UB Launches Family Business Initiative

From the UB News Center:

UB’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership is launching a new family business initiative which aims at teaching families about good business practices. Taking Care of Family Business will provide opportunities for relational and business growth in family ventures through workshops, interactive educational programming and networking. The goal of the initiative is to cultivate a community of support for family businesses that will promote healthy interpersonal and business growth.

?Family business entrepreneurs have long played an important role in invigorating the greater Western New York economy,? said Thomas Ulbrich, assistant dean and executive director of the CEL. ?But they have unique challenges and needs.?

Membership in the CEL?s Taking Care of Family Business initiative and access to its resources is limited exclusively to family businesses and membership includes the opportunity for up to four family members to take advantage of semiannual workshops with expert speakers and quarterly networking events that will bring together the dynamic greater Western New York family business community.

Families that would like to further explore issues affecting the family business also can participate in Growing a Healthy Family Business, the initiative?s flagship course. Developed collaboratively with family business experts of diverse disciplines, seasoned entrepreneurs and backed by the thought leadership of the UB School of Management, this 10-week course delivers practical solutions on topics relevant to family businesses while incorporating the cutting-edge principles of positive psychology.

The center has strategic plans to grow the family business initiative over the next five years to include professionally facilitated peer support groups and a next generation of family business leaders program.