Kate Barnwell joins The Family Business Consulting Group as a consultant specializing in helping families define, align and realize their goals for ownership and effective management of their enterprise. She advocates for governance policies and communication practices that sustain sound family decision-making.
“Kate has been a proven guide to families wrangling with big decisions and challenging circumstances, and she’s particularly adept at driving progress while enhancing family relationships each step of the way,” said Kristi Daeda, president of The Family Business Consulting Group. “We’re excited to have Kate’s experience, energy and commitment as part of FBCG.”
Experienced in business planning and financial analysis, Kate encourages family owners to stay well-informed and communicate with management regularly on business performance. She is skilled at collaborating with families’ advisor teams of attorneys, tax advisors and valuation specialists to plan for and address complex issues that can arise with changes in leadership or ownership.
Kate became a family business consultant to build on decades of work with and for family businesses, most recently as a non-family manager serving a G2 owner group. She was raised by an entrepreneur and is empathetic to the founder’s drive for care and control of both the business and the family. At the same time, Kate recognizes that good things happen when next-gen family members are supported in discovering their strengths and capacity to lead. She has a particular interest in women leaders and their agency within family groups.
“What I love about FBCG is the rigorous openness of our culture,” said Kate. “Each consultant is free to practice in their own way, sharing unique strengths and abilities while working within a structure of mutual support and clear guiding principles. Clients gain the benefit of FBCG’s culture which prizes learning, inspires mutual trust and requires fair communication practices, just like successful families in business together.”
Welcome to the team, Kate!