An epitaph—it’s usually the phrase written on a tombstone by which a person wants to be remembered. Many epitaphs are the ordinary, i.e., loving father, devoted wife, beloved sister, etc. But some people really get creative—in positive and negative ways. Here are some samples: Merv Griffin, the TV talk show host, said simply, “I will not be right back after …
Did you know that 50% of US GNP is generated by family businesses¹ Only 30% of family businesses survive to the 2nd generation² 90% of all businesses are owned or controlled by families³ Despite the success factors of family business succession, 88% of all business owners believe that their family will control their business in 5 years4 There’s little doubt …
Earlier this year, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, in its February 2017 edition, listed the top givers of 2016. The list included many names that are recognizable, like Bill and Melinda Gates, Sheryl Sandberg, Michael Bloomberg, and Paul Allen. The list and the amounts is enlightening, but here are some observations from reading between the lines: Universities Rule; Religion No. As …
Did you know that John the Baptist taught about money? John the Baptist was the guy who prepared the way for Jesus. He taught that a messiah was coming. But John wasn’t exactly a GQ kind of guy. He went to the wilderness. He wore a camel’s hair tunic, which he bound up with a belt. I can’t imagine a …
What does the Bible have to say about the idea of legacy? Most Bible versions don’t include the word “legacy” even once. Is there such a thing as biblical legacy? I’m convinced there is. A search on BibleGateway.com shows zero results for “legacy” in most translations, though the site helpfully suggests Proverbs 13:22 as a related result. A good man leaves …
As we head into the second half of 2017, there’s still a story to be written about charitable giving trends. In Inside Philanthropy, David Callahan writes about a number of those trends.¹ In sorting out those issues, here are 7 trends (with one of my own) that I cull out from his list: Record Year of Giving. With the continued …
There’s little doubt that in America we are attracted to the latest and greatest. It’s funny how often that new restaurant gets so much buzz at the opening and in 6 months is closing its doors. Some of the problem is the result of normal business startups. But some of it is the result of lack of good business discipline. …
When I left the law firm back in 2000, I could not have imagined the twists and turns I’d take when I helped start a foundation. For sure, I knew that I’d be engaged in helping people live generous lives. But I could not have foreseen how much that would involve the family dynamics. I’ve had the unique opportunity to …
There is danger in sudden wealth. Teresa Dixon Murray wrote a January 2016 article for The Plain Dealer with this simple headline: “Why Do 70% of Lottery Winners End Up Bankrupt?” The book of Proverbs cautions on the dangers sudden wealth. Proverbs 13.11 says that wealth gained hastily will dwindle. Proverbs 20.21 similarly warns, An inheritance claimed too soon will …
I was on the Bob Dutko radio show recently. Bob is a Christian talk radio show host. Based in Detroit, Bob’s show has a wide reach on a variety of topics. The purpose of the show was to discuss the David Green book Giving It All Away and Getting It All Back Again (Zondervan, 2017), which I helped co-author. The …
