All In Podcast

76: Jonathan Goldhill, Strategic Thinking, Execution Planning & Accountability Coaching

Daniel Giordano

SUMMARY:

On this episode of the All-In Podcast, Daniel’s guest shares some of the key ingredients specific to establishing and growing a transgenerational family business. Founder of the Goldhill Group, Jonathan Goldhill grew up outside of New York City, watching his own father and grandfather manage and grow their own company. The rewards are significant and – sometimes – so are the challenges.

The Goldhill Group provides strategic thinking, execution planning, and accountability coaching to businesses. Based in the Los Angeles metro area, the consultancy serves closely-held and family business clients in the lower to middle market nationwide. 

Next-Gen entrepreneurs looking to advance a legacy started by parents, grandparents or other family relations have to think not just about taking the reins but keeping that business relevant. Over 30 years of growing his coaching consultancy, Jonathan has tracked what works – and doesn’t – when it comes to building on a previous generation’s foundation. Very often visionary decision-making upsets status quo and tries interpersonal communications skills, which is why Jonathan wrote his book, Disruptive Successor: Driving Growth in Your Family Business.

Enjoy this lively conversation that spans Jonathan’s career, with its twists and turns, and wraps up with a peek inside his playbook, which is designed to help family businesses scale up and evolve with the times. It’s a unique sweet spot – and easy to understand why Jonathan has gone “all-in.”

KEY TOPICS:

  • Jonathan shares a bit about his upbringing in Westchester County, NY, and how it influenced his formative understanding of what it means to live an integral life.
  • A sociology major at UC Santa Barbara, Jonathan’s early career was about empowering communities and fostering positive social change.
  • Early entrepreneurial ventures included events in the New Age space and an art/clothing company that taught him some valuable lessons and sparked his decision to get his MBA.
  • Jonathan has found that family businesses often have to morph within a single generation and alter some of the more staid patterns that prevailed for decades.
  • There are common threads that presage multi-generational wealth:
    • Diversification – Taking chips off the table and reallocating into other asset classes that don’t require a lot of upkeep.
    • Scaling – Resisting complacency with vision and a determination to grow.
    • Purpose – Assessing and defining what it is that feeds an appetite for business.
  • Jonathan hasn’t experienced many professional set-backs, but shares some of the challenges he faced trying to scale up a coaching consultancy business.
  • 1 Piece of Advice? Surround yourself with A-team players. The only thing more costly than top-of-the-line talent is mediocre talent.
  • Jonathan’s playbook includes:
    • Focus on priorities.
    • Measure performance.
    • Have regular meetings to review metrics.
  • What’s next for Jonathan: Once fully immunized, he’s back on the road meeting with clients in-person and promoting his podcast, which is based on his book, Disruptive Successor: Driving Growth in Your Family Business.
  • Jonathan provides contact info and refers listeners to tools and other information at his consulting website (resources below).

KEY QUOTES:

  • “My family business clients were loyal. I did really well managing in the spaces between them – the unspoken words, conflict. Helping them to scale the business and work with … what I term the disruptive successor.”
  • “The speed and pace of change, due to technology, process model improvements and quality improvements, it’s much faster today.”
  • “For family businesses to stay relevant, next-gen leaders can’t just ride the coattails of his/her mom or dad.”
  • “People matter first. If you don’t surround yourself with a great team of players, then you are missing out on some incredible opportunities.”
  • “You can have great sales systems but if you don’t have good people who can execute on it, it’s like a leaky bucket. You keep pouring in water that keeps leaking out.”

About Jonathan Goldhill

Website: https://www.thegoldhillgroup.com

Jonathan’s book: Disruptive Successor: Driving Growth in Your Family Business

Email: Jon@thegoldhillgroupcom

@LinkedIn

@Twitter

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About the All In Podcast Show:

The All-In Podcast Show presents top Entrepreneurs, Innovators and World Changers willing to share their breakthrough moments and how they are changing the world. Focused on being “All-In” on the four areas of life: faith, family, finances, and health, host Daniel Giordano invites mentors who exemplify balance and a commitment to building a bold life of excellence.

Previous Episodes: https://www.allinpodcast.com

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