The Growing Pains of Family Businesses

The Growing Pains of Family Businesses

April 22, 2026 · 21 min · Episode 33

About this episode

Charlie Bitzer discusses the unique challenges faced by family-owned businesses and their boards with Kait Armstrong.

“Business is easy. Family business is hard,” says Charlie Bitzer, chair and CEO of ABARTA. The relationships and dynamics within family-owned companies present distinct challenges for their boards. In this episode, Bitzer talks with NACD senior member engagement advisor Kait Armstrong about the governance of family-owned businesses. They discuss the difficulties of generational transitions, the importance of aligning culture between the board and the family, and how independent directors can engage family leaders in tough conversations. Host: Kait Armstrong , NACD senior member engagement advisor Guest: Charlie Bitzer, chair and CEO of ABARTA Related NACD Resources: · “Steering a Family Business Through Ownership Transitions” · “How Family Businesses Actually Make Governance Work” · Director Essentials: Family Business Boards and Family Dynamics Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

People in this episode

Host: Kait Armstrong

Guest: Charlie Bitzer

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ABARTA, NACD

More episodes of BoardVision

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the BoardVision podcast page.