In this episode of Family Business Matters, host Cooper Biersach sits down with Dr. Shimul Melwani, Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Business Program at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and Professor of Organizational Behavior. Drawing from her personal background in family business, Dr. Melwani explores how conflict is often rooted not in business issues, but in fairness, relationships, and emotion.

The central focus? Ambivalence: the reality of holding both positive and negative feelings at the same time. Rather than something to fix, mixed feelings can lead to more flexible thinking, stronger leadership, and more cohesive teams.

The conversation highlights how silence can create assumptions that fuel resentment and conflict, reinforcing the idea that clarity is kindness. Dr. Melwani also introduces her research on “mega threats”, large societal forces shaping generational perspectives and how individuals interpret reality differently.

Listeners will gain tools to approach family business dynamics with greater internal and relational curiosity, transforming tension into more productive dialogue rather than avoiding it.

Dr. Melwani will expand on these ideas at the 13th Annual Family Business Forum, October 28–29, 2026, at the Rizzo Center in Chapel Hill (link in show notes).

Notes:

Get Connected

13th Annual Family Business Forum

Dr. Shimul Melwani

In this episode of Family Business Matters, host Peter Begella sits down with John Oswald, Brian Turner, and Robin Turner of Mills Manufacturing, a 3rd generation manufacturer of highly technical parachute systems based in Asheville, NC, to explore the company’s evolution following the introduction of an independent board.

Drawing on their experiences as operators, shareholders, and board members, they share candid insights into how this governance shift has strengthened alignment, clarified decision-making, and enabled more strategic long-term planning.

They also reflect on the challenges that come with change, emphasizing that while adopting an independent board can be a learning curve, the right structures, conversations, and role clarity can ultimately foster both a healthier business and stronger family relationships.

In Notes:

Get Connected

Peter Begalla

John Oswald

Brian Turrner

Robin Turner

Mills Manufacturing

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:

• Get Connected
• 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