Women Family Business Leaders Discuss Challenges, Opportunities of Running Generationally-Owned Family Businesses

New Two-Part Series on Women in Family Business Now Available on Spotify

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, December 19, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- How women navigate the challenges and opportunities in their family-operated businesses is the subject of a new podcast on “Woman in Family Business,” hosted by Family Enterprise USA.

The first of two podcasts on the subject is now available on Spotify and other podcast platforms.

The first podcast features Paula Lafferty, Chief Executive Officer of SnoTemp, a family-owned and operated temperature controlled public warehousing company in Oregon, and Lauren Doll-Sheeder, Managing Partner, Doll Distributing, a third-generation Council Bluffs, Iowa, beverage distribution company.

The podcast discussion covers the barriers, challenges, and opportunities women face in family-owned businesses in the past, present, and future. It’s hosted by Pat Soldano, President, Family Enterprise USA, advocates for generationally-owned family businesses. She is also President of a sister organization, Policy and Taxation Group, which advocates for successful individuals and family offices.

“What builds the most credibility for women in family-owned businesses is that you need to show employees you worked your way to the top,” says Lafferty in the podcast.

SnoTemp has two facilities located Oregon and is a key link for local food processors and consumers in the area. In business since 1957, the company has 1,370,000 sq. ft. of temperature-controlled storage and offers supply chain services for local, national, and international customers.

“Getting training early in all facets of the business was really key for me and the support I received from our partners was very helpful,” says Doll-Sheeder.

Doll Distributing is a third-generation beverage distribution company with and 330 employees. Last year, Doll expanded into Eastern Iowa and now offers distribution services in 44 Iowa counties and eight Minnesota counties.

The podcast, part of a series called “The Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill,” is airing on Spotify and other podcast platforms.

One of the key challenges, Soldano points out in the episode, is when a family business needs to make the transition to the next generation of leadership.

“Our ownership recognized early on how important navigating the leadership transition is, especially in the case of a death,” says Lafferty during the discussion. “Leadership transition is more nuanced than one can imagine. It’s not a ‘set it and forget it’ process.”

As family businesses grow, the ability for the next generation of leadership to afford ownership is also a barrier, according to Doll-Sheeder.

“In our case, we have grown quite a bit recently and this makes it difficult for the next group of family owners,” she says. “It’s a struggle for our next family leaders to come up with the funds to buy the company after such growth, and then keep it growing.”

The podcast also delves into the current tax issues, such as the expiration of many Tax and Jobs Act provisions, and pass-through entity challenges, which most family businesses operate under.

“Keeping tax policies consistent is critical for family businesses,” said Soldano on the tax discussions. “In order to plan, reinvest, and provide for employees and community, it’s vital that family businesses, and the next generation of women leaders in family businesses, can count on tax policies that don’t harm the growth of America’s largest private employer, family business,” she said.

Subscribers will receive alerts as future shows are posted. To find it on Spotify click on: Family Enterprise USA Podcast.

About Family Enterprise USA

Family Enterprise USA promotes generationally owned family business creation, growth, viability, and sustainability by advocating for family businesses and their lifetime of savings with Congress in Washington DC. Since 2007, Family Enterprise USA has represented and celebrated all sizes, professions, and industries of family-owned enterprises and multi-generational employers. It is a bipartisan 501.c3 organization.

Bob Chew
Family Enterprise USA
+1 310-383-0528
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