We believe that every family business owner deserves the right to support that is going to make a meaningful difference to their business. Therefore, everything we do is designed to equip and enable you to grow your business in the way that’s right for you.
What do the world's most successful entrepreneurs and most inspirational business leaders have in common? They all have a particular mind-set, an unwavering focus on progress and a bold and pioneering outlook.
The practice is the culmination of Peter Roper's forty-plus years of Business Development, underpinned by the knowledge gained both from his success and failures in business. Peter has learned there are three simple keys to running a family business:
To keep the fridge full
To make decisions that allow you to sleep at night
To work with people, you know, like and trust
These simple truths have led to a strong reputation for both Peter and the practice of doing the right thing, with the right people and in the right way.
Peter prided himself on the success of his consultancy business, which he hoped would thrive to nurture the next generation of his family. Whilst Peter recognised that he had achieved a lot in business he always knew there would be challenges along the way. So, after his most successful year in 2006, his world shattered, when Peter lost everything in 2007, due to two poor business investments.
What do the world's most successful entrepreneurs and most inspirational business leaders have in common? They all have a particular mind-set, an unwavering focus on progress and a bold and pioneering outlook.
The practice is the culmination of Peter Roper's forty-plus years of Business Development, underpinned by the knowledge gained both from his success and failures in business. Peter has learned there are three simple keys to running a family business:
To keep the fridge full
To make decisions that allow you to sleep at night
To work with people, you know, like and trust
These simple truths have led to a strong reputation for both Peter and the practice of doing the right thing, with the right people and in the right way.
Peter prided himself on the success of his consultancy business, which he hoped would thrive to nurture the next generation of his family. Whilst Peter recognised that he had achieved a lot in business he always knew there would be challenges along the way. So, after his most successful year in 2006, his world shattered, when Peter lost everything in 2007, due to two poor business investments.
The one good thing about failure is that it allows you to learn from your mistakes, and Peter took full advantage of this opportunity. “It would have been easy to give up”, Peter suggests “but I knew I really had to reset my goals and say where do we go from here?"
Starting again is never easy, but by surrounding yourself with the right support it is possible to rebuild.
Peter knew from his career as a business developer that the best leaders are those who strive for trust and loyalty and create an environment in which everyone is empowered to achieve, shares honest opinions and works together toward success. With this in mind, it is clear that families can make the best team - when the skill sets of different family members are coordinated as a complementary cache of knowledge, with a clear division of labour, the likelihood of success improves significantly.
Practice Mission Statement
To provide our members with opportunities to build connections, skills and confidence within a welcoming, friendly community.
How we work
We provide a variety of events to inform, develop and connect our members. These include masterclasses delivered by industry experts, practical workshops for skills training and intimate face-to-face networking sessions which are regularly oversubscribed. These allow a small group of members to develop a deeper understanding of the ways in which they can support each other.
Our weekly Check-In sessions give members the opportunity to discuss the latest business news and share their own expertise via dedicated speaker and education slots. Our events are on point, mostly virtual and timely.
Our values
Family, Honesty, Genuine, Fairness, Dependable.
Our values shape the way that we operate, giving our members the foundation they need to succeed in business and in life.
To provide our members with opportunities to build connections, skills and confidence within a welcoming, friendly community.
How we work
We provide a variety of events to inform, develop and connect our members. These include masterclasses delivered by industry experts, practical workshops for skills training and intimate face-to-face networking sessions which are regularly oversubscribed. These allow a small group of members to develop a deeper understanding of the ways in which they can support each other.
Our weekly Check-In sessions give members the opportunity to discuss the latest business news and share their own expertise via dedicated speaker and education slots. Our events are on point, mostly virtual and timely.
Our values
Family, Honesty, Genuine, Fairness, Dependable.
Our values shape the way that we operate, giving our members the foundation they need to succeed in business and in life.
Challenging situations can be uncomfortable, particularly if they involve stepping out of your comfort zone to learn a new skill or kick-start a new venture. But those are the times that will carry you through future difficulties, as Peter has learnt from previous experience. “If I could go back and tell myself then that losing everything would be worth it, it may have made it easier at the time”, Peter says. “But I also think that the situation gave me the drive to succeed. I grew from the pressure and discomfort – it motivated me to keep going”.
In 2015 Peter formed the Family Business Practice, wanting a place of comfort for family businesses. It’s true that if you own a family business, you probably worry even more than the average entrepreneur about ensuring that your company not only survives but thrives.
In 2015 Peter formed the Family Business Practice, wanting a place of comfort for family businesses. It’s true that if you own a family business, you probably worry even more than the average entrepreneur about ensuring that your company not only survives but thrives.
Peter Roper explains “When we formed the practice we never envisaged what it would become, and to think it has just grown essentially through word of mouth!"
It’s the members themselves that guide the direction of the Family Business Practice and this has been the case from the outset. When the initial members were asked what they wanted from such an organisation they were very clear they wanted something different, training-focused and highly flexible that supported them, gave them opportunities to connect with each other and created a sense of community. These are the foundations of the practice.
Hence our very different and highly flexible stance when it comes to membership compared with traditional networking and development organisations.”
Peter’s wife Anny is the backbone of the organisation ensuring all things operationally are smooth, elder daughter Sara Beth (whilst running the family business My Management Company) keeps an eye on events, youngest daughter Hazel is responsible for the weekly Newsletter Spotlight and son Chris provides some much needed critical analysis– it really is a family affair!
Hence our very different and highly flexible stance when it comes to membership compared with traditional networking and development organisations.”
Peter’s wife Anny is the backbone of the organisation ensuring all things operationally are smooth, elder daughter Sara Beth (whilst running the family business My Management Company) keeps an eye on events, youngest daughter Hazel is responsible for the weekly Newsletter Spotlight and son Chris provides some much needed critical analysis– it really is a family affair!
“We are honoured to have found so many members who are like-minded and it’s our role to give everyone the best opportunities within the practice – a role we really enjoy!”
Peter and Anny Roper
