Calgary businessman Scott Silverberg is a steadfast believer in brotherly love.

But he knows from experience that even the strongest fraternal bonds can be stretched to the breaking point when siblings – or other family members – go into business together.

When Scott and his brothers, Kyle and Doug, teamed up to create Silverberg & Associates, the trio encountered challenges that would never have arisen had they not been family – not to mention the best of friends.

A mutual friend directed Scott to CAFE Calgary, a Southern Alberta branch of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise.

From left, Lauretta Kaechele, Scott Silverberg and Scott Porteous have all found benefits from being members of the Calgary branch of CAFE.

Today, all three brothers are members of CAFE, the resources of which have been a great benefit to Silverberg & Associates.

Affiliated with the University of Calgary, CAFE Calgary is a non-profit, volunteer-based network that gives its members the wherewithal to sail over the unique obstacles that crop up to hinder the forward progress of family-based businesses.

CAFE's raison d'etre is to promote well-being and understanding within the family business. As spelled out on the CAFE's national website (www.cafenational.org), it is a member-driven service designed to educate, inform and encourage participants who need specialized help to keep their businesses – and their families – rolling smoothly.

This is achieved via a wide variety of resources and information: a stimulating assortment of programs and activities, including some of the finest professional advice to be found anywhere.

Family businesses, by their nature, tend to reap many benefits, including higher levels of trust, a more active role in the community, shared values, long-term perspective, and increased focus on quality and customer satisfaction.

CAFE helps its members make the most of these benefits, while assisting in overcoming the many challenges of working with family.

"My brothers and I have learned how to communicate, and that promotes a healthy business environment," enthused Scott, a CAFE Calgary past-president.

"CAFE has helped us enter into more frank and open discussion prior to making our business decisions," he said.

Even better, the enhanced sibling relationship has been demonstrated on the corporate bottom line. "Absolutely," agreed Scott, "100 per cent."

It's no exaggeration to say family businesses represent the heart, the soul and the backbone of Canada's economy. Statistics tell us that families in business account for 80 per cent of Canadian businesses and 50 per cent of our country's gross domestic product. These enterprises range in scope from your local mom 'n' pop dry-cleaning store on up to McCain's and CanWest Global.

CAFE's national organization was created in 1983 by 15 founding directors who banded together after they discovered their respective family-based enterprises encountered similar types of stumbling blocks.

Today, CAFE Calgary believers include the Burns family of BURNCO, the Kaechele family of Emerald Management & Realty Ltd. and the Bodtkers of Great Western Containers Inc.

"The whole point of CAFE is to bring families in business together, to help deal with the range of personal and business issues that tend to crop up," said Scott Silverberg.

Scott and current CAFE Calgary president Lauretta Kaechele cited some of the more typical issues.

"Well, 50 per cent of businesses fail while making the transition from first-generation to second- generation," Scott explained. "Many more fail while trying to turn control over to the third generation."
Tough issues. And they raise tougher questions:
* What's the best way to evaluate the business performance of a family member?
* How do you bring your successor generation into positions of leadership without turning off the rest of your staff?
* How do you choose your successor from among your children?
* Do your children enjoy equal voting shares? Are they to be compensated equally?

CAFE Calgary emulates the national organization by enlisting the aid of volunteer specialists from every pertinent field – tax experts, accountants, estate planners, lawyers, financial planners and professional mediators – to seek solutions.

CAFE families meet for monthly presentations led by expert speakers.

Members also enjoy access to distinctive programs such as ROADMAP, a course designed to help business families navigate these sometimes choppy waters.

CAFE members are urged to join personal advisory groups of like-minded peers who meet frequently to provide each other with confidential support and advice. Interested families are welcome to apply for membership in CAFE Calgary.

Cost per year is only $675 per family. Interested parties are asked to call 403.220.3378 for more information. It's the ideal way to keep peace – and profit – in the family business.