The Enlightened Family Business Podcast

Hosted by Chris Yonker

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100

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Jun 2026

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What if governance, succession, and leadership weren't just business strategies—but sacred opportunities for growth, healing, and transformation? Welcome to The Enlightened Family Business Podcast with Chris Yonker—author, trusted advisor to ultra-high-net-worth families, and 7th-degree black belt whose work bridges legacy with soul. This isn't your typical family business podcast. Each episode dives deep into the inner and outer dimensions of generational success—where family dynamics, conscious leadership, custom-fit governance, and soul-purpose clarity come together to shape continuity that feels as good as it looks. Rooted in Chris's Governance 2.0™ framework, the show explores: • Strategic governance aligned with family values • Transparent communication and relational repair • Mental, emotional, and physical well-being as business drivers • Personal development and transformation at every level • Succession planning that honors identity, meaning, and legacy Chris has guided some of the most complex family systems in the world—blending deep psychological insight, trauma-informed process, and spiritual intelligence. Whether you're a founder, rising gen leader, or advisor to family enterprises, this podcast will challenge, inspire, and equip you to lead with intention—and fulfill the purpose your soul came here to live. Subscribe now to discover what's possible when families align from the inside out.

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June 15, 2026Episode 16246 min

You May be Making Decisions in the Dark - Jacques Santucci on Financially Preparing your Business for the Future

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 162: You May Be Making Decisions in the Dark — Jacques Santucci on Financially Preparing Your Business for the Future In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker sits down with Jacques Santucci, President of Opus Consulting, for a grounded, practical conversation about one of the most underutilized levers in family business: financial leadership. Jacques brings a rare combination of international business experience — from Ernst & Young in France to CFO roles in the US — and 17 years of consulting to privately held and family-owned businesses across New England and beyond. Together, Chris and Jacques break down the critical differences between a bookkeeper, controller, and CFO; why so many family businesses are making major decisions with months-old data; what the early warning signs of financial trouble actually look like before an owner recognizes them; and why the fractional CFO model has become one of the most accessible and high-impact resources available to growing family firms. They also explore what a meaningful financial education pathway looks like for the rising generation — not to make them accountants, but to ensure they can read a P&L, understand a balance sheet, talk to a banker, and make decisions grounded in fact rather than gut feeling. Episode Chapters · 4:10 Meet Jacques Santucci · 7:12 From France to Maine: A CFO's Unlikely Journey · 11:04 Bookkeeper, Controller, CFO — What's the Difference and Why It Matters · 17:12 The CFO's Real Job: Looking at the Future, Not the Past · 19:25 When Is It Time to Bring In a CFO? · 21:33 Financial Reporting: What to Measure, How Often, and Why · 25:31 Early Warning Signs Your Business Is Heading for Trouble · 29:16 Customer Mix, Profit Margins, and Strategic Decision-Making · 30:16 A Real-World Case Study: Seasonal Business, Six-Week-Old Data, and What Changed · 31:47 Clean Data: Why Accuracy Is the Foundation of Every Good Decision · 35:20 Developing the Rising Generation's Financial Acumen · 40:08 What Every Next-Gen Leader Needs to Understand About the Numbers · 42:16 The Fractional CFO Model: Full Expertise at a Fraction of the Cost · 46:05 Resources and Farewell Websites · opuscg.com · chrisyonker.com About Jacques Santucci Jacques Santucci is the President and Founder of Opus Consulting, a nationally recognized full-service business advisory firm supporting companies from start-up to turnaround, and offering management and fractional C-suite services to unlock performance. Jacques is particularly skilled in helping businesses navigate complex inflection points and difficult industries, with over 20 years of experience in turnarounds and restructurings. He frequently serves as a restructuring officer, court-appointed receiver, or turnaround advisor — bringing disciplined execution and a practical, hands-on approach to each engagement. In his capacity as a fractional CFO, Jacques utilizes his strategic and financial expertise to help companies improve fiscal controls, cash flow, and align financial operations with long-term goals. From his frontline perspective in restructuring and turnarounds, he is keenly aware of the financial decisions and factors that lead companies into distress — and works with business leaders to avoid those pitfalls earlier in the business lifecycle. Jacques built his career as a strategic finance leader, holding senior roles at Ernst & Young and Universal Pictures in Paris, France, before bringing his expertise to privately held and family-owned businesses across the United States.

June 1, 2026Episode 16156 min

AI Is Coming Fast — What Family Businesses Should Do Now with Jack Potvin

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 161: AI Is Coming Fast — What Family Businesses Should Do Now with Jack Potvin In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker is joined by AI product builder Jack Potvin for a fast-moving, practical conversation about artificial intelligence and what privately held and family businesses need to do — right now — to stay competitive. Jack built his AI foundation working on one of the world's first computer vision models for sports before the rise of large language models, and now dedicates his work to helping independent businesses harness this technology before the window closes. Chris and Jack make the case for why family businesses — historically outperformers — are at a critical inflection point: large corporations are pouring tens of billions into AI adoption, and the playing field will not stay level for those who wait. Together they explore what AI actually is, the two core value drivers of efficiency and capability expansion, where to start when your team is at zero, why governance policies matter more than most owners realize, which specific tools deliver immediate value, and what AI genuinely cannot replace — deep domain expertise, broken process diagnosis, and nuanced human judgment. They also dive into real-world case studies from a beverage manufacturer and an insurance agency that have completely transformed their operations through AI, and close with a grounded, practical framework for family business leaders ready to take their first meaningful steps. Episode Chapters · 0:00 Welcome and Framing the Opportunity · 1:00 Meet Jack Potvin — From Sports AI to Family Business Adoption · 4:06 Why Family Businesses Are at a Competitive Inflection Point · 7:28 What Is AI? Defining LLMs, Efficiency, and Capability Expansion · 13:18 Should Your Company Have an AI Policy? · 16:04 Addressing the Fear: Job Loss, Data Privacy, and the Real Risks · 22:10 Where to Start: Daily Drivers, Existing Tools, and Filling the Gap · 26:54 Best AI Tools Right Now: Read AI, Whisper Flow, Notion, Gamma · 30:29 Operational Efficiency, Analytics, and Business Development · 31:11 Two Real-World Case Studies: Beverage Manufacturer and Insurance Agency · 35:23 What AI Is Great At — and Where Humans Must Lead · 40:40 AI for Business Development, Outbound, and CRM Automation · 45:59 Strategic Planning, Knowledge Bases, and Building Your Company's AI Brain · 50:20 Q&A and Closing Resources Websites · businessautomation.com · chrisyonker.com About Jack Potvin Jack Ryan Potvin is an entrepreneur and AI strategist focused on helping businesses adopt practical artificial intelligence solutions that improve efficiency, decision-making, and competitive positioning. As the founder of Business Automation, Jack works with companies to integrate AI into everyday business operations — from automating workflows and improving internal knowledge systems to enhancing marketing, sales, and strategic insight. Jack specializes in translating rapidly evolving AI capabilities into practical tools that business leaders can implement today, without requiring large technical teams or massive technology investments. He is particularly passionate about helping family-owned and employee-owned companies adopt AI in ways that strengthen their long-term competitiveness while preserving the leadership values and culture that make these businesses successful.

May 18, 202654 min

The Family Factor: Why Some Families Survive Conflict and Others Don't with Doug Baumoel

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 160: The Family Factor: Why Some Families Survive Conflict and Others Don't with Doug Baumoel In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker sits down with Doug Baumoel, Founding Partner of Continuity Family Business Consulting and co-author of Deconstructing Conflict, for a deeply honest conversation about what actually tears family businesses apart — and what it takes to hold them together. Doug's path into this work is personal: he grew up as heir apparent in a thriving multi-generational family business that ultimately collapsed under the weight of poorly managed conflict, despite multiple consultants attempting to help. What he learned from that experience led him to develop the Conflict Equation Methodology, a systems-based framework rooted in the science of identity-based conflict — the kind of conflict that can't be mediated, negotiated, or governed away. In this conversation, Doug and Chris explore the critical distinction between disagreements, disputes, and true conflict; the concept of the Family Factor and why it's the single most important variable in any family business engagement; why governance overlaid on top of unresolved conflict is like pouring gasoline on a fire; and how trust is rebuilt not through warmth or wishful thinking, but through predictability. They also dig into early warning signs of passive and active conflict, why the first phone call from a prospective client can make or break an engagement, and what it really means to sacrifice for family. Episode Chapters · 8:48 Meet Doug Baumoel · 11:00 Growing Up as Heir Apparent — and Watching It Fall Apart · 14:00 Why Most Family Business Consultants Made Things Worse · 16:30 The Conflict Equation: A Systems Engineering Approach · 19:00 Identity-Based Conflict vs. Civil Dispute · 22:10 How Families Show Up: Stuck, Worried, or In Crisis · 23:22 The First Phone Call and the Bias Trap · 27:38 Family First or Business First? · 31:08 The Family Factor: Compromise, Forgiveness, and Care · 35:09 Are We Wired to Care for Each Other? · 39:00 Early Warning Signs: Passive vs. Active Conflict · 49:20 Why Governance Is Not a Conflict Solution · 52:44 Building the Family Factor Across Generations · 56:34 Resources and Farewell Websites · continuityfbc.com · chrisyonker.com Book · Deconstructing Conflict: Understanding Family Business, Shared Wealth, and Power — available on Amazon About Doug Baumoel, MBA Doug Baumoel is the Founding Partner of Continuity Family Business Consulting, where he specializes in conflict management and leverages his extensive expertise in family business, family office operations, and governance. He draws from over 25 years of business experience — including starting and managing businesses in both the U.S. and Europe, where he established and led the European offices of his second-generation family enterprise — to develop a robust process for analyzing the key variables that influence family business conflict. He co-authored Deconstructing Conflict: Understanding Family Business, Shared Wealth, and Power with Continuity Managing Partner Blair Trippe. His insights have been featured in Family Business Magazine, Thomson West's Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Guide, Private Company Director magazine, and Harvard's Negotiation Journal. A nationally recognized speaker, Doug has presented at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, Cornell University's Smith Family Business Initiative, the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), the Family Firm Institute, the American Bar Association, Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises (AFHE), and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP). He serves as a board member of One Family Inc., a Massachusetts non-profit supporting families facing homelessness, and sits on the boards of a private foundation and a technology firm. Doug holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University. He is a Fellow of both the Family Firm Institute (FFI) and the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), a Practitioner Scholar with Cornell's Smith Family Business Initiative, and a recipient of FFI's 2023 Interdisciplinary Award. Outside of work, he is an avid fingerstyle jazz guitarist who occasionally performs at charity events and jazz venues.

May 6, 2026Episode 15944 min

The Story Only Your Family Can Tell

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 159: The Story Only Your Family Can Tell with Roy Moëd & Yvette Conn In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker sits down with Roy Moëd and Yvette Conn, co-founders of Lifebook Memoirs, for a rich conversation about why documenting the stories of family business founders may be one of the most underutilized tools in the entire legacy planning space. Roy's journey into this work began with a deeply personal moment — repeatedly shutting down his blind father's stories until it was almost too late — and evolved into a global enterprise that has now chronicled over 20,000 lives across the world. Yvette, with her background in financial markets and business commentary, brings the lens of the family enterprise: how the unrecorded stories of founders get distorted over generations, how family myths quietly become sources of division, and how a book chronicling the origin of a family business can give an entire management team a living framework of values to build on. Together, they explore why so many people believe their story isn't worth telling, what it actually looks like to capture a 100-year-old family business history, the surprising emotional and relational benefits that emerge when stories are finally put to paper, and why a book — not a video — remains the most powerful medium for preserving a family's truth. This is a quietly profound episode for any family business leader who has ever wondered whether the story of how it all began still matters. Episode Chapters · 5:28 Meet Roy Moëd and Yvette Conn · 6:07 The Genesis: A Blind Father and a Secretary Who Listened · 9:34 From Memoir to Family Business Stories — How Lifebook Evolved · 11:07 Who Am I to Have My Story Written? The Self-Worth Question · 13:00 The Aha Moment: Why Every Story Is Worth Telling · 17:42 The Value to the Reader — Not Just the Subject · 19:00 How Founders' Stories Give the Next Gen Permission to Try and Permission to Fail · 20:40 Passing On Values, Not Just Value · 22:08 When the Family Story Gets Distorted — and Why It Causes Division · 24:46 Capturing Stories of Founders Who Are No Longer Alive · 27:21 You Can't Ensure Your Memory, But You Can Ensure Your Memories · 30:42 How This Work Has Enriched Their Own Lives · 37:11 What Families Ask: How Much Time Does This Actually Take? · 39:46 Using the Book Project as a Legacy Role for a Retiring Founder · 42:39 Why a Book Beats a Video · 43:40 Resources and Farewell Websites · lifebookmemoirs.com · chrisyonker.com About Roy Moëd Roy Moëd is the co-founder of LifeBook Memoirs, which he launched in 2010 alongside his wife Yvette following extensive research at the Toronto Brain Health Institute. The company officially launched in October 2011 and secured venture capital funding in 2012. Today, over 20,000 people worldwide own a LifeBook. Roy's entrepreneurial journey began in 1978 with the founding of Pourshins Limited, which he built — starting with just £4,800 — into an international enterprise employing over 600 staff across four factories in four countries. He later re-engineered the company into a global virtual logistics and BPO provider before selling it to gategroup in 2007. Beyond business, Roy is a passionate philanthropist and advocate: he founded a polo club in Windsor, participated in the London to Sydney air race to raise money for charity, volunteered with Crisis at Christmas, and assisted with refugee relocation efforts at the Polish-Ukrainian border. He has been an active YPO member since 1991 and is deeply involved in the Parenting Community, creating forums and events focused on ageing parents. About Yvette Conn Yvette Conn co-founded LifeBook Memoirs in 2011 after a distinguished career in financial markets. After earning her Economics degree from the University of Bath, she entered the City of London — then still heavily male-dominated — and rose through the ranks at Laurie Milbank and later Investec, becoming one of the first female partners in the City and a member of the London Stock Exchange. Today, alongside her role at LifeBook, she leads the company's prestigious OPUS Division, which works with individuals, families, and founders to capture their life journeys and preserve their legacies for future generations. Yvette's rare combination of financial rigour and emotional intelligence allows her to guide clients through the storytelling process with warmth, discretion, and authenticity. As she puts it: "While a balance sheet tells you what a family owns, a story tells you who they are."

April 20, 20261 hr 0 min

You Can't Lead the Next Generation If You're Not Around For It — Dr. Mark Su on Longevity

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 158: You Can't Lead the Next Generation If You're Not Around For It — Dr. Mark Su on Longevity In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker sits down with Dr. Mark Su, functional and longevity medicine physician, founder of RootSeek Health and True Wellness Clinic in New England, for a wide-ranging conversation on what it actually means to take authority over your own biology. Dr. Su breaks down the three-category framework he uses in his longevity practice — age-related diseases, cellular root causes of aging, and lifestyle factors anchored by muscle health — and explains why your biologic age matters far more than your chronological one. They explore the groundbreaking science behind epigenetics, telomere health, biologic age testing, and VO2 max, and why moving just one category in your VO2 max ranking is statistically more protective than quitting smoking or eliminating heart disease. Dr. Su also tackles the overwhelm of the longevity information landscape, the critical role of self-advocacy in healthcare, the underappreciated connection between trauma, ACE scores, and chronic disease, and where AI fits — and doesn't — in helping individuals prioritize their health. A conversation for driven family business leaders who are ready to invest in their most important asset: themselves. Episode Chapters · 4:40 Meet Dr. Mark Su · 8:07 Why Longevity Is Having a Moment · 12:03 Genetics vs. Epigenetics: How Much Authority Do You Have? · 17:29 The Three Categories of Longevity Medicine · 27:36 The Four Horsemen: Age-Related Diseases · 29:00 Cellular Root Causes of Aging: Telomeres, Biologic Age, and Immunity · 32:00 Muscle as Your Longevity Organ and the VO2 Max Breakthrough · 35:47 Testing: What's Available, What's DIY, and What Requires a Doctor · 41:44 Trauma, ACE Scores, and the Stress-Longevity Connection · 47:38 How to Find the Right Practitioner · 53:00 The Role of AI in Personalizing Your Health · 57:37 Hyperbaric Chambers and Emerging Treatments · 58:46 Resources and Farewell Websites · drmarksu.com · rootseekhealth.com · truewellnessclinic.com · chrisyonker.com About Dr. Mark Su Dr. Mark Su is a functional and longevity medicine physician with over a decade of practice experience in New England. He is the founder of RootSeek Health, a virtual practice specializing in chronic inflammation and longevity medicine with no geographic boundaries, and a co-founder of True Wellness Clinic, a brick-and-mortar longevity clinic offering in-person procedural treatments including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and IV ozone. Trained at Tufts and deeply influenced by the pioneering biological age research of his wife, Dr. Jessica Su of Harvard, Dr. Mark Su brings a systems-level, root-cause approach to helping patients understand where they are biologically — and what they can actually do about it. His work bridges chronic disease, longevity science, and the belief that every person deserves a clear map for living their healthiest, fullest life.

April 6, 2026Episode 15745 min

The Conversation Your Family Needs to Have Before You Die — with Attorney Don Ford

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 157: The Conversation Your Family Needs to Have Before You Die — with Attorney Don Ford In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker sits down with Don Don Ford III, estate planning attorney and founding partner at Ford Bergner in Texas, for a candid conversation about the estate planning conversations most families are actively avoiding — and what it costs them when they do. Drawing on over 30 years of working with high-net-worth families and business owners, Don shares the real-world consequences of leaving heirs unprepared, how to think objectively about your children's attributes when designing an estate plan, and why putting the wrong people in the wrong roles can unravel decades of wealth building in a courtroom. They explore the danger of co-beneficiary trusts, the $88–$125 trillion great wealth transfer underway through 2045, and how the next generation can have respectful conversations with aging parents about the future. Don also offers practical guidance on how to select and vet your advisory team — and why introducing your kids to your advisors now may be the most important wealth transfer move you make. Episode Chapters · 2:01 Meet Don Ford · 4:45 What Actually Keeps Families Together · 7:42 When Wealth Lands Without Warning · 11:04 The Burden Nobody Asked For · 15:49 Fair vs. Equal: The Executor Trap · 19:00 When the Board Destroys the Business · 22:11 Trust Structures That Blow Up Later · 25:43 The $125 Trillion Transfer · 31:21 What Wealthy Families Actually Look Like Up Close · 33:54 Advice for the Patriarch or Matriarch · 36:46 What Next Gen Should Be Asking · 40:02 Build Your Advisory Team · 43:44 Resources and Farewell Websites · fordbergner.com · chrisyonker.com About Don Ford Don Don Ford III is an estate planning attorney and founding partner at Ford Bergner, where he has spent over 30 years advising high-net-worth families, business owners, and multi-generational family enterprises across Texas on estate and trust planning, wealth transfer, and family governance. A graduate of accounting with a law degree focused on estate and trust work, Don brings both technical precision and a deeply human perspective to some of the most complex and emotionally charged decisions families face. He is a frequent advisor on trust litigation, family board disputes, and the design of governance structures built to last beyond the founding generation.

March 23, 2026Episode 15640 min

The Hollow Win: What a mid-eight figure Exit Taught One CEO About Money, Purpose, and What Actually Matters with Nate Collins

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 156: The Hollow Win: What a mid-eight figure Exit Taught One CEO About Money, Purpose, and What Actually Matters with Nate collins In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker, interviews Nate Collins, of Raymond James on why family businesses should prepare for a potential sale even if they have no intention to sell. Collins shares his experience taking over a 170–180-year-old New York City licensing company owned by 16 families, receiving an unsolicited offer, and completing a financially strong but imperfect exit due to limited preparation and lack of independent board oversight. They discuss reducing key-person risk, documenting processes, upgrading accounting and systems, strengthening management teams, and regularly revisiting future org needs as markets change. Collins emphasizes clarifying business, personal, and financial goals; using advisors as investments; and starting with an exit planner to coordinate M&A, legal, tax, and wealth planning. He also addresses post-exit purpose, community, and wellbeing, and offers a free quarterly exit planning workshop. · 02:35 Meet Nate Collins · 03:59 Running a Multi Family Firm · 05:53 The Unplanned Sale Lessons · 09:40 Build to Be Transferable · 15:45 Succession Org Planning · 18:28 Next Gen Reality Check · 23:00 Assemble the Exit Team · 26:04 Wealth Without Ruin · 29:53 Purpose After the Exit · 37:46 Resources and Farewell Websites: · fambizforum.com. · www.chrisyonker.com · Raymondjames.com · Linkedin: @nate-collins Nate Bio: Nate is a former CEO who managed a successful exit to a large, PE-backed media company. He now works with a limited number of business owners, CEOs, and their families to help ensure they are achieving their financial goals. As a Financial Advisor and Certified Exit Planning Advisor, he provides in-depth tax mitigation and estate planning strategies, as well as financial planning and investment management. Nate helps owners understand exit readiness and options, wealth transfer, gain family alignment, and prepare for "life after exit."

March 9, 2026Episode 15545 min

Stop Reacting, Start Strategizing with Patrick Thean

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 155 - Stop Reacting, Start Strategizing with Patrick Thean Host Chris Yonker introduces the Enlightened Family Business Podcast and interviews Patrick Thean, a bestselling author and early contributor to scaling-up methodologies, on practical planning and execution for small to mid-sized (especially family) businesses facing succession or sale. Patrick shares his journey from Singapore to the U.S., training as an electrical engineer, working at Oracle, founding and selling a transportation logistics software company, and discovering a calling to help CEOs succeed. They discuss establishing an annual strategic planning rhythm, including SWOT/aspirations and specific "winning moves", quarterly 13-week execution plans, limiting priorities to three to five objectives, and balancing strategic vs. operational initiatives based on whether the business is in crisis. Patrick emphasizes using facilitators and outside-industry perspectives to overcome blind spots, avoiding overreliance on benchmarking, and reframing accountability as support for commitments, clarity, and agreed consequences. · 03:06 Meet Patrick Thean · 03:36 From Engineer to Founder · 07:11 Selling and Finding Purpose · 08:17 Helping CEOs Succeed · 10:43 Family Business Transitions · 14:33 Annual and Quarterly Rhythm · 18:04 Three to Five Priorities · 19:18 Strategy vs Firefighting · 23:44 Small Tweaks Win · 25:12 One Permanent Improvement · 31:41 Let the Pro Lead · 35:12 Blind Spots and Tunnel Vision · 38:36 Accountability as Support Websites: · fambizforum.com. · www.chrisyonker.com · Patrickthean.com · linkedin: @patrickthean · Instagram: @rhythmsystems Patrick Bio: Patrick Thean is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, award-winning entrepreneur, and world-renowned strategy execution expert. He is the creator of the Think Plan Do® process and co-founder of Rhythm Systems®, helping CEOs achieve breakthrough results and scale with clarity. A seasoned CEO coach and speaker, Patrick has empowered thousands of leaders to turn vision into execution and boost company valuations along the way.

February 23, 2026Episode 15447 min

How a Family Turned a Passion Project into a Resilient Brand With Jodi Scott

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 154 - How a Family Turned a Passion Project into a Resilient Brand With Jodi Scott In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker welcomes Jodi Scott, co-founder of Green Goo. Together, they discuss the unexpected path her family took into the family business, which led to their product being distributed in over 150,000 retail locations. Jodi shares insights into their family dynamics, the influence of her parents, and the valuable lessons learned from their upbringing in a military household. The conversation dives into the challenges they faced, including a major setback that led them to buy back their company. Jodi emphasizes the importance of communication, proactive support, and mentoring in maintaining a healthy family business environment. The episode concludes with Jodi offering advice for other family-run businesses and recommending Green Go products, notably the versatile first aid ointment and skin repair cream. · 00:54 Jodi Scott's Journey into Family Business · 02:28 Early Life and Influences · 07:31 The Birth of Green Go · 12:52 Sisterly Bond and Business Dynamics · 19:32 From Farmer's Market to Full-Fledged Business · 22:27 Challenges and Seeking Guidance · 24:42 Establishing Trust and Roles in Family Business · 27:34 Implementing Family Employment Policies · 29:05 Expanding to Retail and Online Markets · 30:07 Navigating Military Market and Retail Challenges · 34:09 Facing and Overcoming Business Crises · 39:16 Rebuilding and Future Plans · 42:57 Advice for Family Businesses Websites: · fambizforum.com. · www.chrisyonker.com · Greengoo.com · Instagram: @greengoohelps Jodi's Bio: Jodi Scott is the Founder of Green Goo and CEO of Spry Life, a family-owned portfolio of plant-based wellness brands. She co-founded Green Goo with her mother and sister in a small farmhouse kitchen, hand-crafting herbal salves that grew into a nationally distributed plant-based first aid brand carried in over 120,000 stores. With a background in biology, pre-med studies, and a Master's in Health Psychology, Jodi bridges traditional herbal medicine with modern science, focusing on clean healing, nervous system resilience, and reducing everyday endocrine disruptors. Her work emphasizes how small, thoughtful inputs compound over time, in health, leadership, and family systems. Jodi has lived every role inside a family business: product formulator, order packer, marketer, executive, and daughter. After selling Green Goo and later navigating a complex buyback to reclaim the company, she brings rare firsthand insight into continuity, conflict, trust, and alignment across generations. Today, Jodi works alongside her family running operations from their Colorado farm while mentoring other founders on building values-driven businesses that prioritize people, purpose, and long-term resilience. Her work sits at the intersection of wellness, entrepreneurship, and conscious family leadership.

February 9, 2026Episode 15338 min

A Family Built Startup Story From The Kitchen Table with Mehmet Tascioglu

The Enlightened Family Business Podcast Ep. 153 - A Family Built Startup Story From The Kitchen Table with Mehmet Tascioglu In this episode of the Enlightened Family Business Podcast, host Chris Yonker interviews Mehmet Tascioglu, the Gen Z founder of Mosaic Cakes, a unique family business based in the Detroit area. Mehmet shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his family's experience during the Great Recession, through his initial ventures like Connect Me Tutoring, to the establishment of Mosaic Cakes. The discussion delves into the values instilled by Mehmet's father, the significance of family collaboration, navigating decision-making, and the challenges of introducing a new product to the market. Mehmet offers insights on the importance of mentorship, the influence of cultural heritage, and his vision for Mosaic Cakes as a symbol of the American melting pot. The conversation also explores generational differences, the role of tradition and innovation in family businesses, and the aspiration to build an ethical and impactful brand. · 00:54 Meet the Gen Z Founder: Mehmet Tascioglu · 03:14 The Origin Story of Mosaic Cakes · 05:38 Building a Business During the Pandemic · 09:10 The Unique Appeal of Mosaic Cakes · 13:24 Family Dynamics in Business · 18:24 Leadership and Decision Making · 19:08 Defining Family Business Values · 20:21 Family Influence on Business · 25:23 Generational Perspectives and Challenges · 32:12 The Importance of Mentorship · 34:24 Future Plans for Mosaic Cakes Websites: · fambizforum.com. · www.chrisyonker.com · Linkedin: @mehmet-tascioglu · Instagram: @mosaic_cakes · Tiktok @mosaiccakes Mehmet's Bio: Mehmet is Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Mosaic Cakes. Prior to starting Mosaic Cakes, Mehmet founded the nonprofit Connect Me Tutoring in 2020, which has since grown into the nation's largest youth-run free tutoring service, providing over 40,000 sessions. Mosaic Cakes is a Michigan-based gourmet dessert company pioneering an entirely new category in the American market. Founded by Mehmet (Stanford MS&E), his mother Senay, and his brother Emir, the company transforms a cherished family recipe into handcrafted premium triangular cakes featuring crushed butter cookies folded into signature chocolate sauce with fresh fruits, crunchy nuts, or other premium ingredients, creating a stunning mosaic pattern in every slice. What began as a beloved family tradition—a dessert the founders grew up enjoying at birthday parties, family gatherings, and celebrations—has become a thriving direct-to-consumer and wholesale business. Throughout their lives, the family witnessed how even the pickiest eaters absolutely loved these cakes, validating that this exceptional flavor experience deserved to be shared with communities across America. At its core, the company's mission centers on positivity, inclusivity, and courage, helping Americans discover a dessert experience unavailable anywhere else in grocery stores, bakeries, or restaurants while building a values-driven business that celebrates family heritage and entrepreneurial spirit.