Small Business Showcase: New England Center for Family Business Excellence

Each month, we profile a Connecticut small business, showcasing the ingenuity and innovation driving the state’s economy. For April, we spoke with Matthew Kerzner, who leads the New England Center for Family Business Excellence, based in North Haven. 

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When was your company founded?

2023

How many employees work for your company?

Three

Who are your customers?

The NECFBE team helps family businesses develop strategic succession plans for next-generation success.

Our customers are small- and medium-sized family businesses as well as nonprofits and associations.

What makes your company unique?

The New England Center for Family Business Excellence stands out for a number of reasons. 

We have a holistic approach that balances business strategy, family dynamics, and ownership goals.

We also make use of Gestalt theory to foster self-awareness and resolve issues in real time.

We have a holistic approach that balances business strategy, family dynamics, and ownership goals.

Our leader, Dr. Matt Kerzner has more than 30 years in family business consulting, which allows us to offer a range of comprehensive services, including succession planning, leadership development, and conflict resolution.

Together, these make NECFBE a trusted guide for families navigating business transitions.

What is a fun fact about your business or its history?

The New England Center for Family Business Excellence isn’t just built on research and experience—the business is powered by passion for education! 

Dr. Matt Kerzner, has authored two books on family business and personal development, spent over 20 years teaching at the University of New Haven, and is currently shaping future leaders as a professor in Hofstra University’s graduate program for Industrial-Organizational Psychology. 

He’ll also be joining the University of Hartford as an adjunct professor this fall!

Why did you choose Connecticut?

Our founder was born and raised in Waterbury. It was only natural to start the business here. 

Still, NECFBE has clients all over the country.

What is the greatest advantage to operating in Connecticut?

We know the state very well and think there are a lot of family businesses that can use our help and support. 

There are not a lot of other centers or organizations that support families. Connecticut is ripe for this type of consulting.

How do you try to give back to your community? 

We make donations to the causes we believe in and volunteer our time and mentor students and young professionals.

Where do you see your company in five years? Ten years?

We see a lot of growth for the company in the coming years, with a couple of new books, an expanded podcast, and an expanded team. 

We also hope to launch an accredited Family Business Coaching certification course and partner with local universities, among other educational initiatives. 

Longterm, we hope to be recognized nationally in family business coaching and succession.

Longterm, we hope to be recognized nationally in family business coaching and succession.

Above all, our guiding philosophy remains—from l’dor v’dor, generation to generation, we guide families in honoring the past, engaging the present, and empowering the future.

What is the main thing policymakers could implement to make your company more competitive?

Policy makers could support us by providing grants for companies to take advantage of our strategic planning, coaching, succession planning, and leadership development.