“Every front door looks beautiful” is one of my favourite Irish sayings. It came to mind in Deadwood, South Dakota, where I was listening to the woes of a young ranch couple.

Working with family can be challenging. Building relationships with non-family partners can often feel even more daunting. How do you know you have similar goals and vested interests?

In any industry, we often hear of the three tiers. The top tier is successful, thriving businesses positioned for sustainable futures, while the bottom tier is the struggling businesses that will likely not exist five years from now. In between lies businesses that could go either way.