EFBC Member President’s Message:

Joel Spencer on Building Momentum

Hi, I’m Joel Spencer, your EFBC President for 2025–2026.
As I reflected on what I wanted to share this month, one word kept coming to mind: Momentum.

• Momentum as leaders isn’t about speed—it’s about intention:
•  Surrounding ourselves with the right people
• Growing our skills and knowledge
• Strengthening our emotional intelligence

EFBC provides the space, structure, and community to support that kind of growth—and we’ve got some exciting ways to keep the momentum going this summer:

• DePaul Partnership
  We had a great brainstorming session with DePaul this week, continuing our strong strategic partnership.
  This relationship brings value to our members, DePaul students, and the broader business community.

What’s Coming Up:

• Prospect Forum – August 7
  Our first session is already full! It’s a great way for prospective members to experience a real Forum.
  Our next session is in October—keep the referrals coming!
• Summer Social – August 21 @ The Salt Shed
  Join us for food, drinks, entertainment, and community.
  We’ll also honor outgoing President Darrin Shillair with our Annual Leadership Award.

Thanks for being part of this incredible community. I’m excited for what’s ahead—let’s keep building momentum together.

Joel Spencer
EFBC President 2025-2026

EFBC President’s Message: Leading Through Transition

Dear EFBC Members, 

For this month’s letter, I’ve been thinking a lot about Transition, the role it play in our businesses and our lives. 

We’ve had our final official EFBC board meeting for this fiscal year, and will be meeting next month to transition and onboard our next leadership team.  Whether it’s handing off a leadership role, bringing in a new team member, or even preparing the next generation to lead, transition is always happening. And while we often treat it like a moment in time, the truth is: good transitions are a process. 

They take preparation, communication, and, perhaps most importantly, humility. That includes the willingness to let go – of control, of routines, and sometimes even of the sense that everything needs to be done our way. Letting go isn’t easy, especially when we care deeply. But it’s often the most generous, most effective and most forward-looking thing we can do. 

The same idea applies in our companies. The best transitions happen when we plan and invest early – building people up, creating clarity, and trusting others to carry things forward. That kind of preparation helps things run smoothly, but more importantly it creates room for growth. 

So this month, I’d invite you to reflect on the transitions ahead in your own world. Are you setting them up with intention? Are you preparing others—not just with information, but with encouragement? And are you making space for new ideas to emerge by letting go where needed? 

Transitions are never perfect. But when done well, they can unlock the next chapter of growth for both an organization and the individuals within it. 

Thanks for reading, 

Darrin Shillair – EFBC President 2024-2025

EFBC President’s Message: Gratitude

Dear EFBC Members, 

I have a short letter for this month – speaking briefly to Gratitude.

As we celebrated our 30th anniversary gala last Friday, I feel personal gratitude for getting to see many of our members and celebrate with you all.

I feel a great gratitude to the EFBC organization, it’s history, and the great value that it has provided not just to me, but to multiple generations of business leaders over the past 3 decades.

And last, but certainly not least, I feel a great gratitude and appreciation for our amazing staff, who pulled off an impressive and seamless event for us all to gather.

On a lighter note, I feel gratitude that the sun is shining today and it feels like spring is finally here.

Warm regards,

Darrin Shillair – EFBC President 2024-2025

EFBC President’s Message: Resilience = Success

Dear EFBC Members, 

I am back with another themed letter, and this time I am thinking about Resilience.   

Running a business isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes grit, adaptability, and – sometimes most importantly – resilience. The reality is stark: about 20% of small businesses don’t make it past their first year, and 70% fail within a decade. But those that survive aren’t just lucky – they’re resilient.  Sometimes the key to outperforming your competitors is just to outlast them. 

So, how do we build that resilience? A few key things make all the difference: 

• Plan for the Unexpected – Have a game plan for downturns and challenges before they hit.  I often do scenario planning with my team around big risks, e.g. the loss of a large customer, implementation of punitive tariffs, etc. 

• Keep Finances Strong – A financial cushion can be the difference between weathering a storm and closing up shop, and it is prudent to be very careful with debt. 

• Stay Adaptable – Markets change, and the most successful businesses evolve with them.  We make a strategic plan for the year, but we never hesitate to change it when circumstances demand it. 

• Lean on Your Network – Customers, vendors, and fellow business owners are invaluable sources of support and insight.  The EFBC and our strategic partners are an invaluable resource for this. 

• Keep Learning – The best leaders never stop looking for ways to grow and improve, whether it’s from their EFBC Forum or one of our many educational events. 

Challenges will come, but they don’t have to define us. What matters is how we respond. By staying prepared, connected, and open to change, we not only survive—we thrive. 

Here’s to the resilience that it takes to build businesses that stand the test of time. 

Speaking of Resilience and organizations that have stood the test of time, the EFBC is celebrating our 30th anniversary this year, and GALA REGISTRATION IS OPEN.  I am looking forward to seeing you all there. 

Warm regards,

Darrin Shillair – EFBC President 2024-2025

EFBC President’s Message: Building Positive Momentum in the New Year

EFBC President’s Message: Core Values at the Negotiation Table

Dear EFBC Members,

I am back with another themed letter, and this time I am thinking about Negotiations, and specifically how they are guided by Core Values.

Negotiations are a core part of any business leader’s role. Whether it’s a high-stakes contract or a simple agreement, we all bring to the table a toolbox of strategies—understanding our BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement), leveraging data, and staying prepared. But beyond tactics and strategies lies a deeper dimension of negotiation: the alignment with our values.

In the pursuit of a win, our competitive energy as entrepreneurs can be activated, and it’s easy to focus on the tactical and analytical aspects of negotiation. However, the most meaningful and sustainable agreements often come from a softer, values-driven approach. This means prioritizing respect, empathy, and integrity throughout the process.

I am currently working through a high-stakes negotiation around potential M&A for my business. I know the tactics, and I know the data, so I am well-positioned. But I also keep re-visiting both the core values for my business and my personal principles. I am actively seeking to avoid an outcome where I have “won” but caused myself future harm by straying from what has served me well to-date.

As you go through the inevitable negotiations in your businesses, I encourage you to leverage the EFBC way of emotional intelligence, and the support of your forum and the broader EFBC community to help you stick to your personal values.

Warm regards,

Darrin Shillair – EFBC President 2024-2025

EFBC President’s Message: Keep Calm and Persist On

Dear EFBC Members,

I am back with another themed letter, and this time I am thinking about Persistence.

I often feel in my business that my efforts aren’t working, and we’re not making enough progress on our goals. As owners, we are all too familiar with the days where it feels like every effort is hitting a wall, with no immediate results in sight. These days can be discouraging, but they are part of the larger journey. Success isn’t measured by the wins of a single day; rather, it comes in chunks, often appearing when we least expect it.

It’s easy to become impatient when we don’t see instant results. However, persistence is what separates those who build lasting businesses from those who give up too soon. By continuing to put in the effort day after day—without immediate reward—you are laying the groundwork for those eventual “chunks” of success. It’s the accumulation of small, persistent efforts that leads to significant breakthroughs.

As leaders, we must remind ourselves that the road to success isn’t linear. The key is to stay focused on the long-term vision, even when daily progress seems minimal. The challenge is to remain committed to your goals, and trust that persistence will pay off, as it always does. In time, the small efforts compound, and the big wins start rolling in.

The EFBC provides a unique and critically important environment for persisting through the lulls where it feels like your efforts are “two steps forward, one step back”. Our forums and the broader organization are full of leaders who have “been there”, can ground our individual impatience in wisdom, and provide the encouragement needed to Persist.

I wish you all strength in your Persistence through your business and personal challenges faced every day. As the recent recipient of a few step-change chunks of progress, it ultimately can pay off.

Warm regards,

Darrin Shillair – EFBC President 2024-2025

August President’s Message: Focus

Dear Members,

As the summer winds to a close (too quickly!), I am thinking a lot about focus.

In general, I feel that once the hecticness of summer commitments is behind us, I can re-focus on my business for the remainder of the year.  I can re-visit our strategic plan and the initiatives that we intended to complete this year, and I can re-apply myself and my team to ensuring their completion.  With 4 months to go, focus is critical.

And specifically, I am thinking about the focus that the EFBC uniquely provides.  Specialty Sales, and I personally, have been dealing with a very difficult personnel situation with a long-time employee.  In an emotionally fraught and professionally difficult situation, I always appreciate being able to confidentially discuss with my EFBC colleagues.  They provide empathy and shared experience, steeped in the EFBC culture of emotional intelligence, that allows me to focus on the business’s core values and my personal core values.

This clarity helps me move through the situation in line with our values, and get out of the “head trash” that can bog us all down when we are facing difficulties in our businesses.  I am grateful to the EFBC for that focus.

In other news, the EFBC is currently actively recruiting to our committees.  This is a member-run organization, which is what makes it great.  That requires members to volunteer their valuable time to keep the organization.  The good news, and I speak from experience, is that it is a two-way street.  Being on the board of the EFBC has been an enlightening experience of personal growth for me personally, and I highly recommend it.

We are currently looking for the following:

• Marketing & Membership: The M&M Committee is looking for members with marketing experience or interest, specifically in content marketing, that can help us share the value of the EFBC with even more prospective members.  We will be developing a strategy and working with staff to create, share and measure content to drive new member growth.
• Programming: The Programming Committee is looking for members who have an interest in driving the ideation and execution of all the events we provide to members.

If you have interest, please reach out to Liz Fidanovski or Bob Carmody, our current Governance Chair, who are actively working on committee succession and recruitment.

Lastly, I’m excited to share that we’ve recently rolled out an update to our EFBC CommunityHub mobile app. You may have already noticed the new, sleeker design. The homepage now features a “summary” of all the pages available in the menu, providing a dashboard-style overview at a glance – from posts and events to groups and the discussion board. This update is aimed at making it even easier for you to stay connected and engaged with our community. If you haven’t downloaded the app and activated your account yet, please do so by clicking here to download it from the Apple Store and here to get it on Google Store.

Warm regards,

Darrin Shillair – EFBC President 2024-2025

Optimism and Opportunity: A New Leadership Era

We’re excited to introduce you to our new EFBC President for 2024-2025, Darrin Shillair! To kick off his tenure, Darrin has shared a heartfelt video message and a thoughtful letter with our valued members.

Dear Members,

As I step into the role of president of the board of the EFBC, I am filled with a profound sense of optimism and excitement. It is truly an honor to serve a community of dedicated family business owners and entrepreneurs who play such a pivotal role in our economy and society.  As business owners and entrepreneurs, I believe we all are optimists at heart, otherwise we would never take the risks required.  We believe in the future and believe that our businesses will thrive, and I believe the same for the EFBC.

Our organization has always been a beacon of support and guidance for family businesses, and I am looking forward to building on this legacy. I am particularly optimistic about the future because of the strength and resilience I see in each of you. Your dedication to your businesses and to this organization is truly inspiring.

In the coming months, I will be sharing with you our strategic plan, which has been crafted with great care and insight by our Board of Directors and staff. This plan is designed to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of our organization, and I believe will set a strong foundation for our future.

I will be asking to visit each of your forums in the coming months, and I’m looking forward to discussing our plans with you, getting to know more members, and hopefully convincing you to help us achieve those goals.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our organization. I look forward to working closely with each of you and to hearing your ideas and feedback. Together, we can achieve remarkable things and ensure a prosperous future for all our members.

Let’s embrace the future with optimism and enthusiasm, knowing that our collective efforts will make a lasting impact.

Warm regards,

Darrin Shillair – EFBC President 2024-2025

WHEN…

Dear EFBC Members,

As my tenure as president of EFBC draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on a simple yet profound word: “When.” Throughout my journey, knowing when to make pivotal decisions has been a gift I’ve been fortunate to possess. It’s about discerning the right moments in life – when to embark on new chapters, when to embrace challenges, and when to graciously step aside.

Reflecting on my journey with EFBC, I am deeply grateful for the opportunities and growth it has afforded me. Joining the EFBC in 2008 was the right “when” for me, followed by my involvement with the Lighthouse Forum in 2014 and later joining the EFBC Board in 2021. Each “when” marked a significant milestone in my personal and professional development.

Serving as vice president in 2022 and then president in 2023 has been a privilege beyond measure. It has been a period of immense learning, growth, and adaptation to the evolving needs of our dynamic community. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together during my tenure – from launching initiatives to enhance member engagement to overseeing successful events that brought us closer as a community.

Looking ahead, I have full confidence in the leadership of Darrin as the incoming president and the entire board. Their dedication and vision will undoubtedly propel EFBC to new heights, continuing to serve our members with excellence and innovation.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Liz, Danielle, and Cha Mi of the EFBC staff for their unwavering support and dedication. Your hard work behind the scenes does not go unnoticed.

A special thank you to Darrin for your invaluable partnership as vice president and to Andy for your guidance and leadership as past president. Your insights have been instrumental in shaping our organization’s success.

Lastly, I extend my gratitude to the Lighthouse Forum for the inspiration and camaraderie over the years. Together, we have made a difference in the lives of our members and the broader community.

As I transition into the role of past president, I look forward to supporting EFBC in new capacities and witnessing its continued growth and impact.

Please remember to join us for our Summer Golf Social outing & Leadership Award ceremony at Itasca Country Club on August 5th – a wonderful opportunity for networking and celebration.

Thank you all for your support, and dedication to EFBC. It has been an honor and privilege to serve as your president.

Warm regards,

Dave Horvath | EFBC President 2023-2024