Keepin’ It in the Family

We know Intuit for its great money management software, QuickBooks. As a great product it has a great company behind it, which is seen in their desire to understand their customers. They undertook a review of the status of family businesses in the United States. You might be interested in what they came up with:

  1. According to the US Small Business Administration 90% of the 21 million small businesses in America are family owned.
  2. The largest of family owned businesses in United States is Walmart with $408 billion in revenues and 2.1 million employees (2009.) (The smallest are mom and pop stores like the green markets ubiquitous on corners in New York City.)
  3. Return on assets (ROA) is greater in family businesses, averaging 6.65% greater return than nonfamily firms.
  4. Family businesses account for 64% of the USA’s gross domestic product (GDP) i.e. ± US $5 trillion.
  5. 35% of Fortune 500 companies are family enterprises.
  6. The typical American family firm donates US $50,000 annually to philanthropic causes, mostly to local, educational, and religious organizations.
  7. The oldest US family business is Avedis Zildjan Company, Inc.(http://zildjian.com), started in 1623 in Norwell, Massachusetts.
  8. Family-based companies are responsible for 60% of the nation’s employment and 78% of new jobs created.
  9. Daughters are taking on larger roles in family businesses. Today nearly 60% of all family owned businesses have women in top management roles
  10. Nearly 40% of family businesses in America will be passing the reigns to the next generation over the next 5 years; and approximately $10.4 trillion of net worth will be transferred in United States by year 2040, with $4.8 trillion in the next 20 years.
  11. Yet, just 40% of family-owned businesses survive to the second generation, while only 13% survive to the third generation.