Cornerstone Conversations

We’re joined by Jon and Max Harrell to talk about their family business: Generations Bank, a Northwest Arkansas pillar serving individuals, families, and business across the state for over 100 years. They share the story of how each of them found their way into the banking business and how they've navigated the tension between of being father / son co-workers.→ Connect with Generations Bank→ Learn more about the Jim Walcott Family Enterprise CenterIf you are a family business owner or small business owner looking for:Guidance on training your son in a businessDirection on balancing ambition and humilityOR looking for a new bank home for your business This conversation will give you a real, behind-the-scenes look at what that actually takes.--→ Watch this episode on YouTube00:00 Stats about Family Business1:09 Why is banking so stable?7:00 Jon's journey into joining Generations Bank15:30 Max's journey into joining Generations Bank32:00 The weight of stepping into a family business42:00 Ambition vs. Humility47:00 The future of Generations Bank--On Cornerstone Conversations, we explore the unique dynamic of fathers and sons who work together, whether they built something from scratch or carried something forward.Our mission is to create a space for intentional conversation and storytelling around family business transitions and legacy by enabling more dads to see working with their kids as a discipleship opportunity and more sons to see working with dad as an honor, not a handout.Connect with Kile Graves or Cornerstone Coaching on LinkedInLearn more about Cornerstone Coaching at www.cornerstoneco.com

We’re joined by Doug and Tristan Batie to talk about their new joint family venture: Carve AutoLab, an automotive market intelligence company that simplifies the car buying process. They share the story of how each of them decided to start this together and how they've navigated the tension between of being father / son co-owners.→ Connect with Carve AutoLab→ Protect your nest with HootOwl Estate PlanningIf you are a family business owner or small business owner looking for:Guidance on starting a business with your sonDirection on balancing ambition and humilityOR looking to be better informed about the car buying experience This conversation will give you a real, behind-the-scenes look at what that actually takes.--→ Watch this episode on YouTube00:00 Stats about Family Business1:09 Starting Carve AutoLab17:30 Who is Carve AutoLab for?38:30 Ambition vs. humilty43:00 Unique rewards of working together59:00 Advice to father / son looking to partner together--On Cornerstone Conversations, we explore the unique dynamic of fathers and sons who work together, whether they built something from scratch or carried something forward.Our mission is to create a space for intentional conversation and storytelling around family business transitions and legacy by enabling more dads to see working with their kids as a discipleship opportunity and more sons to see working with dad as an honor, not a handout.Connect with Kile Graves or Cornerstone Coaching on LinkedInLearn more about Cornerstone Coaching at www.cornerstoneco.com

We’re joined by Dwight & Blake Power of Ozark Consulting & Marketing to talk about what it looks to grow their business together. Dwight shares his story of founding OCM and how each of them have navigated the tension between being father / son co-workers, and what it means to build a company that can last for 50 years and beyond.→ Connect with Ozark Consulting & MarketingIf you are a family business owner or small business owner looking for:Guidance on training your son in the family businessDirection on balancing risk and innovation at scaleOR learning how to grow into leadership while working alongside a family member This conversation will give you a real, behind-the-scenes look at what that actually takes.--→ Watch this episode on YouTube00:00 Stats about Family Business1:09 Dwight's journey to founding OCM14:30 Blake's journey into OCM24:00 How roles are divided up34:30 Advice to fathers with "ambitious" sons47:00 Unique rewards about working together1:02:00 How does OCM re-invent itself?--On Cornerstone Conversations, we explore the unique dynamic of fathers and sons who work together, whether they built something from scratch or carried something forward.Our mission is to create a space for intentional conversation and storytelling around family business transitions and legacy by enabling more dads to see working with their kids as a discipleship opportunity and more sons to see working with dad as an honor, not a handout.Connect with Kile Graves or Cornerstone Coaching on LinkedInLearn more about Cornerstone Coaching at www.cornerstoneco.com

We’re joined by Brad and Marshall Smith of Pender-Craft to talk about what it looks like to step into business together: not through inheritance, but by choosing to take a risk side by side. They share how this opportunity came together, how they’ve navigated the tension between father, son, and co-owners, and what it means to build something meaningful while learning how to lead together in real time.→ Connect with Natural State Wealth AdvisorsIf you are a family business owner or small business owner looking for:Guidance on buying a business with your sonBalancing risk, faith, and responsibility togetherOR learning how to grow into leadership while working alongside your dad This conversation will give you a real, behind-the-scenes look at what that actually takes.--→ Watch this episode on YouTube00:00 Stats about Family Business1:09 Brad's journey into Pender-Craft9:00 Marshall's journey into Pender-Craft15:00 Finding a good father / son business fit19:00 Evaluating risk28:00 How roles are divided up42:30 Unique rewards & challenges52:00 Advice to fathers & sons thinking about going into business together1:00:00 Pitfalls of family business--On Cornerstone Conversations, we explore the unique dynamic of fathers and sons who work together, whether they built something from scratch or carried something forward.Our mission is to create a space for intentional conversation and storytelling around family business transitions and legacy by enabling more dads to see working with their kids as a discipleship opportunity and more sons to see working with dad as an honor, not a handout.Connect with Kile Graves or Cornerstone Coaching on LinkedInLearn more about Cornerstone Coaching at www.cornerstoneco.com

We’re joined by Jeff and McKane Martin of Martin Building Group to talk about more than just construction: they unpack what it looks like to build something from the ground up while navigating the tension of independence, legacy, and stepping into business with your dad without losing your own identity.If you are a family business owner or small business owner looking for:Guidance on starting a business with your son (not just inheriting one)Balancing independence with legacy in a family businessOR learning how to build something meaningful together without forcing it This conversation will give you a real, behind-the-scenes look at what that actually takes.--→ Watch this episode on YouTube00:00 Stats about Family Business1:09 Jeff's journey into Martin Building Group9:00 McKane's journey into Martin Building Group14:00 Parenting as a small business owner20:00 Talking about working together35:00 How roles are divided up46:30 3 Seasons of Family Business--On Cornerstone Conversations, we explore the unique dynamic of fathers and sons who work together, whether they built something from scratch or carried something forward.Our mission is to create a space for intentional conversation and storytelling around family business transitions and legacy by enabling more dads to see working with their kids as a discipleship opportunity and more sons to see working with dad as an honor, not a handout.Connect with Kile Graves or Cornerstone Coaching on LinkedInLearn more about Cornerstone Coaching at www.cornerstoneco.com

We’re joined by Shannon and Graves Schmidly of BHC Insurance to talk about more than just business: they walk through what it really means to step into legacy, build trust over decades, and figure out how a father and son can work side by side without losing either the relationship or the mission of the company.If you are a family business owner or small business owner looking for:Guidance on navigating generational transitionBuilding something that lastsOR Learning how to lead while still learningThis conversation will give you a real, behind-the-scenes look at what that actually takes.--→ Connect with Graves Schmidly→ Watch this episode on YouTube00:00 Stats about Family Business2:00 Shannon's journey into BHC Insurance16:00 Graves' journey into BHC Insurance24:00 Shannon mentoring Graves at work40:00 Evolution of the insurance industry44:00 Unique rewards & challenges of working together58:00 10-year vision of BHC Insurance--On Cornerstone Conversations, we explore the unique dynamic of fathers and sons who work together, whether they built something from scratch or carried something forward.Our mission is to create a space for intentional conversation and storytelling around family business transitions and legacy by enabling more dads to see working with their kids as a discipleship opportunity and more sons to see working with dad as an honor, not a handout.Connect with Kile Graves or Cornerstone Coaching on LinkedInLearn more about Cornerstone Coaching at www.cornerstoneco.com

Welcome to Cornerstone Conversations where we discuss timely topics impacting communities, cultures, and economies. The first topic we're gonna dive into in this series is family business:Currently there are 32 million family businesses in the US generating over half of our GDP as a country. They also employ 83 million people. What's interesting is only 30% of family businesses make it to the second generation, and only 12% make it to the third.You've probably heard of the great wealth transfer that is taking place across the globe in the next five to seven years. 40% of all the small businesses in the US are owned by a baby boomer who is reaching retirement age pretty soon.As coaches, we're really interested in what those impacts do to communities and cultures at large. We've had the privilege of walking alongside a lot of family business leaders over the past few years, and we believe this major intersection is something that can really, impact communities as well. In Season 1 of Cornerstone Conversations, we're gonna talk to six dads and sons that are working together and are trying to navigate what it means as a son to carry forward what their dad started, and as dads trying to let go of something that they've held onto for so long.--On Cornerstone Conversations, we explore the unique dynamic of fathers and sons who work together, whether they built something from scratch or carried something forward.Our mission is to create a space for intentional conversation and storytelling around family business transitions and legacy by enabling more dads to see working with their kids as a discipleship opportunity and more sons to see working with dad as an honor, not a handout.Connect with Kile Graves or Cornerstone Coaching on LinkedInLearn more about Cornerstone Coaching at www.cornerstoneco.com