Dennis Jaffe

Dennis is a founding partner of Relative Solutions, a family business consulting company.

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Knowledge before power – handing over the firm

When handing over a business to the next generation it is difficult to know exactly what to teach your successor and what information to leave behind. Dennis Jaffe explains how the knowledge you have accumulated over the years is the most valuable thing of all …

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Building value on values

It’s all very well jotting down a few vague words as a values statement, but the ultimate challenge is to make them real. Dennis Jaffe offers some helpful tips for business families who want their business to grow from a realistic, rather than an idealistic, set of core values

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Augmenting the family talent pool

Non-family executives can face particular challenges once in the fold of a family business. Dennis Jaffe explains why it is vital that non-family executives feel their future is dependent on performance and not on their political alliances with family leaders

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Stakeholders of the family enterprise

A family firm can grow into a complex matrix of enterprises and people, all of whom need to have defined roles within the confines of the family business. Dennis Jaffe clarifies the common roles so family members can be sensitive to each other’s position

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Nurturing talent across generations

Not many family businesses manage to survive the disruption of several generational transitions – with family and business still in tact. Dennis Jaffe presents a family who have managed just that and who offer some advice to expanding family businesses

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The disruptive in-law

Many a family feud is born following the arrival of a spouse into the family fold. It doesn’t have to be this way, says Dennis Jaffe. An in-law can bring with them a fresh perspective and a new set of skills that could boost the balance sheet

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Keep out of the ring

Family conflict can spiral out of control and before you know it there are legal advisors involved benefitting neither family nor business. Dennis Jaffe explains alternative ways of resolving conflict before it reaches the boxing ring stage

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Let go and move on

Family leaders can hamper progress and deter successors from taking over the running of the company. Dennis Jaffe summarises why it is important to keep a good work-life balance and the need for leaders to be aware of when the time is right to transfer power

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An iron constitution

Family businesses come with huge behavioural and strategic legacies. An effective way of protecting them and allowing them to change and develop is to enshrine certain details in a constitution. Dennis Jaffe looks at the useful outcomes of such a document

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How to stave off conflict and hit a happy compromise in business

Families and their businesses do well if they have effective communication skills and regular forums for sharing information. Dennis Jaffe describes how to extract the best outcomes and reach emotional stability in the potential cauldron of family business

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