As an advisor working with family enterprises, it is important to recognize when ownership begins to feel like an obligation rather than a choice for next-generation members. While legacy and continuity are often emphasized, unspoken expectations and inherited structures can limit a sense of agency and lead to disengagement over time.

In this second article in a series from BanyanGlobal, the authors explore how advisors can play a critical role by helping families surface these dynamics, reframe ownership as a meaningful choice, and design governance and ownership systems that balance responsibility with flexibility.

The creation of Family Business Review (FBR) was not inevitable. It began with a conversation among scholars and practitioners who believed that family business deserved its own field of study.

In a recent discussion, early editors Ivan Lansberg, Kelin Gersick, and Joe Astrachan reflected on those formative years—how the journal grew from what Lansberg described as “a blank piece of paper on the deck” into a globally respected academic publication.

Succession has traditionally been negotiated behind closed doors—within families, boards, and leadership teams. Increasingly, however, some NextGen leaders are testing a different route to legitimacy: public visibility.

This article examines how NextGens use public platforms not for attention, but to demonstrate competence, generate measurable business value, and overcome internal resistance. Drawing on practitioner observation and research, it outlines four distinct pathways through which public visibility can either support—or undermine—succession outcomes, and highlights the governance questions families can no longer afford to ignore.