The Strategic Family Enterprise
An executive program for family owned and closely held businesses
The Strategic Family Enterprise addresses issues faced by owners and senior leaders of multi-generational family businesses seeking to build strategic ownership competence and capability. Beyond building tools for effective management, business owners must be intentionally strategic as long-term holders of the asset that is the company. This requires focus on the end goal, attention, and creativity along the way.
Topics we will explore include:
- How can you build a unique vision for purpose and performance, and then put in place the structures to sustain it over time?
- Given this long-term strategic horizon, how should you think about managing, growing, and exiting the assets within the business to deliver upon the purpose? How should the time horizon of ownership be crafted to allow for this purpose?
- What strategic orientation best aligns with the outlined ownership objectives, and what is the best way to balance rigorous accountability with the unique possibilities of these kinds of companies to focus on long-term and patient value creation?
- How is governance of both the business and the family set up to ensure a strategic and long-term approach?
The Strategic Family Enterprise program will empower cohort participants to map the next steps in their ownership journey. Drawing from class sessions led by leading business school faculty and coaching sessions delivered by industry experts who have navigated similar challenges, each company will work during and between its sessions to build a final project that addresses a pressing strategic challenge.
The program is intended for two to three participants per company. Investment is $13,995 per participant, which includes 3 nights lodging at the Charles F. Knight Executive Education Center on the campus of Washinton University in St Louis, breakfast, lunch, and snacks on program days, and one group dinner.
Module 1
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 — 8am – 4pm Central Time
Wednesday, September 30 — 8am – 4pm Central Time
Thursday, October 1 — 8am – 11:30am Central Time
Module 2
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 — 8am – 4pm Central Time
Wednesday, October 28 — 8am – 4pm Central Time
Thursday, October 29 — 8am – 11:30am Central Time
Module 3
Tuesday, January 12, 2027 — 8am – 4pm Central Time
Wednesday, January 13 — 8am – 4pm Central Time
Thursday, January 14 — 8am – 11:30am Central Time