Continuity Family Business Consulting

06/01/2026

In the 1990s, Doug Baumoel watched his family go to war over the business his father had built. The company sold through the courts at a fraction of its value. Relationships took a decade to heal.

That experience was the catalyst for our work here at Continuity.

One line from the recent New York Times feature captures what we've believed for 25 years:
"To the outside world, families look like they are fighting over money. It's more complicated than that. Mostly they are in conflict over identity issues, complex histories that may involve wealth, and to some extent, differences over ideas around spending, investment and philanthropy."

That distinction matters. It changes what kind of help a family actually needs, and who is qualified to provide it.

Read the full article: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/business/dealbook/family-business-counselors.html

As baby boomers begin passing down trillions in assets, advisers who specialize in navigating the process — and the emotions around it — have never been busier.

05/28/2026

When wealth enters a family, it rarely stays neutral. It magnifies what's already there: the relationships, the expectations, the unspoken rules about who gets to be who.

Continuity's Dr. Shay Harris-Pierre recently joined Cory Gagnon of the Legacy Builders podcast to talk about what it takes for individuals to develop a healthy sense of self inside a family of wealth, why so many parents accidentally create the entitlement they're trying to prevent, and the two questions every enterprising family should be asking together.

A thoughtful listen for anyone working with, or inside, a family navigating shared wealth.

🎧 Listen here: https://continuityfbc.com/where-wealth-meets-identity-podcast

Dr. Shay Harris-Pierre joins Cory Gagnon on the Legacy Builders podcast to explore how identity, autonomy, and wealth integration shape enterprising families.

05/27/2026

What separates an enterprising family that survives conflict from one that doesn't?
Continuity's Doug Baumoel calls it the Family Factor. He joined Chris Yonker on The Enlightened Family Business podcast to talk about what it is, why it matters, and how families build it.

Continuity founder Doug Baumoel joins Chris Yonker on The Enlightened Family Business podcast to discuss the Family Factor and how families survive conflict.

05/22/2026

Many of the families we serve have a name on a wall somewhere. A grandfather who didn't come home. An uncle whose military photograph still sits on a mantel. A sibling remembered each year at the Thanksgiving table.

These stories shape families in ways that rarely appear on a balance sheet, yet they often inform the values that guide a family enterprise for generations: duty, sacrifice, the willingness to build something worth protecting.

This Memorial Day, we honor those who gave their lives in service to our country, and the families who carry their memory forward.

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05/21/2026

to a milestone gathering. A few weeks ago, Continuity's Doug Baumoel and Dr. Shay Harris-Pierre were in New York for the 10th Annual Institute for Family Governance Conference. Ten years of bringing together advisors, family leaders, and researchers who care deeply about helping enterprising families build something that lasts.

The sessions tackled the questions that matter most to the families we serve: how culture, ownership design, succession, and personal authority shape whether governance actually works in practice.

A heartfelt congratulations to this year's honorees, whose work has shaped the field in lasting ways:

🏆 David R. York, Most Innovative Thinker
🏆 Dennis Jaffe, Most Inspirational Research
🏆 Peter Leach, Most Impactful Global Advisor

Grateful to be part of this community. Thank you to Babetta von Albertini and the IFG team for ten extraordinary years.

05/19/2026

We’re proud to share that our own Doug Baumoel has been selected to present at the Academy of Management's 2026 Annual Meeting, one of the world’s most respected gatherings of management and organizational scholars. 👏 👏

Doug’s workshop, Understanding and Managing Conflict in Family Businesses, will explore why conflict in family enterprises is often more complex and enduring than traditional business disputes, and why conventional negotiation approaches frequently fall short.

Participants will explore:
• Systems thinking in conflict
• Why traditional two-party dispute resolution models often fall short
• The difference between negotiation and developmental approaches
• Strategies for building resilient, multi-generational solutions

The AOM Annual Meeting attracts more than 13,000 attendees from around the world, and we’re honored to see this important topic included in this year’s program.

Learn more and view other peer-reviewed workshop topics here: https://www.aom.org/events/annual-meeting/

AOM's Annual Meeting is the world's premier gathering of management scholars. You're invited to Philadelphia for AOM 2026!

05/14/2026

What does it mean to truly thrive as a family — not just financially, but as people?

Wealth can bring opportunity and connection, but it can also raise questions that no estate plan is designed to answer: questions about identity, purpose, and what it means to live well alongside significant resources.

Continuity's Doug Baumoel and Dr. Shay Harris-Pierre are joining Family Business Magazine for a webinar to explore just that: Wealth Integration: How to Cultivate Family Health Alongside Family Wealth.

If you're part of an enterprising family — or you work with one — this is a conversation worth having.

📅 Thursday, June 4
🕐 2 PM (Eastern)
🔗 Register here: https://familybusinessmagazine.com/wealth-management/wealth-integration-how-to-cultivate-family-health-alongside-family-wealth/

In this webinar, Doug Baumoel and Dr. Shay Harris-Pierre of Continuity Family Business Consulting introduce Wealth Integration, a structured process for helping families align their financial lives with their identity, relationships, and sense of purpose. Whether you are a family enterprise stakehol...

04/28/2026

Wealth is more than financial capital. It shapes identity, relationships, and purpose, often in ways families don’t fully examine.

In this article, Dr. Shay Harris-Pierre introduces Wealth Integration, a framework for helping families align what they’ve built with how they live and relate.

What is wealth really for? Discover Wealth Integration™, a framework to align identity, relationships, and purpose across generations.

04/13/2026

With over $68 trillion expected to transfer to the next generation by 2050, the conversation around wealth is evolving, not just how it’s grown, but what it’s for.

Continuity’s Chris Koenemann will join a panel at the Impact Investing Forum to explore how purpose and values are shaping investment decisions across generations.

It’s an important conversation for families thinking about legacy in a changing landscape.

🌟 We’re excited to present at the Impact Investing Forum 2026, Tami Kesselman, Andrea Scarpellino, Susan L., Chris Koenemann, Carol Pepper, and M.A. Soriano, presenting a the panel “𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐄𝐯𝐨...

03/23/2026

A founder once asked us:
“Why would I create a board I have to report to… and that sets my salary?”

It’s a fair question, and a common misunderstanding.

In this article, Doug Baumoel explores how an independent board can strengthen a through better succession planning, stronger strategic guidance, and meaningful accountability—without sacrificing control.

Read more:

Using a real-life example, learn about the three ways a family business can benefits (and thrive) with an independent board of directors. Learn more.