When
family members work together or share ownership in a business or other financial
enterprise, multiple roles exist de facto. The needs and cultures of families
and business clash in generally predictable ways, while each family has its own
particular culture and specific values and needs. Helping families understand
the normal challenges inherent in sharing business and financial success, and
educating them regarding how to avoid common pitfalls, can substantially improve
the family enterprise's rate of success (measured in terms of financial and relational
success as well as personal happiness) and endurance across generations.