Empowering Family Firms Through Community and Support with Catherine Sayer

Join us as we embark on an insightful journey into the world of family-run enterprises with our special guest, Catherine Sayer, CEO of the Family Business Association in Australia. Catherine shares her compelling story, starting from her origins in Adelaide, South Australia, through her experiences in marketing, consulting, and governance, which ultimately led her to her current influential role. We explore the unique challenges and opportunities faced by family businesses, emphasizing the importance of advocacy and raising awareness for this often-overlooked sector. Catherine introduces us to the concept of the "silent sector," highlighting the profound economic and social contributions of family businesses, and we draw parallels between advocacy efforts in Australia and the United States.Listen in as we discuss the camaraderie and support systems within family business organizations, underscoring the significance of trust and communication. We explore the array of events and educational opportunities available to members, from conferences to local networking events, and the importance of accredited family business advisors. I share my excitement about joining Loyola University's Family Business Center as a facilitator, focusing on the role of psychology in understanding family dynamics and the necessity of courageous conversations. These conversations are crucial for strengthening relationships and fostering creativity, especially when navigating complex dynamics like succession planning.Our discussion also touches on the essential topic of succession planning in family businesses, with an emphasis on the need for readiness at any time due to unforeseen events. We highlight the importance of open, honest conversations within the family to ensure smooth transitions, whether passing the business to the next generation or considering a sale. Key points include addressing potential biases and ensuring the right person takes over, regardless of birth order or gender. We conclude by exploring the critical role of advisors, the value of diversity within boards, and the importance of fostering connections through family business conferences, offering a supportive environment for sharing heartfelt stories and experiences.Connect with Catherine Sayer: Connect with Catherine on LinkedInLearn more about the Family Business Association:familybusinessassociation.orgCatherine Sayer Bio: Catherine Sayer is the CEO of Family Business Association, a membership based organization representing family businesses which account for 70% of all businesses in Australia. With more than 1.4 million family businesses of all sizes – small, medium and large she has a focus on raising the profile of the sector. She leads a team across Australia and New Zealand delivering unique programs focussed on helping family businesses thrive. She is the previous Chief Executive Officer of Food South Australia Inc. with offices in Adelaide, Japan and China, developing and delivering programs across areas of market development, capacity and capability building and advocacy for the food and beverage industry. Catherine has a focus on building a reputation as the voice of industry to government and has strong stakeholder engagement skills.Catherine graduated with a degree in Business Management, majoring in Marketing . Since that time she has worked with organisations across a number of sectors, both private and public, and ran a marketing consultancy prior to joining Food South Australia.Catherine is currently Deputy Chair of Seafood Industry Australia. Previously she has held Chair, Deputy Chair and member roles of a number of agribusiness, seafood, charity and sporting boards and committees. Catherine is a member and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.Connect with Dr. Donna:LinkedIn | https://www.drdonnamarino.com/Learn more about Dr. Donna’s Executive Coaching:Get your copy of Dr. Donna’s book, Unleash the Wise Leader in You! on Amazon.Learn more about Leadership & Team Trainings for Family BusinessesFind out if our Women’s Leadership Group is right for you.Podcast Category:Business: ManagementBusiness: CareersPodcast Artist Name: Dr. Donna MarinoShow Email: [email protected] Website URL: https://www.drdonnamarino.com/