Navigating relational rifts and communication clashes in the Peyton family firm

Before starting APS Inc., a B2B service company, in the early 1990s, Peter Peyton was a third-generation member of his family’s business. Peter and his wife, Maggie, have four children. Peter’s dream was to work with his children and provide a springboard for their own entrepreneurial careers. To support the business, Peter exhibits workaholic behaviors and has an ultraconservative approach to spending money. Peter was physically and emotionally absent from home during the start-up but sees himself as family patriarch with decision-making authority. After graduating from college and working in a consulting firm, Johnny, the eldest son, accepted Peter’s invitation to join the firm, which doubled in size in two years. Johnny believed his success warranted him dominant control. The working relationship descended into daily fights and coalition sabotage for authority, hindering the firm’s success. Maggie secretly seeks help from family business consultants to address the rift between father and son.