When you hear the words “family business”, what do you think of?
Complicated? Blurred? Emotional?
How about; long-term, loyal and nimble?
Kin in the Game, led by Martin Tobin, is all about helping make that switch from potentially negative or challenging, to instead taking full advantage of the many benefits of being a family business.
Martin knows the unique advantages and challenges associated with having Kin in the Game.
He worked in his own family business, Melbourne-based funeral company, Tobin Brothers, for almost twenty years. During that time he worked with over fifteen members of his wider family, across four family lines and four different generations.
Now, Martin brings that experience as a specialist family business adviser.
Martin’s core purpose is to empower family businesses to identify and capitalise on their inherent competitive advantage.
Martin helps people balance what is often the two most important aspects of their lives, their relationship with their family, and the success of their business.
“Quite often that’s when I’ll come in and that issue of sibling rivalry [or other strained personal relationships] is the elephant in the room that the family is really grappling with. And I’ll get stuck into trying to sort it out.”
“It’s not rocket science”, says Martin. The key to making a family business successful are honest conversations, clear decisions, and striking a balance between family first Vs. business-first philosophy.
And with that balance, comes harmony, and the assurance that the business will continue on for generations to come.
Hear more about Martin’s approach to family business advice in Episode 13 of It’s Never About Money.
