Blum's Blog
Want to Stay Younger? Dance!
I recently revealed a highlight from attending the TIGER 21 annual conference in Arizona, hearing words of wisdom from President Clinton and President Bush. Exciting as that was, it wasn’t
The Best Time Is Now
I recently had a wake-up call at a TIGER 21 meeting, thanks to my TIGER colleague and good friend Tom McKelvey. I was giving the Marvin Blum pictorial life story
Why We Procrastinate, and How To Fix It
I hope all successfully emerged from yesterday’s April Fool’s Day unscathed. Last week’s post pointed out the dangers of procrastinating, which can be particularly costly in estate planning. This week,
In Estate Planning, Procrastination Can Be Costly
The Blum Firm said goodbye to 2023 and hello to a new year filled with promise and opportunity. On New Year’s 2024, I started year three of this blog urging
Benihana Restaurant Blended Family Saga: Stepmother vs. Stepkids
Today’s post continues our series on real-life family business succession dramas. Like the last two posts, we turn again to the food industry for a meaty succession story. Let’s learn
Business Succession Challenges—More Food (or Beverage) for Thought
Last week’s post used true stories from the food industry to illustrate the importance and challenges of Business Succession Planning. Today’s post quenches the thirst for more business transition lessons
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