How to Build a 100-Year Legacy
How to Build a 100-Year Legacy
How can business owners lead their teams to foster growth?
I began my entrepreneurial journey at 24, just before I became a father. My experience as a leader started even before I owned my own business; I had been leading people in various organizations. This foundation helped me when I transitioned into fatherhood, which presented its own unique challenges, especially with young children.
Leading in business and parenting are similar in many ways. Both roles require understanding and nurturing potential, whether dealing with employees facing personal or professional challenges or guiding children as they grow. I aim to identify both the strengths and areas for improvement in the people I lead, helping them advance towards greater achievements.
In business, like in parenting, I consider the potential of the individuals I'm responsible for. This perspective helps me guide them effectively during their time with me, whether short or long. My goal is always to ensure growth and development, making the most of our time together. Ultimately, even when employees move on to other opportunities, I strive to have been a good steward of their time and talents.
How can entrepreneurs build businesses that last for generations?
As a father, I've come to realize that parenting is a lifelong commitment, extending far beyond the typical eighteen years. This has sparked my obsession with thinking about the next hundred years as my responsibility—not just for my kids but also for future generations, including my grandkids and potentially great-grandchildren. This long-term view profoundly affects my approach to leadership in business.
Rather than focusing solely on immediate outcomes, such as what I can achieve right now or how I can influence someone's actions today, I emphasize building lasting relationships and the broader impact these relationships can have. By developing one individual, I create a ripple effect that influences not only our clients and team members but also extends to future business health and sustainability.
This legacy-driven mindset helps establish businesses that last because it prioritizes reinvestment and long-term health over immediate profits. When entrepreneurs adopt this approach, they attract people who are not just looking for a job but are eager to be part of a movement. Ideally, I want to create an organization where growth and challenge are constants, inspiring team members to commit to a lifelong journey with us, contributing to a movement that spans generations.
What qualities should leaders develop to manage both business and family effectively?
Patience, emotional intelligence, and integrity are crucial qualities that every leader should embrace. While patience does not come naturally to me, emotional intelligence and integrity are fundamental to my interactions in both family and business settings. How we handle one aspect of our lives often reflects how we manage all areas.
I strive to be someone my family, employees, clients, and business associates can rely on. This reliability is based on my ability to be emotionally intelligent—understanding and appropriately reacting to various situations, which fosters an environment of growth and development.
Similarly, integrity is a standard I uphold in every interaction. Whether it's dealing with conflicts within the family or challenges in the workplace, acting with integrity ensures that those I lead will emulate these values in their own actions.
This commitment to emotional intelligence, integrity, and effective communication has not only shaped how others view me but also continuously pushes me to improve these skills. It is crucial in the business world and at home that I do what I say I will do, as my actions are always under scrutiny.
How can business owners set boundaries to prioritize both work and family time effectively?
That's an easy one for me, but it wasn't always easy. I finish work between four and five each day, dedicating the evening hours to my children. We have dinner together, and I spend time with them until bedtime at seven. While the younger kids go to sleep, I assist our older children with their homework, particularly in math, as we homeschool them.
From seven to seven-thirty, I focus exclusively on teaching math to our two oldest children. This structured time is something we all cherish and look forward to each day. Although I make sure to avoid distractions like phone calls during these hours, I maintain some flexibility to accommodate unexpected needs.
Our evenings are filled with activities that foster bonding and enjoyment, such as music, dance parties, and chores done together. As we wind down, our bedtime routine includes reading the Bible, praying, and doing breathing exercises, which help instill calmness and mindfulness. We also use a digital board where the kids can track their daily tasks, helping them build routines and habits while understanding the importance of performance and mindset.
This evening regimen has become a cornerstone of our family life, creating a predictable and comforting routine for the kids and me.
How can business owners naturally integrate entrepreneurial principles into family life?
It is crucial to integrate entrepreneurship into family life naturally, without force. For instance, when it comes to introducing concepts to children, they often adopt what is regularly practiced at home without realizing it. In my family, we didn't specifically teach our kids to prefer warm or cold food; they ate what was given because it was normal for them, illustrating how children adapt to their environments.
In a household where entrepreneurship is the norm, children naturally absorb these principles. My wife and I run our businesses, and though she may not be involved daily, her entrepreneurial spirit is infused into our family life. We hold family meetings, discuss financial earnings, and set goals, which keeps the language of business alive at home.
For example, my daughter excels in art, and rather than just praising her skills, I encourage her to think like an entrepreneur—considering how she can use her creativity to add value to others. This mindset extends to all my children. They have been involved in various aspects of our businesses, from interacting with customers at our Edible Arrangements franchises to participating in our children's programs.
Furthermore, they've engaged in investments like buying and selling livestock, learning to convert their efforts into financial gains, and understanding the concept of passive income.
This approach to raising kids in an entrepreneurial environment helps them naturally integrate these lessons into their lives without feeling pressured.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
