In family businesses, leadership isn’t just about performance, it’s about endurance, relationships, and legacy. But what if sustaining yourself as a leader wasn’t about pushing harder?

In this episode of Family Business Matters, host Cooper Biersach sits down with Dr. Mike Christian, award-winning researcher and expert in human energy and resilience, to explore a different approach: energy crafting.

Together, they unpack why the traditional narrative of grit and burnout falls short, especially in family enterprises where leaders carry overlapping roles and emotional demands. Mike shares how energy, physical, cognitive, and emotional, is not fixed, but something leaders can actively generate, direct, and renew.

You’ll learn:

• Why resilience is really a story of energy, not endurance
• How your personal energy directly shapes your team and culture
• Practical ways to identify hidden “energy leaks” and make small, meaningful shifts

This conversation reframes leadership capacity as something you can intentionally design, not just sustain.

In Notes:

• Usual Get Connected Link
• Mike Christian
• 6 “Ms” of Energy Crafting
  • Motion and Rest
  • Mastery Experience
  • Making Connections
  • Meaning
  • Mindfulness
  • My Choice
• 3 Cs of Hardiness
  • Commitment
  • Control
  • Challenge

Where should we start? How do we manage conflict? How do we help the next generation find purpose and avoid entitlement?

In this episode of the The Family Enterprise Center, host Cooper Biersach is joined by Steve Miller, co-founder of the Family Enterprise Center and former president of the Biltmore Estate, to explore the three foundational questions business-owning families ask most often as they think about continuity across generations.

Drawing on decades of experience working with family enterprises, and Steve’s research on next-generation leadership development, this conversation offers practical, accessible insights for families at any stage of their journey. Together, Cooper and Steve discuss:

• • Why shared purpose is the true starting point for family enterprises
  • How families can move from avoiding conflict to managing it productively
  • How early responsibility, communication, and intentional preparation help the rising generation develop purpose, accountability, and stewardship

Listeners will walk away with a clearer understanding of family enterprise fundamentals and at least one concrete idea or question they can apply immediately within their own family or organization.

Whether you are an owner, family member, advisor, or next-generation leader, this episode provides a thoughtful framework for strengthening both the business and the family behind it. Links

Get Connected

This Student Voices episode spotlights the undergraduate experience at Carolina through the lens of Molly Malek, a driven student leader whose journey has been shaped by the Family Enterprise Center and the Family Business Club. Molly reflects on her path to UNC, her family business background, and the donor‑supported programs that have helped her find direction, community, and career clarity.

Perfect for prospective students, families, and supporters, this episode captures the heart of what donor generosity makes possible. Join us as we celebrate Molly’s story and look ahead to Giving Day.

Chesney Maniaci

Family Enterprise Center Website