Date posted: November 25, 2015

We subscribed to Netflix a month ago, and whenever I have a chance to unwind, I trawl through the hundreds of movies and TV shows on offer. I started watching the first season of “Arrested Development“ this week. Knowing that it had won countless awards, I hoped it would be good. I didn’t know the plot actually revolves around the lives of the Bluth family, who all work in the family business, and although I like to escape my everyday reality when watching a movie or a show, this one all of sudden was very close to home. Regardless, I was hooked within the first 5 minutes. I’m sure as family business owners, you have no doubt come across some interesting issues over the years, but the dysfunctionality of the Bluths family business is something else. If you want to watch how NOT to run a family business, I highly recommend tuning in!

At FBA we aim to help family business function better, and our final event of the year, a site visit at Packer Leather, shone a spotlight on a family business that is anything but dysfunctional! Our November 12 Meet the Owner event, saw Lindsay, Graham, Susan and David Packer taking our attendees through the leather process-from delivery right through to the lab testing , where their leather is tested to International Standards and brand requirements.

This 4th and 5th family business have quite the establishment. The largest producer of high performance kangaroo leathers worldwide, the business currently exports to over 20 countries and recently won the 2015 Queensland Exporter of the Year Award. The business also won the FBA QLD Hall of fame award for 2015. Based on the number of awards in their display cabinets, I have a feeling they will win many more in years to come.

Our next meet the owner event will be at Ullrich Aluminium on the Gold Coast on February 11, and Gilbert Ullrich is very much looking forward to opening the doors of his business to the FBA community.

On other business, I met with the Assistant Commissioner for the ATO this month, as well as with the Executive Director in the Ministry for Small Business. Meetings with the departments that are linked to our industry, are vital in establishing ongoing and fruitful relationships, and hopefully we will be able to get an update from both departments in our forthcoming State conference on 20 May 2016. More details to follow on that event in the New Year!

I wish you and your families all the best for the holiday season and look forward to seeing you at an FBA event in 2016.

Next year at a glance:

Thursday 11 February
Meet the Owner: Ullrich Aluminium
Gold Coast

Friday 4 March
Chairman’s Lunch
Hillstone St Lucia
Andrew Mostyn guest speaker

Both of these events are online now if you’re interested in attending.

To register for any or all of these events follow the links above or go to the Family Business Australia website: www.fambiz.com.au

Martine Poulain
State Manager – QLD