“Dr. Fast has been a significant pioneer on family farm succession within Canadian Agriculture. His expertise and vast experience is reflected in The Family Business Doctor. He has provided training for many of us in the field and this book continues to be inspirational reading for all farmers and those of us who are professional advisors in the agricultural sector.”
– Bob Ross, C-Team Co-ordinator, George Morris Centre, Guelph
“Always an engaging and provocative speaker, our members gave Dr. Fast the highest marks for his presentations to our Family Business Forum. In The Family Business Doctor, John provides perceptive diagnosis and wise ‘medicine’ to help both generations of the family and the business to move together toward long-term health.”
– Henry D. Landes, President, Delaware Valley Family Business Center, Pennsylvania
“Dr. Fast has proved to be an invaluable facilitator and coach during a six-year succession planning process that has been demanding and sometimes even painful to our automobile group of companies employing ten family members. We have made great progress towards building a solid and effective program for the succession of our business that has been well-accepted by both the family participants and our staff. More importantly, our family relationships have emerged from this process with renewed strength and understanding. In The Family Business Doctor, John explores the full dynamics of business families and how to reach a successful transition to the next generation by providing readers with his vast experience and great sensitivity on this perplexing subject. I strongly recommend this book as required reading for the thousands of family business owners seeking guidance with managing their own business succession.”
– Paul O’Regan, President, O’Regan’s Automotive Group, Halifax
“The Family Business Doctor captures the accumulated wisdom of an advisor who respects and honours both family businesses and business families. The book reflects Dr. Fast’s leadership within Canada in the understanding and integration of family dynamics into the succession planning process. I believe it also makes a significant contribution to the field because of its recognizable spiritual core. John has provided a key resource for business families and their advisors. It is well worth reading.”
– John Bowey, Chairman, Deloitte & Touche LLP, Canada
“A splendid book! Dr. Fast has captured the essence of what it means to be in a family business. His keen insights after years of research, personal business experience and listening to the poignant stories of those of us in business, make him an authority in helping family businesses to reach the next level of excellence. This book is a great resource for those looking for help.”
– Herb Buller, Chairman, Norcraft Industries;
The Herb & Erna Buller Foundation, Winnipeg
“John is able to zero in on the real issues surrounding business families. Not the challenges that seem to be urgent, but the ones that tug at our hearts and emotions and which we tend to bury unresolved, only to have them emerge later as a poisonous presence within the family. In following John’s book and putting into action these methods of dealing with the deeper issues, we are able to move our working and family relationships to a higher, more rewarding level.”
– Jim Hallman, CEO, Aberdeen Homes;
President, Hallman Construction, Kitchener-Waterloo
“With The Family Business Doctor, John has, in his own robust and passionate way, provided an invaluable tool for family business members and their professional advisors. Having had the opportunity to work professionally with Dr. Fast on a number of matters as legal counsel, I understand and respect the key role that a person with his obvious expertise plays in ensuring that an appropriate family business succession plan can be successfully developed and implemented. This is definitely a text on the ‘required reading’ list.”
– Douglas C. Jack, Solicitor, Fergus
“Finally—a practical and sophisticated guide that addresses the ‘head’ and the ‘heart’ matters which commonly plague family business and compromise the health of the family and business. Dr. John Fast is a gifted specialist, and The Family Business Doctor reflects the many years of working with business families and their unique challenges. There is ‘something for you’ in this book, whether you are a family member or non–family member of business family and you want to navigate through the issues to greater peace and greater successes.”
– Cathy Keating, President, The Vault Jewellers Ltd., Halifax
“I have known John for over ten years and have seen him work effectively with parents and children involved in their businesses. I have also seen him share his experience with other family business advisors through ‘training the trainers’ workshops. In this book John conveys the knowledge, skill and passion he has for families in business. Members of those families and their advisors will find it to be an enjoyable, enlightening and rewarding read.”
– Jim Barnett, FCA, Director, School of Accountancy,
University of Waterloo; Founding Board
Member, Centre for Family Business