Live from your public media Live from your public media studios.

WVIA presents studios.

WVIA presents Keyste Addition Biness Keystone Addition Business of Affairs program that of Affairs program that goes beyond the headlines goes beyond the headlines to address issues.

to address issues.

North-Eastern in central Pennsylvania.

This isrth-Eastel Pennsylvania.

This is Keystone Addition Reports Keystone Addition Reports business.

And now moderate business.

And now moderat Steve Stumbler is.

Hi, I'm Steve Stumbler is.

Hi, I'm Steve is working with Steve is working with Family can be tricky.

Family can be tricky.

Succession planning, Succession planning, keeping work and home keeping work and home separate and maintaining an separate and maintaining an open, welcoming culture are just some of the struggles we're going to explor we're going to explore these challenges and what these challenges and what it takes to make for it takes to make for generations as a family generations as a family owned business.

If you ha owned business.

If you have questions, you can email us questions, you can email us at Keystone at Wvia.org or at Keystone at Wvia.org or tag us on social with the tag us on social with the hashtag Keystone Business hashtag Keystone Business WVIA.

News reporter Sarah WVIA.

News reporter Sarah Scinto has more detail on Scinto has more detail on what it takes to run a what it takes to run a family ned business.

family owned business.

Family owned businesses are Family owned businesses are vital to thriving vital to thriving communities.

According to communities.

According to the family Business the family Business Alliance, nearly five point Alliance, nearly five point five million U.S. five million U.S. businesses are family owned businesses are family owned making up 50 percent of the making up 50 percent of the U.S. workforce.

These U.S. workforce.

These businesses are typically businesses are typically based in a particular based in a particular community and are less community and are less likely to relocate and can likely to relocate and can continue to provide work or continue to provide work or generations of families, generationsf families, including their own.

But including their own.

But that's also where one of that's also where one of the problems of family the problems of family owned businesses comes in.

owned businesses comes in.

Statistics show only 30 Statistics show only 30 percent of family owned percent of family owned businesses make it to the businesses make it to the second generation, and the second generation, and the number dwindles after that.

number dwindles after that.

That's part of the reason That's part of the reason succession planning is so succession planning is so important.

in a family important.

in a family business.

And that's what business.

And that's what makes a business.

Staying makes a business.

Staying in a family for more than in a family for more than 100 years.

Such 100 years.

Such accomplishment.

Many owners accomplishment.

Many owners don have a family member don't have a family member who's willing to take over who's willing to take over after they retire.

And after they retire.

And there can still be problems there can still be problems even when there is a even when there is a successor.

Generational successor.

Generational clashes aren't unusual when clashes aren't unusual when a child is taking over for a child is taking over for a parent and wants to a parent and wants to change things.

And morale change things.

And morale can take a hit.

If family can take a hit.

If family members are treated embers are treated differently than non-family differently than non-family employees working with employees working with family can be both family can be both rewarding and difficult.

We rewarding and difficult.

We have more information on have more information on WVIA Dawg for Keystone WVIA Dawg for Keystone Edition.

Busines.

I'm Sarah Edition.

Busines.

I'm Sarah Scinto W CIA News.

I'd like Scinto W CIA News.

I'd like to introduce our panelists to introduce our panelists here to share their here to share their perspectives on family perspectives on family owned businesses first.

Sue owned businesses first.

Sue Riley is the executive Riley is the executive director of the Family director of the Family Business Alliance based Business Alliance based Wilkes University and Penn Wilkes University and Penn State Scranton.

John State Scranton.

John Verkitus is the co-owner of Verkitus is the co-owner of Purity Candy in operation Purity Candy in operation for over 100 years in for over 100 years in downtown Lewisburg.

Finally downtown Lewisburg.

Finally Darsey Buck is the Darsey Buck is the president of the a Rifkin president of the a Rifkin company of Wilkes-Barre, company of Wilkes-Barre, Thank you, everyone.

for Thank you, everyone.

for joining us.

I'm really joining us.

I'm reay looking fs looking forward this conversation.

I have, John.

conversation.

I have, John.

I'y I've been a fan purity candy for a long time.

And candy for a long time.

And Darcy, I've really enjoyed Darcy, I've really enjoyed getting to know you and a getting to know you and a Rifkin's company.

And Sue.

Rifkin's company.

And Sue.

I can't wait for your I can't wait for your contributions to the contributions to the conversation ahead.

Darcy, conversation ahead.

Darcy, I'd like to start off with I'd like to start off with you.

Tell us about a rift.

you.

Tell us about a rift.

Can Compass really Can Compass really interesting famil history?

interesting famil history?

Tell about five generations Tell about five generations and what are what's and what are what's produced by a Rafkin.

So my produced by a Rafkin.

So my great great grandfather great great grandfather started a Rafkin company in started a Rafkin company in 1892. that started out 1892. that started out doing work, clothing and doing work, clothing and dry goods.

And then around dry goods.

And then around the 1930s that we got into the 1930s that we got into security bags and we've security bags and we've been doing fabric, reusable been doing fabric, reusable security bags since we do.

security bags since we do.

We sell them into any We sell them into any market that needs cash, market that needs cash, security and documents security and documents securits security, which is basically any market in the basically any market in the country.

So it's a good country.

So it's a good problem to have trying to problem to have trying to focus to who to sell to at focus to who to sell to at any given time.

And tn we any given time.

And then we also have some selling also have some selling divisions because we try to divisions because we try to utilize what we have.

So we utilize what we have.

So we have a contract sewing have a contract sewing division where we'll sell division where we'll sell this for people who need things for people who need a seller, but they want a seller, but they want their product line.

And now their product line.

And now we also have a pajama line we also have a pajama line that we do.

We're getting a that we do.

We're getting a few glimpses on screen now few glimpses on screen now of what it looks like and of what it looks like and some the capabilities of a some the capabilities of a Rifki What are some of Rifkin.

What are some of the product lines or the product lines or perhaps markets that have perha markets that have grown or ebbed and flowed grown or ebbed and flowed over the years?

In your over the years?

In your experience, there, so the experience, there, so the bank business was always a bank business was always a big market for us.

But back big market for us.

But back in the day, they couldn't in the day, they couldn't cross state lines and there cross state lines and there is like thousands, is like thousands, thousands and thousands of thousands and thousands of banks.

And now there a lot banks.

And now there a lot fewer.

And they all kind of fewer.

And they all kind of own each other.

And you can own each other.

And you can cross state lines, which cross state lines, which has been an interesting has been an interesting change.

But we also have we change.

But we also have we sell into the election sell into the election market, which didn't really market, which didn't really exist when they first exist when they first started African companies.

started African companies.

So that's been a change as So that's been a change as well.

And then we fell into well.

And then we fell into the federal government.

We the federal government.

We make bags for them.

We sell make bags for them.

We sell to schools.

We sell to to schools.

We sell to restaurants.

We sell to restaurants.

We sell to amusement parks.

kind of amusement parks.

kind of anybody who is moving cash anybody who is moving cash around or important around or important paperwork.

And then we paperwork.

And then we custom make things.

So if custom make things.

So if you look in our catalog, we you look in our catalog, we have set items.

But if have set items.

But if somebody wanted one, it was somebody wanted one, it was slightly different.

We'll slightly different.

We'll have a phone call and we'll have a phone call and we'll get our engineers involved.

get our engineers involved.

and we'll custom make and we'll custom make something for their exact something for their exact needs.

Really quite a needs.

Really quite a diverse and its business to diverse and its business to business custom is that you business custom is that you have across so many have across so many different types of different types of industries.

Thanks, John.

industries.

Thanks, John.

Want to give you a chance Want to give you a chance to tell viewers about to tell viewers about purity.

Candy, and your purity.

Candy, and your personal history and the personal history and the company that also dates company that also dates back over.

I'm not your back over.

I'm not your personal history dates back personal history dates back over a hundred year, right?

over a hundred year, right?

Sorry.

history of Furedi Sorry.

history of Furedi Candy Purity.

Candy is one Candy Purity.

Candy is one hundred and sixteen year hundred and sixteen year old manufacturer of candy old manufacturer of candy and and retail.

We have two and and retail.

We have two retail stores.

It is fifth retail stores.

It is fifth generation, I'd say generation, I'd say unofficially, and two of unofficially, and two of them are my family.

We were them are my family.

We were very close friends.

Some of very close friends.

Some of the other people that we the other people that we that we I learned from, that we I learned from, bought it from and so we bought it from and so we really consider it a family really consider it a family business.

because we really business.

because we really we got along with the we got along with the people we know and they people we know and they kept working with us after kept working with us after they sold it to us.

And they sold it to us.

And yeah, it was a very, very yeah, it was a very, very good transition.

clean.

I, good transition.

clean.

I, I've had a chance to hear I've had a chance to hear from you that you learned from you that you learned from that members of that from that members of that original family as you original family as you apprenticed as a candy apprenticed as a candy maker.

Well, I was thrust maker.

Well, I was thrust into it.

I learned from into it.

I learned from Buck Zeba, who was a candy Buck Zeba, who was a candy maker for purity, for forty maker for purity, for forty fifty years.

And so he he fifty years.

And so he he guided me through through guided me through through some of my my crazy journey some of my my crazy journey and the beginning of the and the beginning of the business, I, I didn't get business, I, I didn't get to apprentice like most to apprentice like most candy makers did.

I learned candy makers did.

I learned on the fly and I feel I've on the fly and I feel I've learned it a different way.

learned it a different way.

I think learning through I think learning through failure is very important failure is very important part of you never forget part of you never forget after you you fail a couple after you you fail a couple great weight, a good test.

great weight, a good test.

Well, that lesson right to Well, that lesson right to know how not to do it right know how not to do it right And somebody telling you And somebody telling you that's what's gonna happen that's what's gonna happen if you do it wrong is one if you do it wrong is one thing.

Doing it and got OK. thing.

Doing it and got OK. Well yeah.

Sue, I'm really Well yeah.

Sue, I'm really intrigued by the family intrigued by the family business Alliance and thank business Alliance and thank you for sharing some of the you for sharing some of the statistics we saw at the statistics we saw at the opening of the show.

One opening of the show.

One that really struck me was that really struck me was only half of family owned only half of family owned businesses make it businesses make it successfully into the successfully into the second generation.

But it second generation.

But it the outlook is a bit more the outlook is a bit more grim.

What kind of things grim.

What kind of things are you doing to to address are you doing to to address that?

And especially help that?

And especially help in the transition from in the transition from generation to generation?

I generation to generation?

I appreciate the question.

appreciate the question.

And so much has changed in And so much has changed in family businesses.

I think family businesses.

I think that we were we've had that we were we've had different discussions as we different discussions as we were walking over here.

were walking over here.

Like sometimes it was just Like sometimes it was just expected that this is what expected that this is what you this is what you're you this is what you're going to do in the next going to do in the next generation.

But, well, we generation.

But, well, we really tried to do really tried to do educational programing for educational programing for family businesses.

Look and family businesses.

Look and see ETHEN, the next see ETHEN, the next generation.

Are you generation.

Are you interested or not interested or not interested in joining and interested in joining and seeing what skills sets seeing what skills sets there are that maybe need there are that maybe need to be fulfilled in that to be fulfilled in that next generation?

But what I next generation?

But what I think that we have the think that we have the ability to do in addition ability to do in addition to our education is we have to our education is we have formed peer groups with in formed peer groups with in the Family Business the Family Business Alliance.

So we put people Alliance.

So we put people together, eight to ten together, eight to ten people in a group, never people in a group, never competitors, never siblings competitors, never siblings or relatives.

And we try or relatives.

And we try not to put people in the not to put people in the same peer group that worked same peer group that worked together.

Maybe together.

Maybe Business-to-business, so Business-to-business, so that we provide a safe that we provide a safe place to have conversation place to have conversation and to learn from one and to learn from one another, from different another, from different businesses.

in our area businesses.

in our area that are under the that are under the commonality of family commonality of family business.

and realized that business.

and realized that someone else has been there someone else has been there done that, and that they've done that, and that they've come through.

And how can I come through.

And how can I learn from them?

I gather learn from them?

I gather hearing that from a peer, hearing that from a peer, from a family member, not from a family member, not from some an advisor or a from some an advisor or a professional, and respect professional, and respect the value of all of those the value of all of those resources for small resources for small businesses.

Of course, But businesses.

Of course, But hearing it from someone who hearing it from someone who has been there in the has been there in the trenches of a family trenches of a family business, how how valuable business, how how valuable those relationships, peer those relationships, peer relationships that get relationships that get formed through those groups formed through those groups invaluable and because you invaluable and because you can look at the hundred can look at the hundred year old businesses that we year old businesses that we have here and realize just have here and realize just the knowledge that the knowledge that transferred from generation transferred from generation to generation and the to generation and the different scenarios that different scenarios that everyone has come through, everyone has come through, there is always life there is always life lessons and all of those lessons and all of those stories that can be shared stories that can be shared and a lot of the problems and a lot of the problems that that family businesses that that family businesses are facing are nothing's are facing are nothing's all that new in all that new in relationship situations.

relationship situations.

that need to be worked out that need to be worked out and you can ask somebody, and you can ask somebody, well, how did you chat with well, how did you chat with with the matriarch or with the matriarch or Patrick of your business Patrick of your business and how that go?

I I think and how that go?

I I think of things that are passed of things that are passed down through a family down through a family stories at and ideas and stories at and ideas and things that we cherish.

things that we cherish.

What's it like passing down What's it like passing down values or lessons in a values or lessons in a family business?

How family business?

How similar is that to passed similar is that to passed down values and stories?

in down values and stories?

in a family?

And then you see a family?

And then you see business is that have been business is that have been around for a hundred years around for a hundred years like we have right here.

like we have right here.

And those stories that are And those stories that are passed down.

But it's the passed down.

But it's the traditions that allow those traditions that allow those stories to be passed down, stories to be passed down, like being able to get the like being able to get the family together, to have family together, to have open conversations to to be open conversations to to be able to have your five year able to have your five year old ride their bicycle old ride their bicycle through the warehouse and through the warehouse and how did they learn about how did they learn about the business and what are the business and what are their interests going their interests going forward.

So there's just a forward.

So there's just a lot of storytelling and an lot of storytelling and an keeping to tell those keeping to tell those stories so that the family stories so that the family stays interested in the stays interested in the business and stays business and stays entrepreneurial.

because entrepreneurial.

because businesses change so much businesses change so much over the years.

Darcy, I over the years.

Darcy, I went to a shift over to you went to a shift over to you You shared a little bit You shared a little bit about your personal history about your personal history of growing up in and around of growing up in and around the business.

What was that the business.

What was that like for you as a young like for you as a young person?

experiencing that person?

experiencing that around you and now come around you and now come full circle where your full circle where your leader.

Yeah, it was leader.

Yeah, it was interesting, kind.

We were interesting, kind.

We were always exposed.

I think we always exposed.

I think we have two brothers.

We were have two brothers.

We were just always exposed to it.

just always exposed to it.

My dad would bring us into My dad would bring us into work.

We'd come in on work.

We'd come in on Halloween and our costumes, Halloween and our costumes, the people knew us.

My the people knew us.

My father would bring home father would bring home bags that he wanted to test bags that he wanted to test zippers like how long's the zippers like how long's the zipper gonna last?

And we'd zipper gonna last?

And we'd be watching television.

be watching television.

He'd say, Hey, guys, let's He'd say, Hey, guys, let's do this one hundred times do this one hundred times while you're watching TV.

while you're watching TV.

And we would just be And we would just be absentmindedly been for him absentmindedly been for him and sometimes we'd come and sometimes we'd come home and there'd be block home and there'd be block of dry ice in the thing of dry ice in the thing because he was running an because he was running an experiment testing the glue experiment testing the glue on some competitor bags.

on some competitor bags.

And this is just fun And this is just fun memories.

But all along the memories.

But all along the way, I'm kind of learning way, I'm kind of learning what he does and what we do what he does and what we do And when I made the And when I made the decision to move back home decision to move back home and joined the business and joined the business people that I knew were people that I knew were like, oh, like, you must like, oh, like, you must know everything about it know everything about it already.

I'm like, I I've already.

I'm like, I I've been exposed to it.

So, been exposed to it.

So, like, you know, it's rooted like, you know, it's rooted in me.

But no, I don't know in me.

But no, I don't know The INS and outs and the The INS and outs and the specs of the bag.

So there specs of the bag.

So there are still a lot to learn.

are still a lot to learn.

Once I came on board, John, Once I came on board, John, connecting with other connecting with other business owners, how business owners, how important has that been for important has that been for you?

You have some mentors you?

You have some mentors out there that you look to out there that you look to other than family members, other than family members, mentors in the business mentors in the business community that have been community that have been valuable to you.

I'm not valuable to you.

I'm not sure I have, obviously.

Yes sure I have, obviously.

Yes they probably are mostly they probably are mostly anecdotal stories of just anecdotal stories of just bad things and good things bad things and good things that can happen in business that can happen in business and family businesses.

and and family businesses.

and try to pick the right path try to pick the right path through everything.

And through everything.

And yeah, it's Sue with the yeah, it's Sue with the importance of communication importance of communication Talk more about what that Talk more about what that looks like for the looks like for the ownership of family ownership of family business.

What does it take business.

What does it take to set that stage or at our to set that stage or at our opening we talked about opening we talked about open communication.

Tell us open communication.

Tell us more about best advice for more about best advice for keeping that going in.

What keeping that going in.

What can be a challenging can be a challenging situation?

Absolutely.

And situation?

Absolutely.

And I think that it is trying I think that it is trying to set aside time to have a to set aside time to have a two way open conversation two way open conversation and also to be respectful and also to be respectful of one another.

And where of one another.

And where where are the other person where are the other person is coming from?

Because is coming from?

Because there are different there are different expectations, either from expectations, either from the matriarch and patriarch the matriarch and patriarch or from the next generation or from the next generation And just being able to And just being able to listen and ask questions.

listen and ask questions.

Well, what do you want to Well, what do you want to see as the business goes see as the business goes forward and is that the forward and is that the vision of the current owner vision of the current owner And then also the current And then also the current owner needs to think about owner needs to think about what their next what their next entrepreneurial activity entrepreneurial activity might be or what what they might be or what what they want to do if they leave want to do if they leave the business?

What is that the business?

What is that vision?

And is that being vision?

And is that being communique added to the communique added to the rest of the family?

so that rest of the family?

so that everyone knows just where everyone knows just where everyone is at taking the everyone is at taking the time, setting that aside, time, setting that aside, not being too busy with not being too busy with getting the work out and getting the work out and but also what also happens but also what also happens all the time is that all the time is that conversation gets pushed conversation gets pushed under the rug.

Are there under the rug.

Are there times when it's difficult times when it's difficult to be all right, we're to be all right, we're interacting as a family now interacting as a family now and times when we're and times when we're interacting as business interacting as business associates now.

what are associates now.

what are some tips for family some tips for family businesses to respect that businesses to respect that boundary?

Maybe not blur boundary?

Maybe not blur those lines overly much.

those lines overly much.

That is so important That is so important because things that you can because things that you can can boil over from one to can boil over from one to the other and one of our the other and one of our members has put it so very members has put it so very nicely has when she has nicely has when she has called her father to to called her father to to talk, she says, I'm calling talk, she says, I'm calling you as the president of you as the president of your company.

and then she your company.

and then she may call and she said, I'm may call and she said, I'm calling you as your calling you as your daughter.

here.

And I will daughter.

here.

And I will say, and so and really say, and so and really trying to set those trying to set those parameters very clearly parameters very clearly before you have that before you have that conversation, Darsey, that conversation, Darsey, that that ring true to you?

Mine that ring true to you?

Mine is not that formal as far is not that formal as far as like I'm calling you as as like I'm calling you as your daughter.

But if I your daughter.

But if I show up at my dad's house, show up at my dad's house, then I'm ranting about then I'm ranting about something at work.

that something at work.

that went wrong that day.

and went wrong that day.

and then I just don't do then I just don't do anymore on or not not do anymore on or not not do work, but don't have the work, but don't have the conversation where I'll conversation where I'll just say I'm talking right just say I'm talking right now and that's it.

And now and that's it.

And we'll talk about it when we we'll talk about it when we get to work the next day.

get to work the next day.

So we kind of respect that.

So we kind of respect that.

If we do want to talk.

But If we do want to talk.

But right now that's fine.

And John, navigating that as John, navigating that as well, working with family, well, working with family, working for family, what working for family, what the challenge is the the challenge is the greatest thing in the world greatest thing in the world and can be very difficult and can be very difficult with each other all day.

at with each other all day.

at the business doing stuff.

the business doing stuff.

And yes, you sometimes And yes, you sometimes disagree and so forth.

My disagree and so forth.

My wife had a rule or you went wife had a rule or you went out to dinner.

Don't talk out to dinner.

Don't talk about work.

This was that about work.

This was that was that was family time.

was that was family time.

And it just helped a lot to And it just helped a lot to separate the business from separate the business from the personal time and I the personal time and I thought it was kind of thought it was kind of weird when she first said weird when she first said it, but it made much more it, but it made much more sense later on.

It's hard sense later on.

It's hard to turn it off.

It is.

What to turn it off.

It is.

What are some of the most are some of the most rewarding things about rewarding things about being in a family business?

being in a family business?

What are some of the peaks What are some of the peaks that you experience as as that you experience as as an owner, as a leader of an owner, as a leader of that business?

that you that business?

that you can't imagine someone who can't imagine someone who is working with a just a is working with a just a coworker experiences what coworker experiences what what are some of the what are some of the rewarding things?

John, I rewarding things?

John, I think your success is just think your success is just feel just better, right?

feel just better, right?

You know, you're not like You know, you're not like people say you're working people say you're working for somebody else.

You're for somebody else.

You're making somebody else rich making somebody else rich or whatever.

it is you're or whatever.

it is you're you're doing it.

You're you're doing it.

You're doing it for your family.

doing it for your family.

You have really no one else You have really no one else You know, no one else to You know, no one else to blame or or you're not blame or or you're not doing it for anyone else.

doing it for anyone else.

other than you and the other than you and the family.

And I think it family.

And I think it really does.

At the end of really does.

At the end of the day, it makes you feel the day, it makes you feel very part of that business.

very part of that business.

It's just it's like with us It's just it's like with us it's not just the family it's not just the family that it's the same family that it's the same family for five generations, I for five generations, I feel like there's there's a feel like there's there's a legacy and you don't want legacy and you don't want to screw up.

You know, to screw up.

You know, there's other families that there's other families that were involved that spent a were involved that spent a lot of time, but a lot of lot of time, but a lot of effort to keeping this effort to keeping this thing going.

for one thing going.

for one hundred and sixteen years hundred and sixteen years since a lot more little.

since a lot more little.

Absolutely.

You don't want Absolutely.

You don't want to be the one to screw it to be the one to screw it up.

Centigrade.

That last up.

Centigrade.

That last sentiment, that's like a sentiment, that's like a pressure shift like, I love pressure shift like, I love it because I love working it because I love working in the family business in the family business because, you know, everyone because, you know, everyone always says, like, oh, always says, like, oh, you're with your coworkers you're with your coworkers more than your own family.

more than your own family.

And like, well, problems And like, well, problems solved.

I'm with my family.

solved.

I'm with my family.

A lot of them.

Not all of A lot of them.

Not all of them.

but at least some of them.

but at least some of them.

You know, And there's them.

You know, And there's been an interesting been an interesting pressure shift in my pressure shift in my mentality, because before mentality, because before it was like, you know, it was like, you know, you're the caretaker for so you're the caretaker for so long in the business and long in the business and before I was like, well, I before I was like, well, I don't want anything go don't want anything go wrong.

Is my grandfather's.

wrong.

Is my grandfather's.

And then my dad's.

But now And then my dad's.

But now I've got my children who I've got my children who want to work in and they're want to work in and they're like, oh, we want Rifkin like, oh, we want Rifkin someday.

And I'm like, I'm someday.

And I'm like, I'm on it.

I'll do my best to on it.

I'll do my best to make sure it's thriving.

make sure it's thriving.

When you get old enough, When you get old enough, Sue, in your work at the Sue, in your work at the family business Alliance, family business Alliance, what are some of the other what are some of the other tips?

What are some of the tips?

What are some of the other resources out there?

other resources out there?

for family owned businesses for family owned businesses I just had one comment on I just had one comment on the what you were just the what you were just chatting about.

It's also chatting about.

It's also there was just an article there was just an article in Forbes magazine about in Forbes magazine about the lung Chevy of family the lung Chevy of family businesses and the greater businesses and the greater success family business is success family business is outperforming others in the outperforming others in the market and the idea was market and the idea was that they are more that they are more conservative on their conservative on their investments.

And then also.

investments.

And then also.

But then take a long view But then take a long view that they're going to be that they're going to be around for a long time and around for a long time and that the values of being in that the values of being in the community and and the community and and wanting of a greater wanting of a greater participation has real has participation has real has really helped family really helped family businesses to exist longer businesses to exist longer like that aspect roots in a like that aspect roots in a community and knowing that community and knowing that the future growth of a the future growth of a family business is going to family business is going to be in and for that be in and for that community and as many community and as many businesses are charting businesses are charting their course into how can their course into how can they operate more they operate more sustainable?

What better sustainable?

What better model to look to than a model to look to than a business that has lasted business that has lasted for over one hundred years, for over one hundred years, that has success fully been that has success fully been passed from generation to passed from generation to generation?

What else have generation?

What else have you learned about that or you learned about that or what?

What do you think?

Is what?

What do you think?

Is there for all of us in the there for all of us in the business community?

to business community?

to learn from the leadership learn from the leadership of family businesses?

Well, of family businesses?

Well, I think you can see just I think you can see just how they survive during how they survive during Cauvin and really took care Cauvin and really took care of their employees as their of their employees as their family and that that was family and that that was really a sentiment that I really a sentiment that I think helped a lot of them think helped a lot of them through when some other through when some other businesses did not.

And businesses did not.

And again, it was that long again, it was that long view of, you know, having view of, you know, having gone through problems in gone through problems in the past and the business, the past and the business, OK, we can we can get OK, we can we can get through this also, but through this also, but there's a lot of resources there's a lot of resources with the family Business with the family Business Alliance to with connection Alliance to with connection As for other businesses, As for other businesses, across the country or other across the country or other advisors, across the advisors, across the country and not only country and not only chatting with the people chatting with the people that are local, but also that are local, but also being able to connect being able to connect someone with resources that someone with resources that may not be right here.

John may not be right here.

John you've spoken of in the you've spoken of in the history of pure tea candy, history of pure tea candy, overcoming challenges.

Sue overcoming challenges.

Sue mentioned how you made it mentioned how you made it through the covered through the covered pandemic, but that wasn't pandemic, but that wasn't the first pandemic.

That the first pandemic.

That purity candy operator three purity candy operator three What kind of historical What kind of historical parallels have you learned parallels have you learned whether oral history of the whether oral history of the company when covered first?

company when covered first?

It was we had owned the It was we h owned the company for three months company for three months and it was right before and it was right before Easter and we had all this Easter and we had all this production that had gone production that had gone for the last four months.

for the last four months.

And then we weren't able to And then we weren't able to sell it for a brief time.

sell it for a brief time.

And the governor opened us And the governor opened us up.

So we have the diaries up.

So we have the diaries from our from the person from our from the person who started Ford Bircher who started Ford Bircher start a period, Candy, and start a period, Candy, and they start from the they start from the eigeen mid eiteen eighteen mid eighteen hundreds.

And so my wife dided to.

We started to look an ook at the nineteen eighteen ona ehteen one see what happened ring the happeneduring the pandemic.n 1n crazy little stors there, ut there was a Great Dression aftethat and here was sar rationg here was sugarationing during tr candy compa o ltle thin ty did to try to get, ry to get rough that they bre up into o ompanies andhe candy aker had o cpany a companynd they eachot awnerot h ompany a they eachot a ratn of sugaro get hroughAnd it's jt ju tngs like tt.

And things li that.

And somethi yof ratn of sugaro get omething you le if these guygotl l tha we n. Anasts.

tha we can.nalysts.

arcy, atind of histo aifkin compy?hahas lessonse aifkin compy?

What ha been paed down fr generation to generion or whaat eneratn to generatn or what arsignificant changes and cllenges at chaesnd cllenges that the compa has faced Ain, thg kind.

They've Again, thing kind.

ey've been through upandowns been through ups and downs and lost century as o and lt century as one would.

It's it's nice would.

's it's nice nowadays cause when we nowadays because when we went rough the pandemic went through the pandemic and I was addressing our nd I was addressing our employees, I was li, employees, I was like, listen, look, we've been liste look, we've been through it.

I don't expect through it.

I don'txpect this is gonna be e lot,n this is gon be thlot, but it'tp but it's the first hiccup and e and I don't expect it to be the last hiccup.

And we're the last hiccupAnd we're gonna keep on moving along.

gonnaeep on moving along.

And Iope you're all here with me and theice thing during it w we got we during it was we got we were only actually shut were only actually sh dn for two days becau dowfor two days because we serve a lot of a central we serve a lot of a centr market.

So weere able to open back up.

But o of things we did was, he we things we did was, hey, we have a sewing facility.

Can have a sewingacility.

Can we sell masks?

Can we we sell masks?

Can we hospital gowns, like what hospital gowns, like what do people need?

So we do people need?

So we looked into that.

But the looked into that.

But the thing I liked the most thing I led the most during it was that whene during it was that when we divided up the list of divided up thlistf mployees among senior management to call eryone to kind of keep them to kind of keep them updated on what'soing on every single day, I haddated on every single day, I had lots employees sayingon lots of employees saying like, hey, can't we makeated on this can't weo this to get back OpenNet?

And there get back OpenNet?

And there was just really nice cause was just really nice cause I'm like, hey, I opened I'm like, hey, I ened back up, to It's nice back up, too.

It's nice that, le, we were kind ll in itogether.

Everyone was really Everyone was really invested and ey weren't invested and they weren't they were offering their they were offering their ideas of what can we ideas of what can we contribute, what direction contribute, what direction can the company takto can the company take to overcome th this overcome this this challenge?

Where is the challenge?

Where is the pivoting Thawra like?

Okay, pivoting Thawra like?

Okay, what can we do now?

Wait, what can we do now?

Wait, you've addressed how your ou've addressed how your companies have faced companies have faced challenges in the past.

challenges in the past.

Let's as we get towards the Let's as we get towards the close of our conversation, close of our conversation, what's the future?

What do what's the future?

What do you hope will be the next you hope will be the next hundred years?

of a Rifkin hundredears?

of a Rifkin compa?

if you can even company?

if you can even imagine what nerations imagine what generations from now for you, what do from now for you, what do you hope for for the y hope for for the company I hope that we're able to I hope at we're ae to keep pivoting and new keep pivoting and new mkets open and we're able markets open and we're able to keep findingifferent to keep finding different ways to just use what we ways to just use what we have and what we're good at have and what we're good at and what we excel at to and what we excel at to just keep on moving.

I kind just keep on moving.

I kind of hope that there's lot of hope that there's a lot of changes and that we're of changes and that we're able to see what they are able to see what they are and and kind of jump at the and and kind of jump at the chance for future chance for future generations of your own.

or generationsf your own.

or family members of your family members of your brothers.

What are you brothers.

What are you encouraging them to learn encouraging them to learn so that they can be ready so that they can be ready for the future?

and be for the future?

and be ready for tse challenges?

ready for those challenges?

And pivots?

I had I'm not I'm not sure I'm not I'm not sure there's any one thing.

It's there's any one thing.

It's more so I would like them more so I would like them to you know, it's OK. to to you know, it's OK. to not know.

And it's OK to not know.

And it's OK to try something.

If it try something.

If it doesn't work out, that's OK doesn't work out, that's OK And let's let's figure out And let's let's figure out what the next thing is.

I what the next thing is.

I almost rather that be what almost rather that be what we're learning more so than we're learning more so than a subject, sir.

John, a subject, sir.

John, what's ahead for purity?

Candy, what do you hope the next hundred years are next hundred years are going to be lik Well, I going to be like?

Well, I am a person who likes to am a person who likes to think far ahead and plan think far ahead and plan ahead and get ideas in my ahead and get ideas in my head how things are gonna head how things are gonna be.

My wife and business be.

My wife and business partner as a person who partner as a person who brings me back and and says brings me back and and says let's just let's just work let's just let's just work this year right.

Let's get this year right.

Let's get through this.

If this is a through this.

If this is a problem which screw let's problem which screw let's let's get through that.

So let's get through that.

So I think with the way things I think with the way things change so quickly, and it's change so quickly, and it's just you know, and it seems just you know, and it seems like these days things like these days things change more quickly than change more quickly than they did in the past.

I say they did in t past.

I say that probably I'm wrong.

that probably I'm wrong.

Was probably just just as Wasrobably just just as fast.

But I just hope that fast.

But I just hope that we can keep overcoming any we can keep overcoming any challenge that comes our challenge that comes our way and just keep moving way and just keep moving forward and see how long we forward and see how long we can stay in business.

Well, can stay in business.

Well, I wish you both many, many I wish you both many, many more years of success and I more years of success and I would like to thank all would like to thank all three of you for joining us three of you for joining us on Keystart Edition tonight on Keystart Edition tonight for more information on for more information on his topic, please visit this topic, please visit Wvia.org, slash Keystone Wvia.org, slash Keystone business and remember, you business and remember, you can re watch this episode can re watch this episode on demand anytime online or on demand anytime online or on the WVIA app for on the WVIA app for Keystone Edition.

I'm Steve Keystone Edition.

I'm Steve Stomaches.

Thanks for Stomaches.

Thanks for watching