A Seat at the Table
Welcome to A Seat at the Table, Trials and Triumphs of Family Business, hosted by Natalie Mariani Kling, a 4th generation family business owner. This program is a creation of The Capital Region Family Business Center, a non-profit agency whose purpose is to help family businesses grow and prosper.One thing about being a part of a family business, is that it’s unique. Family businesses often began very simply, with a person who had an idea. Rarely were these people educated in business or finance, they usually didn’t have big investors, sometimes, they didn’t even speak English. But they saw an opportunity that could support their family, and so they started.Once these family businesses grow and are handed to 2nd, 3rd, 4th generations, there are not only the complexities of any growing business, but also the dynamics of family and relationships and navigating things like, which family member will be CEO, should this year's profits be reinvested or distributed? Differences in opinions can complicate Sunday night dinners, estate planning, who wants to keep running this business, preserving a legacy, entitlement, privilege, imposter syndrome…but there can also be magic.In a time where we want to KNOW the people behind a brand, and where authenticity and trust play a big part in our purchases as consumers, having a family that runs and operates a business over generations can create a very special culture where its success is built on relationships from vendors to employees to customers.On this podcast, expect real conversations with real family business members about what it’s like to be in a family business, run a family business, and the trials and triumphs of taking it into the next generation.
Episodes
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Imagine growing up in a family business where your weekends were spent in a rehab clinic, with the promise of "one more minute" being more a mom’s mantra than a reality. This episode brings you into the heartwarming and often hilarious world of the Burger family, the minds behind Burger Rehabilitation Systems. Carol Burger, the pioneering fo...
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Can family loyalty coexist with personal fulfillment in a family business? What happens when the family legacy is upended by a choice to leave? And when that choice is made by a woman or daughter vs a son? Join us for a heartfelt conversation with Melissa Ortiz of River Vista Farms as we unravel the emotional complexities of returning to family-run en...
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Growing up, I spent countless weekends with my family at local markets, surrounded by vibrant sights and sounds, which makes today's guest story resonate deeply. Tracie and Eric Denio take us on a nostalgic journey through the history of Denio's Farmer's Market and Swap Meet, a venture started by their remarkable grandparents, Jim and M...
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Can a restaurant truly be a catalyst for change and community connection? Join us as we sit down with Patrick Mulvaney, co-founder of Mulvaney's B&L, to uncover the powerful intersections of food, love, and societal transformation. Patrick shares his inspirational journey of turning an old firehouse into a beloved dining destination, and how ...
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In 1973, Wayne’s parents, Bill and Sandy Bishop planted the first pumpkins and invited local schools to come visit the farm. Soon after that Sandy and her friends started baking pies in her kitchen to sell to guests when they came to visit.
Since then the Bishop’s built a full scale bakery where they still bake scratch made pumpkin pie from pumpkins g...
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Join us for an insightful conversation with Dave Boyce, Nate Boyce, and Ben Brown as we touch upon the importance of generational transitions, and share a few laughs along the way. Our discussion begins with a recounting of Dave and his younger brother Craig's imaginative adventures, setting a light-hearted tone for our chat.
Discover t...
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Join your host, Natalie Mariani-Kling, for an inspiring journey as she recounts the remarkable transformation of Dave Leatherby Sr. and his wife Sally, who transitioned from a small farming town in Iowa to a life of profound faith and generosity on the West Coast. She'll explore how Dave Sr.'s career with Safeway, and his mentorship under Be...
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What does it take to transform a small family business into a major player in the beverage industry? Discover the incredible legacy of NorCal Beverage, beginning with Shannon Deary-Bell's grandfather, who turned his Coca-Cola salesmanship into the entrepreneurial foundation of Hires Bottling in 1937. You'll hear the story of Shannon's f...
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Can you imagine hopping freight trains across the country to build a business empire during one of the toughest times in American history? Join your host, Natalie Mariani-Kling, as she welcomes David Lawson, President of Lawson Mechanical, who recounts the extraordinary story of his grandfather, transforming from a resilient South Dakota youth into ...
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Today's episode displays a wonderful tale of a company's heart and soul as Don Clark, the second-generation co-leader of the family-operated Clark Pacific, takes us behind the scenes of a business that has stood the test of time. Here's your opportunity to learn from a legacy of innovation and resilient leadership as we follow the compa...
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Join us on this fascinating journey through the history and heart of Bogle Family Vineyards, as our guest Jody Bogle takes us back to her family's roots in the Sacramento River Delta. Discover how six generations of farming evolved into a renowned winemaking legacy, beginning with a serendipitous pivot from potatoes to Petite Sirah and Chenin Bla...
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Growing up with the backdrop of a small Japanese village, Taro's yearning for freedom and acceptance was a seed that would eventually blossom into an American dream. Alongside his son Koki, Taro shares how he saved enough money from a paper route to fly his whole family to America as a teenager. He talks about how his father had a dream they shou...
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Discover the incredible transformation of Roy and Ryan Hill, the sibling duo behind Elite Service Experts, as they share their tale of turning a period of near hopelessness into a flourishing family legacy. Their father's daring decision to purchase his former employer's equipment and transition to serving an established customer base set th...
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One would not suspect a young newspaper carrier to redefine the process from sidewalk or porch drop to in-home delivery, as it was self defined. Now would one expect that to turn into his first positive business exit. But that's what you'll hear on today's episode with Mark Haney. Inspiring, educational and not without the highs and l...
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What a wonderful story this episodes displays of a family that has come together in the interest of not only continuing a legacy but also for sharing a passion of the very thing that kept them together. Honey. Josh and Shoshana Zeldner have a unique story to tell about how their interest in continuing the education about honey that their father star...
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Natalie talks with Jennifer Carriere-LaDuke, who is a 4th generation owner, board member, and marketing wiz for her 133 year old family farming business, Carriere Family Farms.
The business started with her great grandfather coming to the Sacramento area from Canada where he worked for a farmer clearing thick vegetation from the land surroun...
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Join the conversation as your host, Natalie Mariani-Kling delves into Sacramento history by talking with Kevin Fat, a 3rd generation member of the Frank Fat’s Restaurant Group family. Frank Fat’s in downtown Sacramento stands as the oldest family owned restaurant in the city, having opened in 1939 and still being owned and run by members of the Fat f...
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Alan Turanski grew up in the beekeeping world and started to keep his own hive by age 10. His father Dick Turanski started a honey and beekeeping accessory company in the 1970’s after trying some poison oak honey at a friend's house. Soon Glory Bee honey was being sold in large quantities to natural food stores and bakeries for use in healthy bre...
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Sub Sea Systems started with the dream of making underwater adventure in the ocean accessible to more people than just trained scuba divers and those in the Navy. Jim Mayfield first dreamed of submarines for tourists in the mid 80’s but soon pivoted to semi-submersible vehicles.
With the sale of nearly 30 of these commercial vehicles Sub Sea Systems w...
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Today's episode is a unique story for A Seat at the Table. Typically we interview single family businesses, but Holt of California would never have become as mighty as it is today, employing 900 people brokering deals for Caterpillar equipment. It was the joining of three separate family businesses that allowed Holt of California to be a mainsta...
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