Meet Michael Robinson, EFBC’s New Program Manager

We are excited to welcome Michael Robinson as the new Program Manager at the Entrepreneur and Family Business Council (EFBC) at DePaul.

Throughout his career, Michael has focused on creating environments where people can grow—not only as professionals, but as people. His work has always centered on building meaningful relationships, fostering connection, and helping individuals learn from one another.

In his role at EFBC, Michael supports the programs that are at the heart of our organization, including our Forum experience, board and committee coordination, and member engagement. His goal is simple: to ensure every member feels welcomed, supported, and connected throughout their EFBC journey. While much of his work happens behind the scenes, it all contributes to creating the kind of community that helps business leaders thrive.

Prior to joining EFBC, Michael served as Program Director at the North Carolina Center for Community and Justice, where he developed programs that brought together youth and adults from diverse backgrounds to explore identity, build understanding, and strengthen their ability to create more inclusive communities. Through education, dialogue, and shared experiences, he helped participants better understand themselves and one another.

That experience continues to shape his approach today. He believes meaningful growth happens when people feel safe enough to be honest, supported enough to be challenged, and connected enough to learn from those around them—values that closely align with the EFBC Forum experience.

Michael’s philosophy is simple: people first, always. It is an approach that reflects the heart of EFBC and the relationships that make this community so meaningful.

Please join us in welcoming Michael Robinson to the EFBC community! We are excited for the perspective, care, and commitment he brings to our members, and we look forward to the relationships he will help cultivate in the years ahead.

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn >>>

Email Michael at Mike@myefbc.com

Joel Spencer
EFBC President 2025-2026

EFBC Member President’s Message:

Beyond False Harmony

In the past, I have mentioned The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, a framework many of us in EFBC are familiar with. We explored the first dysfunction in absence of trust. Today, I want to talk about the second, which is a fear of conflict.

When trust is strong, people feel safe enough to speak their minds. But when that trust is shaky or never fully formed, teams avoid real conversations, and we settle for false harmony.

For many of us, that’s not surprising. We’ve been trained, consciously or not, to keep the peace. Don’t make waves, don’t challenge the group, and there’s often even an unspoken agreement: Don’t cause conflict for me, and I won’t cause conflict for you.

That silent agreement can feel like protection, but it’s actually a trap. Because when we avoid conflict, we avoid clarity. We dodge the truth, and that sacrifices alignment and growth.

But conflict, when it’s rooted in trust and purpose, isn’t dysfunction — it’s discipline. It’s how teams clarify what matters, it’s how we as leaders grow, and it’s how organizations break through to the next level.

So here’s what I want to offer this month:
It’s a reminder that disagreement doesn’t have to be divisive — it can be clarifying. What it means is that people care enough to be uncomfortable. It means that they’re paying attention. And the most effective leaders and the most cohesive teams don’t fear conflict. They embrace it with respect, structure, and a shared intent.

So ask yourself:

• Is there a conversation you’ve been avoiding?

• Is there tension hiding under the surface, pretending to be alignment?

• Is there someone on your team who needs to know it’s okay to speak up?

At EFBC, we talk about vulnerability and growth, and this is where they meet.
Let’s keep building trust. Let’s welcome the kind of conflict that makes us stronger. And let’s keep growing as leaders, even when the conversations are hard.

Thank you for being part of this community.
I’ll see you soon.

Joel Spencer
EFBC President 2025-2026

At a recent EFBC event featuring communication expert Colette Carlson, we explored many of these same themes around communication, trust, and psychological safety in leadership teams.

A few insights that stood out:

• Only 26% of leaders are actively creating psychological safety for their teams.

• Google’s Project Aristotle identified psychological safety as the number one predictor of high-performing teams.

• Teams with high levels of trust consistently demonstrate stronger collaboration, innovation, and engagement.

As Colette shared during the event:
“How we receive someone’s truth determines if we will ever hear from them again.”

Creating space for honest conversations is not always comfortable, but strong teams are built when people feel safe enough to speak openly, challenge ideas respectfully, and work through conflict together.

Last week, EFBC welcomed communication expert and keynote speaker Colette Carlson for an evening focused on one of the most important challenges leaders face today: how to stay connected, communicative, and emotionally aware in a world that is changing faster than ever.

Connection Requires Intention

The conversation centered around a simple but powerful idea: connection requires intention.

As leaders, it can be easy to default to control, certainty, and assumption, especially during times of pressure or change. But throughout the evening, Colette challenged attendees to think differently. Real connection, strong leadership, and healthy workplace cultures often begin with the willingness to let go of always needing to be right or in control.

“You need to let go so others can grow.”

That message resonated deeply with many in the room, particularly in the context of family and entrepreneurial businesses where leadership can become closely tied to identity, habits, and long-standing ways of operating.

Colette encouraged attendees to examine how self-awareness shapes communication.

“Our way isn’t always the right way,” she shared. “It’s just another way.”

That mindset creates room for curiosity, stronger collaboration, and more meaningful conversations across teams and generations.

The “Many Hats” Leaders Carry

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came during an interactive exercise involving EFBC intern Luv, who volunteered to participate in a visual demonstration on leadership pressure and communication.

As responsibilities, expectations, interruptions, and competing priorities continued to pile on throughout the exercise, the audience laughed in recognition at how accurately it reflected the realities many leaders experience every day while “wearing many hats.”

The activity served as a reminder that behind every leadership role is a person often carrying far more than others realize. It also reinforced one of the evening’s larger themes: leaders who communicate intentionally and create supportive environments help prevent that weight from becoming isolating.

Creating Psychological Safety

A major focus of the discussion was psychological safety and the role leaders play in creating environments where people feel safe to speak honestly, contribute ideas, and communicate openly.

Referencing Google’s Project Aristotle research on high-performing teams, Colette shared that only 26% of leaders are actively creating psychological safety for their teams.

The takeaway was clear: leadership today is less about people “watching their back” and more about creating cultures where employees feel others “have their back.”

Colette also emphasized that how leaders respond to honesty and vulnerability directly impacts whether employees continue speaking up in the future.

“How we receive someone’s truth determines whether we will ever hear from them again.”

For leaders, that means creating workplaces where honesty is met with openness rather than defensiveness, and where people feel respected enough to continue contributing ideas, feedback, and concerns.

Communicating Through Change

Another important theme throughout the evening was communication during change.

As businesses continue navigating rapid technological shifts, evolving workplaces, and growing demands on leaders, many attendees connected with Colette’s reminder that:

“The pace of change has never been so fast, and it will never be this slow again.”

In an environment where change is constant, organizations cannot simply slow down and wait for clarity before moving forward. Instead, leaders must learn how to communicate through uncertainty with transparency, empathy, and intention.

Colette emphasized that awareness gives leaders the ability to choose curiosity over assumption, and that asking thoughtful questions is often more valuable than immediately having answers.

Leading with Intention

The evening sparked thoughtful conversations among EFBC members and guests and served as a reminder that strong leadership is not only about strategy or results. It is also about self-awareness, communication, trust, and the ability to create genuine human connection within organizations.

Thank you again to Colette Carlson for an engaging and meaningful evening with the EFBC community.

Learn more about EFBC membership and upcoming events.

Beyond the Family Network

Stepping into a leadership role within a family business comes with a unique set of opportunities and challenges. Along with the business itself, many next-generation leaders inherit relationships that have been built over decades with clients, vendors, advisors, and community partners.

Those relationships are incredibly valuable. They are often part of the reason the business has grown and lasted across generations. But as businesses evolve, leadership evolves with them, and so should the network surrounding them.

Many next-generation leaders eventually find themselves asking the same question: How do I build my own network while still honoring the relationships that came before me?

There is no single answer. Some leaders want to preserve the business exactly as it has always operated, while others hope to introduce new ideas, new strategies, or a different direction for growth. Most fall somewhere in between. Regardless of the path, building relationships outside of your immediate family circle is an important part of growing into leadership.

Start with the Relationships Already in Place

One of the biggest advantages of a family business is the foundation that already exists. Longstanding relationships with employees, customers, suppliers, and advisors often carry years of trust and shared history.

Before trying to build something entirely new, take time to understand those relationships. Learn how they were built, what has sustained them over time, and where there may be opportunities to strengthen them further. Ask questions, stay curious, and spend time listening to the people who helped shape the business.

At the same time, it is important to remember that trust is not automatically transferred from one generation to the next. Building your own credibility matters. People want to know who you are, how you lead, and what you value.

Build Relationships Outside the Business

For many next-generation leaders, some of the most valuable relationships are the ones built outside the company itself.

Joining peer groups, attending industry events, and participating in leadership organizations can help expand your perspective and introduce you to people facing similar challenges. These connections often lead to stronger ideas, new opportunities, and relationships that continue long after an event ends.

Connecting with leaders outside your immediate circle can also help you step out of the day-to-day mindset and think more strategically about the future of your business and leadership.

Use Technology to Stay Connected

Technology has made networking more accessible than ever, especially for younger leaders looking to expand their reach.

Platforms like LinkedIn can help you stay connected to industry conversations, build relationships with professionals outside your immediate market, and engage with thought leaders in your field.

Set aside time regularly to reconnect with peers, engage with relevant content, or attend virtual events and webinars. While digital networking should never replace genuine relationships, it can be a useful tool for maintaining and growing your network over time.

Seek Mentorship

Mentorship can be especially valuable when navigating the transition into leadership within a family business.

Experienced mentors can offer perspective on challenges that are difficult to learn from a textbook, whether that involves leadership transitions, communication between generations, company culture, or balancing business decisions with family dynamics.

Consider building relationships with mentors both inside and outside your industry. Different perspectives can help you grow as a leader and navigate challenges with greater confidence.

Stay Connected to Your Community

Family businesses are often deeply connected to the communities they serve. Supporting local organizations, participating in community initiatives, and investing in relationships outside the business can strengthen both your reputation and your network.

For many businesses, community involvement is not just about visibility. It is about continuing the trust and relationships that previous generations worked hard to build.

Over time, those relationships often become some of the most meaningful and valuable connections a business can have.

Building a Network That Lasts

Building your own network within a family business is not about replacing the relationships that came before you. It is about building on them while creating connections that reflect your own leadership, perspective, and vision for the future.

The strongest networks are built over time through trust, consistency, and meaningful relationships. And for next-generation leaders, those relationships can become one of the most valuable parts of both personal and professional growth.

Looking to Grow Your Network Alongside Other Business Leaders?

The Entrepreneur and Family Business Council (EFBC) connects family and entrepreneurial business leaders through peer Forums, educational events, and meaningful relationships built on shared experience and trust.

Whether you’re stepping into leadership, navigating transition, or looking to expand your perspective beyond your business, EFBC offers a community of leaders who understand the unique dynamics of family and entrepreneurial businesses.

Learn more about EFBC membership and upcoming events.

Joel Spencer
EFBC President 2025-2026

Why Business Leaders Need Space to Think Out Loud 

Leadership asks a lot of people. It asks for vision, decisiveness, composure, and the ability to keep moving even when the path is not fully clear. What it rarely gives back is a place to process out loud. 

That is one of the quiet challenges of leading a business. Not the meetings, not the decisions, not even the pressure itself, but the fact that many leaders have nowhere to bring the thoughts that are still taking shape. 

At EFBC, members find more than a network. They find a trusted space to think more clearly, speak more honestly, and gain perspective from peers who understand the weight of leadership firsthand. 

The Quiet Weight of Leadership 

As a leader, you are often the one others rely on. Your team looks to you for directions. Your family may look to you for stability. Your business depends on your judgment. 

That responsibility can make it harder to be open about uncertainty. The doubts, the unfinished ideas, and the decisions that still need time to unfold often stay unspoken. Not because they do not matter, but because there are very few places where a leader can say them out loud without any consequences. 

So, you carry them. And over time, that weight adds up. 

As one of our EFBC members reflected: 

“You don’t oftentimes have someone to bounce things off of; I could probably make a list of about a dozen things that keep me up at night” 

Not Every Room Is Built for Real Thinking 

Most leaders are surrounded by people, but what they often are missing is the right room. 

A conference can offer energy. A networking event can offer conversation. But real reflection needs something more. It needs trust, confidentiality, and the kind of consistency that allows people to stop performing and start being honest. 

As our member, Adriana Osorio of Osorio Metals shared: 

“Each member once a month presents and we do a lot of problem solving. We give feedback. Everything is confidential.” 

That is what EFBC’s Forum experience is built for. This is where small groups of peers meet regularly in a confidential setting where members can bring real business and personal challenges into the room. 

Thinking Out Loud Is Where Clarity Begins 

Sometimes leaders do not need advice; they need space to hear themselves think. 

There is something powerful about saying a challenge out loud to the right people. It can bring shape to something that felt unclear before. It can expose what is really driving a decision. It can turn pressure into perspective. 

At EFBC, members do not tell one another what to do. Rather, they share experiences, offer perspective, and help one another see more clearly. That is what makes the conversation so valuable. It is not about prescriptions; it is about clarity. 

As one of our members explained:  

“You will learn more when you share your struggles and get more insight and tools to solve the problem” 

What Only a Peer Can Offer 

A consultant may bring expertise. A coach may bring a process. A peer brings something different: the credibility of having lived through something similar. 

EFBC members come from different industries, different business sizes, and different stages of leadership. But they all understand what it costs to carry responsibility. That shared understanding changes the quality of the conversation. 

When someone in your Forum has faced a family business challenge or a growth decision without a clear answer, their perspective does more than inform you. It helps you think better. 

Brian McIlwee, an EFBC member since 1998, put it this way: 

“It’s amazing how different the businesses are, and how all the problems are the same.” 

More Than a Network 

What makes EFBC meaningful is not just that members connect. It is that they can show up honestly. 

They can bring questions that are not fully formed yet. The challenge they have been carrying quietly. The decision that still feels unfinished. And instead of having to defend it or solve it on the spot, they can think through it with people who understand. 

That kind of space changes leaders. It leads to clearer decisions, stronger self-awareness, better relationships, and growth that extends beyond the business itself. 

Bob Giamanco of 2XL Corporation (EFBC Member Since 2016) reflected: 

“EFBC brought me shared experiences with other members that really moved the needle for my business and created meaningful growth both personally and professionally.” 

As Brian McIlwee said: 

“It’s like having a board of directors not just for the business, but for life.” 

That is the heart of EFBC: not just a peer network, but a place where leaders can stop performing, start reflecting, and find their way forward. 

EFBC Breakfast Club Recap | April 2026

On a bright April morning, EFBC members gathered for a Breakfast Club session that was equal parts eye-opening and energizing. Patty Rioux, President of ODEA, delivered a sharp, candid, and practical look at what AI really means for your brand and what you need to do about it right now.

The room was full. The conversation was lively. And attendees left with a lot to think about and a few things to go do that same night.

Let’s Start With Shared Definitions

Patty opened by making sure everyone was working from the same vocabulary, because in a world where “AI” and “brand” get thrown around constantly, clarity matters.

AI, she explained, is not magic and it is not all-knowing. It predicts. It does not know. Unlike traditional software built on rigid rules, AI uses pattern recognition to generate outputs and simulate human interaction. LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini are trained on enormous amounts of text, images, audio, and video. Her description of them was memorable: think of an LLM as a very smart intern who has read more than you, but lacks your judgment, discernment, and taste because it has no worldly experience.

Brand, she reminded the room, is not your logo or your tagline. Drawing on Seth Godin’s definition, a brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that account for a customer’s decision to choose you over someone else. It exists solely in the minds of your audiences. It is built on two things: differentiation and resonance. And with the rise of AI, influencing that perception has gotten harder and more critical at the same time.

You Now Have Three Audiences to Influence

This was one of the sharpest reframes of the morning. For years, brands have focused on reaching one audience: humans. Now, Patty argued, there are three.

Humans. Google. AI.

Each reads your brand signals differently and ranks your credibility by different criteria. The stakes are real: if your customers don’t say your name when they interact with AI, the AI gets to choose who to recommend. Your business may not even be in the running.

She introduced two concepts every business leader needs to understand. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) means optimizing to be the answer when someone asks an LLM a direct question. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) means ensuring your brand is present and credible enough online that AI-generated content pulls from it accurately and favorably.

She illustrated this with a live example. When asked “What peer group should I consider if I own a family business in Chicago?”, AI tools already surface EFBC by name, describing its history, its forum model, and its affiliation with DePaul. That is GEO working. But it only works if your brand has the digital footprint to support it.

And there was a wake-up call for everyone in the room: Google has patented a system that allows it to generate AI-created pages for organizations and insert them into search results. It is already rewriting headlines on news sites with no opt-out available. If your digital presence is weak or inconsistent, someone else will fill in the blanks about your brand. And you may not like what they write.

Your Brand Has Always Been Your Edge. AI Just Upped the Ante.

Patty introduced the concept of Perceived Authority, the digital version of what people say about you when you are not in the room. It is built through social presence, media mentions, thought leadership, reviews, and consistent credible visibility across the web. You cannot buy it or fake it. It has to be earned through effort, consistency, and distinction.

Google has codified what it looks for under the framework E-E-A-T: Experience (named authors, bio pages, active social media), Expertise (case studies, opinions, behind-the-scenes content), Authoritativeness (podcast appearances, media mentions, awards), and Trustworthiness (a named team page, HTTPS, real testimonials). These are the signals that Google, LLMs, and humans use to decide whether you are worth their attention.

If paid search is your primary lead generation strategy, Patty was direct: you are exposed. Building Perceived Authority needs to become a priority now.

She also made a point that resonated deeply with the room: audiences can smell AI. Authentic, specific, human content outperforms polished AI content with every audience that matters. Google rewards it. LLMs cite it. Humans feel it. The goal is not to be raw for the sake of it. It is to be so specifically and undeniably your brand that AI cannot replicate you and no competitor can fake you.

To prove the point, she broke down the anatomy of a typical AI-generated LinkedIn post, exposing its nine predictable moves: the hook, the restated problem, the short declaratives, the arrow bullets, the pivot line, the mic drop, and so on. Then she showed her own top-performing posts alongside ODEA’s best content. The difference was stark. The AI post performed as content. The human posts connected as brand.

You Are Going to Use AI. Use It Well.

Patty was clear that AI is not optional and not going away. The phase of experimentation is closing. The time for implementation is now.

Use AI for ideation, research, and thought partnership. It is a remarkable thinking partner for pressure-testing ideas, drafting outlines, researching competitors, and prepping for meetings. Data-driven and repeatable tasks are its sweet spot.

But teach it your brand first. If you cannot articulate your brand to a human, you cannot articulate it to a machine. The LLM will default to the pattern every time. Your visual brand guides and verbal brand playbooks are training documents for your AI tools. An undefined brand means generic output.

And do not just take what AI generates and paste it live. Inject your point of view every time or you are as generic as your competitors. Research shows that pure AI-generated content does not perform long-term. Google rewards quality regardless of who or what created it, but quality requires your voice, your experience, and your judgment.

Finally, get ahead of AEO and GEO now. Traffic from AI tools is still a small share of total web sessions but it is growing exponentially. The brands building credibility and digital presence today will have a head start that is very hard to close.

The Parting Thought

Patty closed with a line that was both sobering and motivating: AI is currently as bad as it will ever be. Everything it can do today will only get more sophisticated, more influential, and more pervasive. The question is not whether this matters to your business. It does. The question is whether you will be ready.

Her homework for the room: tonight, open Claude or ChatGPT and ask what it knows about your company. Then ask who the best in your category are in your market. See if your name comes back. If it does not, now you know where to start.

A sincere thank you to Patty Rioux and the team at ODEA for a session that was as practical as it was thought-provoking. To learn more about their work, visit teamodea.com or connect with them on LinkedIn.

We hope to see you at the next EFBC Breakfast Club. These conversations are exactly why this community exists.

Joel Spencer
EFBC President 2025-2026