In the midst of the Great Depression, a successful bookbinding business was born. Andrew Steele opened Steele Printing in 1935, and years later it expanded into a commercial printing business. After almost eighty years in business, Tim Steele, grandson of the founder, now owns and operates the family company. Their long-standing success generates an enormous amount of trust from their clients. We were lucky enough to catch up with this 2013 California Family Business of the Year Nominee at this year’s awards banquet put on by the Institute for Family Business, a network and resource for family businesses. Continue Reading…
We were lucky enough to attend, and be included in, the 2013 California Family Business Awards presented by our partner, the Institute for Family Business at Fresno State. There, we had the pleasure of meeting one of the Central Valley’s oldest and most delicious family-owned businesses, Dewar’s Candy. In 1909, James and George Dewar opened The Chocolate Shop, now known as Dewar’s, in Bakersfield, California. One hundred and four years later, the fourth generation is working to preserve the same excellence and tradition that has grown from a small candy shop into a national sensation. Biting into a Dewar’s chew Continue Reading…
I recently appeared on CentralValleyTalk.com to introduce Family Biz Buzz to a larger audience. Ok, I realize that CentralValleyTalk.com doesn’t have a huge audience, but it has a passionate one. And that’s how I feel right now: I have a really exciting and important message about studying and supporting family-owned businesses, but I have a really little voice in the world at the moment. My hope is that the more I talk about Family Biz Buzz, the more people will listen and share with others. Thriving family businesses are critical to our US economy, and each of us should be Continue Reading…
For Johanson Transportation Service, it isn’t just about marketing the technical capabilities of the business, but the family values as well. Since 1971, the company has grown from four to over 60 staff members operating from seven offices in five states. They offer customized freight solutions in trucking, oceans and air, rail/intermodal and other comprehensive importing and exporting solutions. Larry Johanson, President and CEO, knows that the founding ethical values of experience, integrity, gratitude, respect, and customer-oriented service are what drives the marketing and success of the company. Watch the rest of Larry Johanson’s Interview Continue Reading…
Welcome to the Buzz! I am pleased to welcome you to Family Biz Buzz, the net’s first blog and information archive dedicated to exploring and illuminating the marketing of family-owned businesses in America. Family-owned businesses comprise nearly 90 percent of all U.S. businesses, yet there is a surprising lack of information on the web – scholarly or otherwise – about marketing them. The editors and contributors to Family Biz Buzz seek to change that by developing a comprehensive resource for those who own, manage, and market their family-owned businesses. Family Biz Buzz will be a virtual library of Internet resources Continue Reading…
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