For many family businesses today, the pressure is mounting. A persistently tight labour market combined with rising wage costs has made manual, labour-intensive processes increasingly unsustainable. In this environment, investing in technology—whether it's an ERP, a CRM system, or cutting-edge AI—is no longer just an option; it is inevitable for long-term survival and growth. However, …

Continue reading Technology Alone Isn’t the Answer

When we promote individuals—whether family or externals—based solely on their technical brilliance or their history as a "doer," we commit a cardinal mistake that jeopardises the family business's future. Recent research from Gartner reveals a staggering reality: one in four managers would prefer not to be people managers at all. In family firms, this reluctance …

Continue reading Stop promoting the wrong people in Managerial positions

I still meet business owners and leaders who are detached from the reality surrounding them. They still think that they can grow the business by employing more people while not concerning themselves with having efficient processes supported by digital systems. A few weeks ago, the Central Bank of Malta (CBM) issued its latest Business Dialogue …

Continue reading The “new normal”

In a romanticised world, we are told that if we help people around us, be them colleagues or clients or suppliers - they will in turn take care of us. We imagine a world of reciprocal honour where helping someone ensures they’ll help us later. But for those that have been in the business trenches …

Continue reading Expected Disloyalty

Over the past 12 months, I was involved in various cases where family business clients decided to employ external professionals in the role of a full time CEO or GM. In all cases it was a very interesting journey. I decided to write this article to shed some light on this matter, which I believe …

Continue reading Family Businesses Employing an External CEO or GM

This morning I attended an economic analysis conference. One of the data points presented is the below. As can be seen below, by end 2024, Malta's population had the age cohorts between 25 years to 44 years, which had more EU & TCNs than Maltese nationals in these age cohorts. What does this mean for …

Continue reading Facing Reality

In a world of constant change, true leadership is a universal currency. While my blog does not deal with the world of politics, it focuses deeply on the principles of leadership. Leadership is the lifeblood of the family business, where the stakes are personal and the legacy is generational. Because the core tenets of effective …

Continue reading What true leadership looks like

I was reading yet another interesting recently published Harvard Business Review article on the succession in family business from the founder to the next generation. The article outlined that founder transitions are among the most emotionally charged and strategically consequential moments in a Family business’s life cycle. In the world of family-owned and founder-led businesses, …

Continue reading Navigating the Delicate Founder Transition

Many modern leaders fall into a dangerous trap: they mistake being "nice" for being effective. While a supportive culture is laudable and the use of empathy & emotional intelligence is essential, an over-emphasis on avoiding discomfort can lead to a culture where tough decisions are avoided and organisational performance is undermined. In essence, many leaders …

Continue reading The High Cost of Being “Nice”: Why Leaders Must Prioritise being “Good”

I was reading the brilliant Harvard Business Review article named "When Being a Family Business Becomes a Competitive Edge" published yesterday. The article outlines that in the journey of every family business, there comes a crossroads where the informal, handshake-driven ways of the past meet the demanding complexities of the future. The pressure to "professionalise" …

Continue reading The Soul and the System: Bridging the Gap in Family Business