The Competence Test: Why not every sibling — or cousin — should lead
IN MY recent columns, I addressed a growing but often unspoken reality in family enterprises: the hard truth that not every sibling — or...
CEO Series: When incompetence endangers the business
THE UNCOMFORTABLE truth for founders and next-generation leaders alike is this: businesses can absorb market volatility for a time. What they struggle to survive...
Why many next-gen CEOs fail
IN MANY family-owned enterprises, succession does not fail dramatically. It erodes quietly. The title transfers. The office changes hands. The announcement is made. Yet beneath...
The making of an effective next-generation CEO
LAST WEEK’s story of a failed CEO highlighted the cost of misjudgment. This article focuses on what effective next-generation CEOs do differently, particularly in...
A next-generation leadership trap
“The first to control the past is the first to control the future.”
IN MID-January, I was in Taiwan—and in the months leading up to...
2026 will not be business as usual – Why WV businesses must prepare now
OUR RECENTLY concluded webinar, which gathered close to a hundred business owners and chief executive officers (CEOs) from the Philippines and overseas, affirmed a...
CEOs must lead with discipline in 2026!
IN MY previous column, I shared how a business owner who was once ready to exit is now rebuilding his company through clearer structure,...
Beyond cost-cutting: A 2026 playbook for owners and CEOs
WHEN I last wrote about a business owner considering an exit, many assumed the story would end with a sale. It has not. And...
The 2026 wake-up call: What SME owners must fix now
LATE LAST quarter, a business owner I have advised for years sent me a brief message. He is 67 years old, and his company...
An open letter to founders this holiday season
ON WEALTH, comfort, and the fragility of legacy:
Dear Founder,
As the holiday season unfolds — filled with family gatherings, travel, celebration, and well-earned comfort —...