Consumer Goods Company: A Woman Sailing for Success

Said founded Consumer Goods Import (CGI) with the intention of keeping the business in the family for the future generations. However, CGI managed to outlast Said sooner than he anticipated, as he passed away due to illness. The business passed to ownership by Said’s wife, Samia, the mother of his four children, who let a friend of Said manage the business until it fell into bankruptcy. Samia then had to take up the mantle and rebuild the company towards success once again. The name of the business and the names of the family members are changed for confidentiality reasons. This case encourages students to consider the potential benefits and pitfalls of personal relationships in a family business, and suggests strategies for succession.