25 episodes

Welcome to A Seat at the Table, Trials and Triumphs of Family Business, hosted by Natalie Mariani Kling, a 4th generation family business owner. This program is a creation of The Capital Region Family Business Center, a non-profit agency whose purpose is to help family businesses grow and prosper.One thing about being a part of a family business, is that it’s unique. Family businesses often began very simply, with a person who had an idea. Rarely were these people educated in business or finance, they usually didn’t have big investors, sometimes, they didn’t even speak English. But they saw an opportunity that could support their family, and so they started.Once these family businesses grow and are handed to 2nd, 3rd, 4th generations, there are not only the complexities of any growing business, but also the dynamics of family and relationships and navigating things like, which family member will be CEO, should this year's profits be reinvested or distributed? Differences in opinions can complicate Sunday night dinners, estate planning, who wants to keep running this business, preserving a legacy, entitlement, privilege, imposter syndrome…but there can also be magic.In a time where we want to KNOW the people behind a brand, and where authenticity and trust play a big part in our purchases as consumers, having a family that runs and operates a business over generations can create a very special culture where its success is built on relationships from vendors to employees to customers.On this podcast, expect real conversations with real family business members about what it’s like to be in a family business, run a family business, and the trials and triumphs of taking it into the next generation.

A Seat at the Table Capital Region Family Business Center

    • Business
    • 4.8 • 17 Ratings

Welcome to A Seat at the Table, Trials and Triumphs of Family Business, hosted by Natalie Mariani Kling, a 4th generation family business owner. This program is a creation of The Capital Region Family Business Center, a non-profit agency whose purpose is to help family businesses grow and prosper.One thing about being a part of a family business, is that it’s unique. Family businesses often began very simply, with a person who had an idea. Rarely were these people educated in business or finance, they usually didn’t have big investors, sometimes, they didn’t even speak English. But they saw an opportunity that could support their family, and so they started.Once these family businesses grow and are handed to 2nd, 3rd, 4th generations, there are not only the complexities of any growing business, but also the dynamics of family and relationships and navigating things like, which family member will be CEO, should this year's profits be reinvested or distributed? Differences in opinions can complicate Sunday night dinners, estate planning, who wants to keep running this business, preserving a legacy, entitlement, privilege, imposter syndrome…but there can also be magic.In a time where we want to KNOW the people behind a brand, and where authenticity and trust play a big part in our purchases as consumers, having a family that runs and operates a business over generations can create a very special culture where its success is built on relationships from vendors to employees to customers.On this podcast, expect real conversations with real family business members about what it’s like to be in a family business, run a family business, and the trials and triumphs of taking it into the next generation.

    Episode 24: Cementing the Legacy. How Clark Pacific's Unique Leadership Has Built a Resilient and Sustaining Enterprise.

    Episode 24: Cementing the Legacy. How Clark Pacific's Unique Leadership Has Built a Resilient and Sustaining Enterprise.

    Today's episode displays a wonderful tale of a company's heart and soul as Don Clark, the second-generation co-leader of the family-operated Clark Pacific, takes us behind the scenes of a business that has stood the test of time. Here's your opportunity to learn from a legacy of innovation and resilient leadership as we follow the company's transformation from its early days as a manufacturer of prefab construction products to a robust pillar in the construction industry. Don's account ...

    • 39 min
    Episode 23: Potatoes to Petite Sirah: Multigenerational Resilience Yields the Greatest Harvest for Bogle Family Vineyards.

    Episode 23: Potatoes to Petite Sirah: Multigenerational Resilience Yields the Greatest Harvest for Bogle Family Vineyards.

    Join us on this fascinating journey through the history and heart of Bogle Family Vineyards, as our guest Jody Bogle takes us back to her family's roots in the Sacramento River Delta. Discover how six generations of farming evolved into a renowned winemaking legacy, beginning with a serendipitous pivot from potatoes to Petite Sirah and Chenin Blanc grapes. Jody recounts the Bogle family's resilience through the Great Depression, their strategic foray into viticulture, and the birth of their o...

    • 56 min
    Episode 22: Mikuni Sushi - From Japanese Village to American Abundance, Taro Arai Dreams BIG.

    Episode 22: Mikuni Sushi - From Japanese Village to American Abundance, Taro Arai Dreams BIG.

    Growing up with the backdrop of a small Japanese village, Taro's yearning for freedom and acceptance was a seed that would eventually blossom into an American dream. Alongside his son Koki, Taro shares how he saved enough money from a paper route to fly his whole family to America as a teenager. He talks about how his father had a dream they should open a restaurant and how a chance encounter with a Japanese businessman landed them investment money which allowed them to fulfill that dream.Wit...

    • 1 hr 2 min
    Episode 21: Elite Service Experts Setback to Success. How Siblings Turned Family Trauma to Triumph

    Episode 21: Elite Service Experts Setback to Success. How Siblings Turned Family Trauma to Triumph

    Discover the incredible transformation of Roy and Ryan Hill, the sibling duo behind Elite Service Experts, as they share their tale of turning a period of near hopelessness into a flourishing family legacy. Their father's daring decision to purchase his former employer's equipment and transition to serving an established customer base set the groundwork for what would become a testament to entrepreneurial resilience. This episode peels back the layers of their journey, from facing the hardshi...

    • 44 min
    Episode 20: Mark Haney's Growth Factory and The Backyard Advantage

    Episode 20: Mark Haney's Growth Factory and The Backyard Advantage

    One would not suspect a young newspaper carrier to redefine the process from sidewalk or porch drop to in-home delivery, as it was self defined. Now would one expect that to turn into his first positive business exit. But that's what you'll hear on today's episode with Mark Haney. Inspiring, educational and not without the highs and lows of taking the family business into a creative growth cycle only to find a highly leveraged situation that went from optmistic to nearly broke.A t...

    • 59 min
    Episode 19: The "Hive". Built With So Much More Than Honey.

    Episode 19: The "Hive". Built With So Much More Than Honey.

    What a wonderful story this episodes displays of a family that has come together in the interest of not only continuing a legacy but also for sharing a passion of the very thing that kept them together. Honey. Josh and Shoshana Zeldner have a unique story to tell about how their interest in continuing the education about honey that their father started with his wife, their mother Amina, was brought to life after he had passed. Amina Zeldner reflects on the origin of the busi...

    • 54 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
17 Ratings

17 Ratings

FamBizCoach ,

Sports Analogies & Family

Thanks Natalie - love the podcast! Really enjoyed your conversation with George! So many pearls of wisdom for family members. You can tell you to have great appreciation and respect for each other even though you don’t love sports, you put up with his sports analogies :) I look forward to more episodes!

Ryan Doolittle ,

Great podcast! Natalie Kling is an amazing host!

Thanks for putting this show out there. Good stuff. And your host is incredible! Natalie Kling has the perfect voice, both literally and intellectually.

fundida ,

Heart of Family Business

What a delightful conversation with two members of multi-generational family businesses! Natalie and Steve are both passionate advocates for family business, and take us on their journeys of growth! Thanks for sharing your stories. Can’t wait for the next episode!!

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