing the critical 3rd<\/sup> generation. \u00a0Only 1 in 5 students had an ownership stake in the business at this stage, while 33% were unsure if they had an ownership in the business at all.<\/p>\n Agriculture (12%), construction and real estate (24%), and manufacturing\u00a0 (15%) remain the primary industries for family business, followed by retail (10%), healthcare (5%), and hospitality (5%). Nearly half (46%) of these family businesses do most of their business locally, yet 33% do business on a national or international scale.<\/p>\n Consistent with the 2024 results, the biggest concerns as they related to their family business remained revenue generation, succession planning and family communication.\u00a0 Students also cited sustainability, ownership structures, and being qualified as areas of primary concern.<\/p>\n Students enrolled in these family business courses, mostly because their family owned a business, but also for their own personal interest in starting a business or being curious about family businesses generally.<\/p>\n When asked if they \u201chad the courage to ask their parents \/ grandparents any questions about the family business\u201d their responses were particularly revealing about where families might focus future family meetings. Certain responses were tied to operations, such as, how and why did our business start, and why can’t we shift toward more professional operations. Yet, certain responses exposed topics that families often have difficulty engaging with, such as wealth, expectations, and family relationships. \u00a0\u201cWhat is our net worth?\u201d \u201cIs it worth continuing this business?\u201d and \u201cDo you want my other siblings in the business?\u201d would all create fertile ground for many lively and necessary family conversations.<\/p>\n Where else might these businesses begin to address some of these knowledge gaps? Governance would be a solid place to start. With nearly 50% of these students indicating that their family does not have a family council, and 45% with no family constitution, \u00a0employment policy, or formal board, communication and confusion about ownership or responsibility could be addressed with those in place. For educators, incorporating these (or incorporating more of these) topics into future classes and providing students the tools to implement them is highly recommended.<\/p>\n \u201cA few things have become clear as we conclude the second year of this study,\u201d shares Daniel Van Der Vliet, the John and Dyan Smith Executive Director of the Smith Family Business Initiative at Cornell University, and co-author of the study. \u201cThere is still a wide gap between what this rising generation of students knows about their family business, and what is shared with them by the senior generation. And communication remains key for all involved in the family enterprise. It is important to not only share what the history of the business and family is, but also to craft what that future might look like with those it will impact most.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider divider_style=”dotted” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Become a member text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” link_option_url=”https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate-2\/” global_module=”5822″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n As we prepare for what promises to be a pivotal year for America, we’re asking you to consider becoming a member.<\/p>\n The need for fact-based reporting of issues important to family owned businesses<\/a> and protecting a lifetime of savings<\/a> has never been greater. Now more than ever, successful families<\/a> and family owned businesses<\/a> are under fire. That’s why Family Enterprise USA<\/a> is passionately working to increase the awareness of issues important to family owned businesses<\/a> built on hard work, while continuing to strengthen our presence on Capitol Hill. The issues we fight for or against with Congress in Washington DC include high income tax rates<\/a>, possible elimination of valuation discounts, increase in capital gains tax<\/a>, enactment of a wealth tax<\/a>, and the continued burden of the gift tax<\/a>, estate tax<\/a> and generation skipping tax<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate\/” button_text=”Become a Family Enterprise USA Member” button_alignment=”center” disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Become FEUSA member button” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” global_module=”6503″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_divider divider_style=”dotted” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_video_slider disabled_on=”on|on|on” admin_label=”Video Slider Family Business Stories 1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” disabled=”on” global_module=”5963″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3k9d1tFz5AU&t=22s” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kG0lDKbmJxg” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HFK8SG1VSco” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Z15BqbFOYck” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bsn5xYrxhJg” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PL3K3rK7ioA&t=5s” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=CpXRbRBhPKc” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][\/et_pb_video_slider][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”FEUSA Statement” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” link_option_url=”https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate-2\/” global_module=”5910″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Family Enterprise USA<\/a> promotes generationally<\/a> owned family business<\/a> creation, growth, viability, and sustainability by advocating for family businesses<\/a> and their lifetime of savings with Congress<\/a> in Washington DC.\u00a0 Since 2007, Family Enterprise USA<\/a> has represented and celebrated\u00a0all sizes, professions and industries of family-owned enterprises and multi-generational<\/a> employers. It is a bi-partisan 501.c3 organization.\u00a0Family foundations can donate.<\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Hash tags & Tags” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_module=”6498″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n #incometax #CapitalGainsTax #R&DExpensing #DontPunishSuccess #GrantorTrusts #StepUpinBasis #likeKindExchanges #AcceleratedDepreciation #EstateTax #Deathtax #wealthtax #taxLegislation #CongressionalCaucus #incometaxrates #repealestatetax #AdvocatingForFamilyBusinesses #FamilyOwnedBusiness #WomenOwnedBusiness @FamilyEnterpriseUSA #FamilyEnterpriseUSA<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The 2025 Rising Gen Survey probed current college students enrolled in family business or entrepreneurship courses about what was most important to them as it related to their family business. Not surprisingly, communication is king. Conducted in partnership with the Smith Family Business Initiative at Cornell University, Family Enterprise USA, and The Roberts Group, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14695,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[48,3,92,103],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-businesses","category-feusa","category-multi-generational-business","category-next-gen"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14693"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14693\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14704,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14693\/revisions\/14704"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}We hope you’ve enjoyed this article. While you’re here, we have a small favor to ask…<\/em><\/h4>\n
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