Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - (Page 10) 10 Family Business IN THE details Familiar problems all over Travel exciting yet frightening Time, geography changes Issues remain tough H&MM December 8, 2008 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition Back to the Future: Challenges stay the same E By Mike Henning H&MM Columnist ight years ago, I was asked to give a presentation about my consulting practice. After reflecting on what I might say, one thing that stood out in my mind was the travel. Very specifically, the part about travel when I rise in the morning after arriving late at night wondering exactly where I am. Sometimes the first view out the hotel window in the morning light serves up real surprises. From seeing the bay in Vancouver for the first time to waking up one morning on the West Coast and overlooking the Pacific Ocean and then the next morning waking to the Atlantic Ocean. The experiences of travel are many and quite varied. Thus, the title of this article, “Back to the Future.” This is the title of a 1985 flick starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. They played a young man and a nutty inventor who invented a time machine to take them to strange places and different periods of time. In a very real sense, the feelings we travelers experience are much the same as “If anybody can tell you how to control energy bills, it’s me.” “My guests are always opening the windows to look at the ocean, so I need to do everything I can to keep my energy bills low,” says Marcus Lewis, Vice President of Development, Tidewater Hotels & Resorts. “That’s one reason I use only GE Zoneline ® units in all nine of our oceanfront properties. They help keep rooms comfortable, are very quiet and help me control energy costs…even if I can’t control my guests’ behavior.” GE Zoneline®, the most efficient line of package terminal air conditioners and heat pumps in the industry Marty and Doc describe in the movie: terrified, suspicious, pessimistic, intrigued, curious, optimistic, calm, peaceful, fortunate and truly blessed. As we travel from coast to coast helping businessowning families plan for themselves, their companies, their estate planning, their families and passing their assets and companies from the current generation to the next generation, the problems and challenges are surprisingly all the same. But as each family approaches the situation based on their value set, ethnic background and religion, the challenge of planning takes on a totally different perspective. Just as the family unit is emotionally based and the business is task and production based, the results spell confusion for most families. Our consulting process begins by conducting a “chemistry session” with the prospective client and, if that goes well, we conduct a needs analysis to determine if our expertise matches the client’s requirements. Next, we enter the owning family’s personal and business systems to get the story and look for strengths and weaknesses regarding the path to meeting their goals. We meet with the family to discuss how we might improve the areas of weakness to eventually achieve their goals. We gather information both personal and historical (data such as the history of the company, financials, estate planning documents, etc.) for assessment. Once a written plan is put together, we work on altering it as needed, simultaneously executing family, business and ownership recommendations as we steadily move toward our goals. While our consulting process with a client takes us into the future, our travel schedule and repetition of issues and problems to address often takes us “Back to the Future.” hmm@questex.com Mike Henning is the founder of the Henning Family Business Center, which was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Effingham, Ill. He can be reached at hfbc@mikehenning. com and www.mikehenning.com. CIRCLE NO. 109 http://www.HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://www.mikehenning.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 Contents Best Western Sets Spending Strategy Courtyard Turns 25, Unveils New Lobby New Division of MGM Goes Beyond Gaming Perspective Legal FAQ Marketing Matters Family Business On Finance AAHOA Update Satisfaction Trends HotelWorld Update Consultant’s Corner Trends & Stats IH/M&RS Editors’ Choice Award Winners Insurance Ad/Editorial Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 (Page 1) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 (Page 2) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - New Division of MGM Goes Beyond Gaming (Page 4) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - New Division of MGM Goes Beyond Gaming (Page 5) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Perspective (Page 6) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Perspective (Page 7) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Marketing Matters (Page 8) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Marketing Matters (Page 9) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Family Business (Page 10) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Family Business (Page 11) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - On Finance (Page 12) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - On Finance (Page 13) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - AAHOA Update (Page 14) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - AAHOA Update (Page 15) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Satisfaction Trends (Page 16) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - HotelWorld Update (Page 17) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Consultant’s Corner (Page 18) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Consultant’s Corner (Page 19) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Consultant’s Corner (Page 20) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Consultant’s Corner (Page 21) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Trends & Stats (Page 22) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Trends & Stats (Page 23) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Trends & Stats (Page 24) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Trends & Stats (Page 25) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - IH/M&RS Editors’ Choice Award Winners (Page 26) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - IH/M&RS Editors’ Choice Award Winners (Page 27) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Insurance (Page 28) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Insurance (Page 29) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Insurance (Page 30) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Insurance (Page 31) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Insurance (Page 32) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Insurance (Page 33) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Ad/Editorial Index (Page 34) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Marketplace (Page 35) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 36) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 37) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 38) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 39) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 40) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 41) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Checking Out (Page 42) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Checking Out (Page 43) Hotel & Motel Management - December 8, 2008 - Checking Out (Page 44)
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