Consultant can help owner keep plates spinning.(discusses family business consultants)(Brief Article)

Remember the guy from the old Ed Sullivan Show who could spin several plates on top of sticks at the same lime without letting any of them drop? One by one, he would get them all spinning and then keep every plate spinning, for if just one came crashing down, it would take all the rest with it

The family business owner has no less of a precarious task keeping all of the family and business "plates" spinning, and each one must stay spinning to ensure the future of the company. These plates are unique to the family-business owner. He or she must not only guide the business through a particular marketplace, but also face up to such challenges as:

* Preparing the leadership and ownership succession of the business.

* Determining if any of the children or other relatives are qualified to join …