Household companies are sometimes constructed from years of laborious work and values handed down from the unique founders. However as occasions change and the subsequent era steps in, there may be usually a giant query on the desk: How do you progress the enterprise ahead in present time with out shedding what made it particular within the first place?
Possibly the youngsters need to replace the branding, shift the corporate’s focus or rethink day-to-day execution. These modifications can generally conflict with the unique imaginative and prescient, but additionally carry new power and progress. So, what’s the key to discovering the candy spot between honoring the previous and embracing the long run?
We caught up with three family-run companies from world wide who’re doing simply that—every in their very own approach. Their tales provide perception and techniques on easy methods to evolve with out shedding sight of the place you come from.
The household legacies
On the coronary heart of any household enterprise is the legacy left by those that began it—the values, imaginative and prescient and character which have formed it over time. For a lot of, that legacy is a badge of honor they carry with deep delight and a robust sense of accountability.
That’s definitely true for the Michel household. Their hospitality story dates to 1899, when Matthias and Lars Michel’s great-great-grandparents constructed the Resort Gletschergarten in Grindelwald, Switzerland. Handed down by means of the generations, the resort has turn out to be a neighborhood establishment nonetheless lovingly run by their dad and mom, Gaby and Gery Michel. “We principally spent our childhoods in and across the resort,” Matthias says. “It’s our house as a lot as it’s our enterprise.”
In 2022, the brothers took their very own leap into resort possession by reopening the Resort Fiescherblick simply subsequent door. Initially inbuilt 1904, the constructing had been deserted for years following monetary hassle and a half-finished renovation.
When the prospect got here to carry it again to life, they jumped on it. Regardless of being a separate model, it operates below the identical firm, Resort Gletschergarten AG, however presents a contemporary Scandinavian-influenced expertise completely different from the standard Swiss hospitality of their dad and mom’ property.
Simply throughout the border in Italy, one other household enterprise has been pedaling ahead (pun supposed) for many years. ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Excursions was based in 1972 by Rick and Paola Malpezzi-Worth, once they launched their first group biking journey by means of Italy from Pisa to Forlì.
What began with 4 journeys in Italy shortly grew right into a a lot larger journey, increasing to guided and self-guided excursions throughout Europe and South America, with a give attention to immersive cultural experiences. In 2008, daughters Maria Elena Malpezzi-Worth and Monica Malpezzi-Worth, who grew up surrounded by bikes and maps, took over the enterprise, bringing their very own perspective whereas staying true to the corporate’s roots.
And eventually, in Chicago, the long-lasting Italian restaurant Gene & Georgetti is now within the arms of its third era, Michelle Durpetti and her husband, Collin Pierson. The restaurant was based in 1941 by Italian immigrant Gene Michelotti and his associate Alfredo “Georgetti” Federighi and shortly grew to become a Chicago establishment, recognized for its basic Italian fare and heat Tuscan hospitality.
After Gene’s passing in 1989, the reins had been handed to his son-in-law Tony Durpetti, who was deeply dedicated to preserving the restaurant’s legacy. However when Tony’s well being started to say no, his daughter Michelle stepped up, taking cost of the area and the evolution of its management type.
The important thing to navigating change
When a youthful era takes over a household enterprise, change is inevitable, and navigating it requires open, empathetic conversations and mutual belief to keep up stability between progress and custom.
For the Michel brothers, household stays on the core of each operations, though they’re completely different entities. Their dad and mom are nonetheless actively concerned, notably their mom, whom Matthias refers to because the “large boss.” However they’re given room to steer, do their very own factor and even fail at occasions.
Matthias says that their dad and mom’ belief is extraordinarily priceless. “We’ve got a really shut relationship and speak about the whole lot, be it over lunch, giving one another a fast name to ask a query [or for an] opinion, or after we go for a household journey,” he says. “Their expertise and experience are an amazing basis we will construct on with new progressive concepts.”
Durpetti’s father remained concerned within the enterprise and spent the ultimate years earlier than his passing specializing in legacy planning to make sure a seamless and safe transition of management. “He allowed the general public to imagine he was nonetheless on the helm to offer me area to study, develop and lead with confidence,” she notes. “It was one of many best items he ever gave me—and one I’ll always remember.”
Durpetti’s mom remains to be part of the enterprise that her father began 85 years in the past, and collectively, the 2 girls have reworked the model right into a 100% women-owned enterprise and just lately welcomed their first feminine chef.
Balancing custom with innovation
At its core, the success of the Michel household’s evolving hospitality empire lies in a shared love for Grindelwald. “That is our house—visitors come and go to us, and now we have a accountability to make them really feel welcome and allow them to expertise our village, its pure magnificence, its merchandise, historical past, tradition and traditions,” Matthias says. That sense of place continues to drive their imaginative and prescient not only for inns, but additionally for brand new ventures.
In the meantime, Durpetti is dedicated to maintaining the core of Gene & Georgetti intact—heat hospitality, distinctive meals and significant connections—however the way in which these values are delivered has advanced below her management.
The enterprise has expanded with a revamped wine checklist (together with wines from the household’s hometown of Lucca, Italy), and an e-commerce platform providing steak containers to raise the experiential nature of the model. “My dad used to say, ‘Drive your corporation, or be pushed out’ and I imagine that,” Durpetti notes. “However he additionally all the time mentioned, ‘The correct of enterprise is best than any “proper now” enterprise’ and that’s additionally one thing that calibrates the compass we use in all selections.”
ExperiencePlus! took the same method to rising its choices in each selection and scope, constructing on the inspiration of its basic European excursions. Underneath the sisters’ management, they added new locations and clearly outlined tour kinds. Not like different bicycle tour corporations, they provide a number of distinct choices that run just a few occasions a 12 months quite than simply frequently repeating itineraries.
Probably the most important shifts has been the rising reputation of e-bikes. “We couldn’t ignore e-bikes, and but we didn’t need to create a separate product line, so we integrated them into our excursions as a result of we knew our core product was nonetheless interesting,” Maria Elena says. This method continues to draw a loyal base of returning cyclists, permitting them to develop nearly seven occasions in measurement, with headquarters within the U.S. and a sister firm in Italy, since 2008.
On the finish of the day, the evolution of a household enterprise will not be straightforward. It’s about taking what was created with love and dedication and permitting it to develop, morph and thrive in a altering world. By holding on to the core values that made the enterprise profitable whereas discovering methods to modernize, generational companies can stay related and profitable for years to come back.
And, as Maria Elena places it, “generally, issues that appear like they shouldn’t change are OK to let go—since you don’t should maintain doing issues the way in which you all the time did them simply because.”
This text initially appeared within the July/August 2025 subject of SUCCESS+ digital journal. Picture courtesy of Daria Sophie Visuals.
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