Why family businesses are synonymous with lasting success: A conversation with Robert Rejlek

Are family businesses a thing of the past? Not at all. In this interview, Robert Rejlek, CEO of the Rejlek Group, explains the opportunities and challenges facing family businesses today. He sets out why this tried-and-tested business model continues to offer unique advantages and represents an enormous benefit for any country.

Are family businesses still relevant today?

Family businesses are often seen as traditional, and sometimes even as outdated. But for Robert Rejlek, the exact opposite is true. For him, they do not represent the past, but rather a future-proof model. Right from the start, he clearly refutes the provocative claim that they are a thing of the past:

“Family businesses are not a thing of the past – they are strong precisely because they think in terms of generations.”

One grows within them not only professionally, but also personally. Values, responsibility and sound business practices. This creates a different perspective to that found in purely manager-led companies. Whilst many companies have to think in terms of quarters, family businesses plan in decades, sometimes even in generations. This is particularly evident in the example of forestry, which Rejlek highlights during the conversation:

“The person who plants the tree knows that they will not be the one to reap its benefits. That is precisely what sustainability is.”

What does the term ‘family business’ mean to you?

For Rejlek, the term ‘family business’ therefore means one thing above all else: personal responsibility. Business decisions do not just concern figures, but people: employees, partners, customers and one’s own family. He describes this tension as a constant balancing act: economic success must remain compatible with social obligations.

“We continue to develop the company, but always in harmony with our family, employees and all stakeholders.”

This close connection to the business also shapes the entrepreneur’s character. Those who run a family business cannot hide behind organisational structures. Success and failure are immediately apparent, and it is precisely this that serves as a key factor in personal development.

Why did you decide to get involved in the family business?

Why is he so personally committed to this model? Rejlek sees a growing need to actively explain its benefits. He takes a particularly critical view of the framework conditions for business succession. In Austria, he notes, family businesses are in some cases even at a tax disadvantage. Successions within the family, in particular, are often made unnecessarily complicated.

“A succession must not be thwarted by the fact that the transition is virtually impossible to achieve due to bureaucratic hurdles.”

For him, therefore, it is clear: if a business has been built up over generations, the state should have an interest in facilitating its continued operation.

What particular challenges do family businesses face today?

In addition to economic fluctuations, Rejlek also sees cultural change as a challenge. He believes that society’s willingness to take on responsibility is waning. The desire for security is growing, whilst entrepreneurial risk is increasingly being shunned. In his view, this has far-reaching consequences:

“If nobody says, ‘I’ll do that’ anymore, then everyone expects the state to take care of everything. We won’t be able to develop our economy that way.”

Added to this is the red tape. Market conditions are difficult for all businesses, but additional administrative hurdles could hit family-run businesses particularly hard, for example when setting up or taking over a business. His call is clear: the economic reality is already complex enough; further obstacles for entrepreneurs must not be added.

How could the business environment be improved to support family businesses?

Rejlek sees scope for tangible improvements in three areas in particular: the tax burden, simplified succession arrangements and social education. Simplified procedures for business takeovers would ensure stability, coaching services could support transitions, and tax relief would facilitate investment. In the long term, however, he considers another factor to be crucial:

“Personal responsibility and the determination that goes with it to get ahead must be a priority right from school.”

Family businesses thrive on an inner drive: curiosity, a willingness to work hard and the determination to build something. These qualities are relevant not only to entrepreneurs, but to society as a whole.

How does society as a whole benefit from family businesses?

For Rejlek, the greatest value of family businesses lies in their unique set of values. They shape a culture of cooperation.

“We – and that naturally includes our staff – are a family. That means greater care – and higher expectations.”

It is precisely this combination that underpins the organisation’s stability. Values are not merely set out in purely theoretical principles, but are lived out and passed on every day.

He also highlights an important economic factor: loyalty to the local area. Whilst international corporations can quickly relocate their capital, family businesses usually remain rooted in the local community.

“They’re stuck in their own little world – and that’s a huge advantage for the state.”

What may sometimes appear to be a disadvantage from a business perspective actually has a stabilising effect on the economy as a whole: jobs are preserved, investment is maintained, expertise is retained, and the whole country benefits in the long term.

It stays in the family: a model for the future

By the end of the conversation, one thing is clear: for Rejlek, it is not about nostalgia, but about stability. Family businesses think long-term, take personal responsibility and remain loyal to their local area. That is why, he firmly believes, they should not be viewed as a special case, but as a cornerstone of the economy. Or, as he puts it himself:

“By supporting these businesses, we’re not just helping individual companies – we’re boosting the whole region. Let’s get on with it.”

If you’d like to get in touch with Mr Rejlek, support the interests of family businesses, or discuss your next project with our experienced manufacturing team, please contact us on LinkedIn or directly via this link.