Blum's Blog

Business Succession Planning – Food for Thought
In my post two weeks ago, I promised more real-life business succession stories. Here are three shocking words for many business owners: You will die. Perhaps you read that and

Rise to the Occasion: The “Shark Tank Trust”
As mentioned in last week’s post, my regular Valentine’s Day speech in Midland was postponed. Much to Laurie’s pleasure, I rose to the occasion and took her to Rise, her

Family Business Succession: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
I hope everyone had a happy Valentine’s Day. For the last several years, I spent most of my Valentine’s Days speaking to advisors in Midland, Texas. The same was to

What I Learned from Presidents Bush and Clinton
I had a mountaintop experience a few days ago. Attending the 25th Anniversary Conference for TIGER 21, the highlight was a candid conversation with President Bush and President Clinton. Without

What I Learned From My Brother-in-Law’s T-Shirt
I have a brother-in-law Barry Wilen (married to Laurie’s sister Diane) who is one of those super-smart, walking encyclopedia kind of guys. Normally, his wisdom deals with academic topics and

More Wisdom from “Frugal” Warren Buffett (Including His Wife’s Reaction to a $4 Coffee)
Last week’s post was dedicated to the wisdom of Warren Buffett’s longtime sidekick Charlie Munger who died in late 2023 at age 99. Today’s post looks ahead to 2024 and

A Role Model for Philanthropy with Strings: Rest in Peace, Charlie Munger
While I’m still reflecting on 2023, I lament the passing of Charlie Munger at age 99, Warren Buffett’s sidekick at Berkshire-Hathaway for nearly 50 years. All of us in Charlie’s

How My Work and Workout Communities Enrich My Life (and Maybe Will Help Propel Me to 98 Like Anna Stucker)
In last week’s post, I told of a joyful holiday visit from our kids and five rambunctious grandkids (even though a shattered porcelain pot means one less thing in our

One Less Thing for Our Estate Sale When We Die
I’ve always been a big advocate of bedtime reading to kids. As Adam and Lizzy were growing up, we built a collection of children’s books and I’d read one (or

New Year’s Resolution: Don’t Be Like Scarlett O’Hara
Here’s to a new year and all the promise it holds for a brighter 2024! In the spirit of new year’s resolutions, let’s tackle the number one obstacle to estate

Math Class on How to Achieve Happiness
As we close out 2023, I remain hopeful for a happier 2024. When it comes to finding “Happiness,” Arthur Brooks has the formula. Laurie and I recently learned “The Science

Gifts that Keep on Giving
In the holiday spirit of giving and sharing, I’d like to share with you a surprise I received from Kasia Flanagan. She brought me truly one of the best gifts
