Conclusion: Lessons Learned

Abstract

Reading through the letters, it is interesting to see the marked differences among the families and businesses behind them. In size, the businesses range from small, with approximately 100 employees, to very large, with seven companies having between 10,000 and 150,000 employees. In turnover, these businesses range from $12 million to over $20 billion. These figures may not be representative of the family business world, where the vast majority of businesses are small- to medium-sized; nonetheless, examples and ideas from the families that took part in this book can serve as inspiration for family businesses of all sizes.