The Legacy of the Family Board Meeting: A Blueprint for Stronger Bonds

We often overlook the value of quality family time in a world that highly values productivity and achievement. Despite this notion, Jim Sheils, a family man, and successful entrepreneur, strives to challenge this status quo.

A renowned expert on balancing career success with strong family ties, Jim is widely known for his ability to achieve both. Known as the “Crazy Glue” for entrepreneurial families, his “Board Meeting” strategy helps business leaders prioritize their families. He is the author of the Amazon bestseller The Family Board Meeting, and the CEO of 18 Summers, which offers retreats, workshops, and consulting for businesses and individuals focused on family.

Additionally to his family-centered work, Jim is a partner at Southern Impression Homes. This firm builds rental portfolios for investors in partnership with major players like American Homes for Rent and Haven Realty. Southern Impression Homes specializes in new construction in Florida’s high-growth markets as a turnkey property manager and private fund provider.

In short, no better person can explain how family bonds can be nurtured without leaving the business world behind.

You Only Have 18 Summers

Jim poignantly observes that parents only get 18 summers with their children before they embark on adult life. Jim says, “I had read a statistic that the average person spends almost 85% of all the quality time they ever have with their child by the end of the 18th summer.” Considering they’ll usually be going to college or a career or the military by that age, it makes sense, he adds. “And so, that means that you got to do those first 18 right to get them coming back for more.”

Because of this limited time frame, creating lasting memories and cultivating strong relationships with your family is imperative. Specifically, this is a call to action for parents to prioritize their relationship with each other and kids over their work and other responsibilities.

Workaholism: A Perilous Path

We often let the lure of professional success overshadow our personal lives. During a personal anecdote, Jim describes a work-related frustration that his daughter misinterpreted as anger. It was a stark realization that work-life imbalance could threaten family relationships.

In short, as important as our careers are, they should never come at the expense of those we care about.

Investing in Family: The Ultimate Return

As Jim has achieved remarkable success in real estate through strategic planning and execution, he believes the same can be said for building strong family relationships. His concept of “rhythms over habits” emphasizes the importance of having consistent, meaningful family interactions.

Meaningful interactions can be cultivated through these rhythms, such as intermittent tech fasting and one-on-one time. For Jim to succeed in his family, he followed the following principles:

• The one-to-one principle. Spending time with each family member one-on-one to strengthen relationships.
• Intermittent tech fasting. To engage with family members fully, you must completely disconnect from technology.
• Saying the unspoken. We can break down barriers and build deeper relationships through sincere apologies and genuine compliments.

The Power of Vulnerability

In Jim’s view, genuine apologies builds trust and respect. When parents own up to their mistakes and ask for forgiveness, they show vulnerability and facilitate open communication. As a result, a sense of emotional safety and stronger family connections are fostered.

Unplugging for a Better Life

In today’s hyper-connected world, disconnecting from technology may sound radical. However, Jim advocates unplugging as a means of reconnecting with loved ones. With fewer distractions around, families can spend more time together, have deeper conversations, and share memorable experiences.

Creating Quality Family Time

Jim also emphasizes the transformative power of intentional family time. For example, Jim and his wife have adopted regular date nights to maintain their relationship. In addition to asking meaningful questions and engaging in activities they enjoy, they keep their bond strong and continue learning about one another.

Investing in family requires saying “no” to other commitments, but the results are immeasurable.

Building a Time-Free Lifestyle Through Real Estate

As a result of his commitment to his wife and kids, Jim has enjoyed a successful career in real estate. Having leveraged his business acumen to create financial freedom, he now has more time to spend with his family. Through his success story, others can pursue their passions and prioritize their families.

The Build-to-Rent Playbook

Jim’s build-to-rent strategy has proven successful. He has created a profitable and sustainable business model by creating rental communities. Besides meeting market demand, this approach creates reliable income streams for investors, demonstrating the benefits of innovative real estate strategies.

Community and Mentorship: The Power of Support

In his journey, Jim acknowledges the importance of community and mentorship. Through his involvement with groups like Front Row Dads and relationships with mentors such as Mike Koenigs, he has received invaluable support and guidance.

Conclusion

Jim Sheils’ message clearly states that investing in family is the most important thing we can do. By prioritizing time with a spouse and kids, embracing vulnerability, and distancing from distractions, we can create lasting bonds and live a fulfilling life. His insights will help us balance professional success with personal happiness, inspiring us to put family first.

Key Takeaways:

• Prioritizing family time. It is important to recognize the limited window of opportunity for families to form strong bonds.
• Balancing work and life. Family relationships are negatively affected by workaholism.
• Investing in relationships. Through one-on-one conversations and open communication, you can build strong relationships.
• The power of technology breaks. It is essential to disconnect to reconnect and foster deeper relationships.
• Creating intentional experiences. Establishing a schedule that allows family time to be spent together.
• Financial freedom and family. When financial stability is achieved, it is possible to focus more effectively on family.

Featured Image Credit: Agung Pandit Wiguna; Pexels, Thank You!