Family owned businesses comprise the largest sector of the American economy. Over 50% of America’s labor force is employed by family businesses and family businesses generate over 60% of the GNP. Only 30% of Family Businesses survive to the second generation and just 15% of those carry on to a third generation. Business is challenging and families are unique, together they are a complex challenge. EBP Consulting helps both the family and the business succeed.
QUOTES FROM CLIENTS
To position our company for growth we were advised to improve our Human Resource processes. We selected Ellen to assess our Human Resource Management processes and to make recommendations to increase our HR effectiveness. Her HR audit was insightful and Ellen has continued to team with us to strengthen our HR processes, improve our customer service, restructure our dispatch processes and streamline our organization's procedures. She is especially effective at communicating and working with all levels of our employees."
Iric Gachman, President of Gamtex Industries Ellen is an exemplary business professional and a trusted partner. First she listens to our needs and then she delivers on commitments by designing solutions, training, and coaching that deliver measurable results against hard business objectives."
Rebecca Denke, Operations Manager Ajax Glass & Mirrors"We decided to launch a BriefingEdge User's Group (BUG) to get a better understanding of our clients' needs and to get some direction on what their priorities were for our next software release. We knew that the first meeting was critical so we asked Ellen to facilitate our meeting. Before the meeting she sifted through the pile of survey data and made suggestions on how we could best present the data so that all the participants were included in the decision and met with us to develop the agenda. On the day of the meeting she facilitated the gathering and helped us identify our mission, vision and values of the BUG. She guided the discussion and captured the notes so that we got the information we needed. The new release rollout has been a big success and the word about the BUG is getting out and we are adding new clients."
Tom Matthews, Owner BriefingEdge"Ellen is client satisfaction-centered, knowledge-filled and energetic. She operates with business integrity and has always been willing to go the extra mile to achieve sustainable results. She coached us through some very difficult situations in a changing marketplace. Ellen also takes time to give back to the community through volunteer work and leadership. You will not find a more competent and authentic person. Call on Ellen and you get an advisor who has the talent and caring to help your company meet real world challenges."
Jim Browning, Owner of Prove-up
EBP CONSULTING IS YOUR RESOURCE FOR STARTING AN ADVISORY BOARD
An Advisory Board is exactly what the name suggests - it is a group of people who meet to advise you and your company. Your Advisory Board- Members bring skill sets and perspectives that are not available to you or your company.
- Is composed of people with a genuine interest in you and your company and a desire to see it do well.
- Members will serve as a sounding board, a source of ideas and expertise.
Advisory Boards are relatively simple and inexpensive to set up, but require sound planning, structure, and management.
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DEVELOPING FAMILY COUNCILS
- Are composed of the family members who are owners, their spouses, and their children who are of age.
- Responsible for developing a Mission and Values Statement as well as Employment and Compensation Policies.
- They serve a significant purpose by giving definition to the “family” part of the family business.
- A powerful tool to preserve family wealth
- Let us help you create a Family Council or invigorate your current council
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INITIATING CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESSION PLANNING
Surveys show that 76% of family business owners want their ownership transferred to a relative; but over half of them have not named a successor nor have a transition plan. We believe that Career Development and Succession Planning is a purposeful activity, and a continuous process that ensures that a company has the talent and vitality needed to achieve short and long term goals. EBP Consulting has certified career counselors and coaches to help companies:- Identify talent through assessments and other tools
- Select targeted individuals for development
- Create succession plans and
- Communicate and implement plans
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TEAMBUILDING FOR BOTTOMLINE SUCCESS
EBP Consulting believes that in a team-oriented environment, your employees will contribute more to the overall success of the organization because they better understand and “own” the company’s mission and objectives. Teambuilding is proven to drive:- Higher revenues and reduced costs
- Customer Service improvements
- Less re-work
- Employee retention
- Customer loyalty
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TRAINING
EBP Consulting believes that developing employees is an investment in an “appreciating asset” that positively impacts your company, customers and your employees. The benefits of Training include:- Reduced turnover
- Improved job satisfaction
- Higher productivity
- Ability to adjust quickly to changing market conditions
- Task mastery reducing waste and re-work
- Improved customer service
- Increased profitability
- Attracting a higher caliber of job candidates
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MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Studies show that 80% of problems experienced in any organization are people-related so good leadership always benefits the organization as a whole. With good leadership, team members will feel valued and are an integral part of the development of the organization – this invariably leads to greater benefits for the business. Companies with skilled leaders have higher productivity, lower costs, and better customer service. Skilled management develops a workforce that is engaged, motivated and productive. EBP Consulting provides the following services:- Career Development and Assessment
- Staff Selection Skills
- Performance Management
- Coaching Skills
- Time Management Skills for Leaders
- Communication Tactics
- Managing Diversity
- Behavioral Styles
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HR CONSULTING
EBP Consulting provides Human Resource support to companies that want to manage their Human Resource function more professionally but are not large enough to need a full-time Human Resource Manager. We work closely with clients to determine the best means of achieving the highest levels of performance for their company, and developing competent, committed employees, with the goal of making the company an “employer of choice”. A professional HR function results in reduced turnover, increased productivity, lower costs and improved profitability for your company. It also helps develop the “bench strength” to grow the company. Our expertise includes:- HR Audit
- Staffing and On-boarding
- Action Planning
- Performance Management and Appraisals
- Training and Development
- Career Counseling and Succession Planning
- Strategic Planning
- Executive Coaching
- General HR Functions
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RECRUITMENT, STAFFING AND ON-BOARDING
One of the most difficult and costly decisions a business owner makes is hiring employees. The Department of Labor estimates the cost of a bad hire is 30% of the first year’s potential earnings if the mistake is addressed the first six months. Other studies reveal that the real costs are much higher when calculating the potential for loss of customers, and impact on existing employees and productivity. Retaining new hires is also a challenge as most turnover occurs during the first few months on the job. Structured on-boarding programs positively impact the new employee’s productivity and motivation and can shorten the new hires time to competency. Let EBP Consulting help you implement an “Employing High Performance Employees” strategy.Click here to request additional information
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CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Conflict is a predictable part of work life and is inevitable in a family business. Conflict is not a bad thing it is evidence that people care and they feel strongly about an issue; providing a richness and contention that can spark creativity and innovation. When conflict is unaddressed it can strain personal relationships and can negatively impact the productivity of the business, the company’s morale and services provided to customers. Families and businesses that have developed effective tools and methods of managing conflict are those most likely to have strong families and businesses that survive and thrive. Let EBP Consulting help you address conflict and also develop business practices that helps the business manage conflict in a productive way.Click here to request additional information
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ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT
EBP Consulting provides direct consultative support to clients to develop and implement organizational improvement objectives that link to performance-based compensation, resulting in increased productivity and improved customer satisfaction. Services include:- Coaching
- Meeting Facilitation
- Employee Surveys and Interviews
- Process Review and Re-engineering
- Feedback and Action Planning
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ARTICLES
A Summary of the Pending Fair Pay and Paycheck Fairness Acts and Recommendations || Communicating the Hidden Paycheck || Rightsizing a Family Business in Perilous Times ||Compensation in a Family Owned Business ||Skills, Trust, and Principles are Central Characteristics in Successful Family Businesses ||Getting from First to Second: Succession Planning ||Employing High Performance Employees ||Why Your Family Owned Business Needs a Buy Sell AgreementFamily-Owned Business
A Summary of the Pending Fair Pay and Paycheck Fairness Acts and Recommendations
As anticipated, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act have become laws. This article includes a summary of both of the Acts and it includes recommendations for reviewing your current HR policies, compensation systems, and performance management practices.Click here to request the article
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Communicating the Hidden Paycheck
Few employees today know the real value of their job. Yes, employees can tell you the amount of their take home pay, hourly rate, or salary. But few can tell you their total compensation. Often, they greatly underestimate what employers spend on employee benefits. In most companies, employees don’t realize that benefits are a significant part of total payroll costs. Research estimates that employees are unaware of 20 percent to 40 percent of their compensation. Employers can change this level of understanding.Click here to request the article
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Rightsizing a Family Business in Perilous Times
In difficult economic times, family business owners may find themselves facing revenue declines of twenty- to fifty-percent, or worse yet, they may be watching profits turn into losses. Solving this business problem is challenging for a business, but even more so for families who own and actively manage their businesses.Click here to request the article
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Compensation in a Family Owned Business
Family enterprises face no other issue with more potential for triggering conflict, misunderstanding, and miscommunication than who gets how much money and on what basis. It is a lightning rod because it becomes a litmus test of fairness. The lack of a well-understood, worked-out, and agreed-to compensation policy for family members is one those “tools” frequently found missing when family businesses fail. The reasons for the potency of this issue are many.Click here to request the article
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Skills, Trust, and Principles are Central Characteristics in Successful Family Businesses
Family businesses are the most common form of businesses today. They are found globally and range from owner-managed shops to large enterprises like Corning Glass. Those families in business together most certainly face a daunting and complex set of challenges. Today as in the past, not only must they be able to work together to make their business successful, but they must also do so while promoting and sustaining positive family feelings. The families that are successful at this share several common characteristics worth noting.Click here to request the article
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Getting from First to Second: Succession Planning
Only 30 percent of family firms survive the transition to the second generation, and even fewer--15 percent--survive to the third generation. The challenge of making the personal, family, and business transitions necessary in the succession process are complex and are often underestimated. A number of these difficulties stem from the fact that the transition evolves from a system where the first generation (parents) has sole power and authority to make decisions and influence events to a situation. However, in the second generation, this power is usually shared equally among a group of siblings. In the case of ownership…Click here to request the article
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Employing High Performance Employees
Today’s business owners and managers are realizing that the most compelling way to differentiate their companies in the competitive marketplace is through leveraging human capital – their employees! Companies that engage high performance employees are benefiting from the savings yielded by less re-work, higher customer loyalty, greater employee retention, and more innovation. The key to hiring the right person starts ...Click here to request the article
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Why Your Family Owned Business Needs a Buy Sell Agreement
A Buy Sell Agreement is extremely important in a family owned business because it specifies the parameters for the transfer of ownership. Many times the process of working out the Buy Sell Agreement triggers productive conversations among family members that get them to focus on a multigenerational perspective. A number of critical issues should be covered in a Buy Sell Agreement. They include:Click here to request the article
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