Creating More Certainty in the Family Business

Benjamin Franklin said that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. In family businesses -- especially those in agriculture -- there is often much uncertainty: the weather, the markets, your competitor's intentions, the regulatory and tax system, etc. The reason I chose the word certitude, which connotes "a feeling of certainty," is that in a family business, or in any working or family relationship, you can feel more secure about the future with good dialogue. And feeling more certain about the future is worth quite a bit when so many other things are unknown.