By The Seabrook Wessex Group
In today’s economic landscape, it’s no secret that family-owned companies are under pressure.
Aggressive tariff policy and shifting global trade dynamics are impacting margins, disrupting supply chains, and squeezing operations — especially in lower mid-market and legacy family enterprises. If you're leading such a company, you're likely already feeling the effects of rising costs, regulatory uncertainty, and shrinking breathing room.
But amid these external threats, there’s another category of risk that often flies under the radar — and it might be even more dangerous to your long-term sustainability.
We call it your company’s FDQ — your Family Disruption Quotient.
What is the FDQ?
The Family Disruption Quotient is a short-hand we use at Seabrook Wessex to describe the aggregate internal pressures that can quietly destabilize a multi-generational business. These are the relational, emotional, and legal landmines that don’t show up in quarterly earnings — but can determine whether a business survives into the next generation.
Here are just a few FDQ indicators we see far too often:
- Sibling rivalries, especially between children or grandchildren who work in the business and those who do not — creating resentment, power struggles, or competing visions.
- Addiction challenges — a family member struggling quietly or publicly, placing both emotional strain and reputational risk on the business.
- Impatient successors — a son, daughter, or in-law who believes they’re ready to lead — but lacks the maturity, experience, or relational equity.
- Equity in the hands of a family member in a troubled marriage — with a high risk of divorce, and the possibility of outside parties gaining legal interest in the business.
- Blended family tension — conflict between your spouse and children from a previous marriage, especially if decisions about ownership, succession, or inheritance remain unsettled.
Any one of these can create costly distractions, fractured leadership, or full-scale operational crises.
Together, they form your FDQ — and if you’re not actively monitoring it, you're flying blind into a storm.
Why It Matters
Your company may be weathering the trade war. You may even be growing. But if you envision your enterprise lasting another generation — or two — you can’t afford to ignore your family dynamics.
Too many strong companies fall apart not because the product was flawed or the market shifted — but because the family behind the company fractured.
What To Do Next
At The Seabrook Wessex Group, we specialize in helping family-owned businesses navigate both external trade challenges and internal family complexity. We bring a clear-eyed, discreet approach to helping you assess your FDQ, strengthen leadership continuity, and protect what matters most.
If you haven’t measured your company’s FDQ, we invite you to start a confidential conversation.
Because when it comes to sustaining a legacy, Family before business — always.™
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