The company makes hand-crafted smoked sausages and bacon and has become the #2 beef sausage brand in the U.S. But the road has not been easy. In fact, each generation has had to reinvent the business in their own way to keep it moving forward.
Michael shares some of the principles and strategies that he and his family have adopted over the years which, in our experience, are common among successful enterprising families.
In the episode we will learn:
- (2:22) – How did the Kiolbassa Provision Company begin?
- (5:20) – How did Michael find his way into the family business?
- (7:33) – How did Michael’s experience as a credit analyst help him find his footing in the company?
- (9:55) – How did the company evolve when Michael came on board?
- (13:41) – What did Michael do to address the challenges facing the business
- (16:21) - What values are important to Michael both in business and personally?
- (19:01) – What is Michael doing to prepare the company for the next generation?
- (22:11) – What advice does Michael have for young entrepreneurs?
What is The Road to Why?
From start-up entrepreneurs to multi-generational family business owners, most founders are driven to succeed for reasons well beyond making money. Whether it’s a passion for reshaping their industry, building a family legacy or advancing the causes they care most about — or, in many cases, all of the above — exploring the larger “why” of their life’s work offers insights into how successful leaders operate and what is really important to them.
On The Road to Why, host Eric Czepyha, Director of Business Services at Northern Trust, speaks with business owners, entrepreneurs and visionaries about business, family, wealth and legacy and shares advice and life lessons from those who have found success in ways expected and unexpected.