Successful Generations

In this episode, we hear the story of a seventy year old family business in Northern Michigan. My guest, Chris Shepler, is part of the third generation of Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry Service and today serves at the helm as President.   Chris shares what it was like growing on the docks, his coming of age adventure leaving the business to pursue his dreams as a professional sailor, and how his family came together to fight for their business when it mattered most. Through it all, Chris has worked to establish his own identity in a small town and carry on his family’s tradition.   Topics discussed in this episode:   About Chris Shepler (2:10) From ferry boat to America’s Cup (3:46) The magic of Mackinac Island (10:15) The book and the legal battle (13:33) “We’re finished” (27:43) The turnaround point (30:39) About the previous generations (33:20) Guest experience trumps all (38:25) Grandfather’s passing, “Flowers on the Water” (40:10) Creating your own identity (44:33) The makeup of good family business ow