MEET JIM MOODY
For 16 years, Jim was president of the Construction Suppliers Association, which served a constituency composed mainly of family businesses. Over time, he grew to understand that the biggest threat to those members was failure to address family business issues like succession. The association developed programs for next-generation leaders along with programs for current-generation leaders who were trying to figure out how to depart well. While developing those programs and working with individual companies, Jim developed an expertise in family business issues. This, coupled with Jim’s unique empathetic-while-direct personality makes him a valuable resource to family businesses.
Prior to his time at CSA, Jim worked for several other trade and professional associations. In 2017, he received the Clifford Clarke Award for outstanding service and accomplishments in association management from the Georgia Society of Association Executives.
Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Berry College and an MBA from Mercer University. He also completed the Emory University Executive Coaching Diploma Program.
He enjoys travel and landscape photography and combines the two whenever he can. In fact, most of the images you see on this site are Jim’s!
A LETTER FROM JIM
I didn’t start out with a passion to help family business. I was just a guy running a trade association. But in that role, I worked in an environment dominated by family businesses for 16 years. During that time I saw what a wonderful thing it can be for a family and the business – when it works well, it is powerful, profitable and a blessing for the family. But it is rare for it to work that well. Mostly I saw a lot of businesses that did not meet their full potential, and I saw a lot of family pain. Sometimes the business itself caused the pain; sometimes the family issues created pain for the business and those who work in it. So frequently, the problems are driven by generational succession (or lack of it).
Over time, I came to understand the dynamics, and we created programs designed to help. Some of our work was crafted to help family businesses make choices more from a business perspective than a family perspective (think strategic plan, accountability, real job descriptions). Sometimes our work was focused on family dynamics (conflict, jealousy, unwillingness to make tough decisions).
We all have to-do lists, whether we write them out or just keep them in our heads. I often find that the things I don’t like to do sink to the bottom of the list while the things I enjoy most float to the top, even if they aren’t urgent.
One day I realized that requests for help on family business issues always floated to the top of my list though they weren’t exactly core to my job description. I came to recognize that a passion had been created in my soul, and I had to figure out a way to make it the center of my work. That’s how Open Aperture Advisors was born.
I now focus on my passion of ensuring survival of family businesses by helping leaders make wise decisions that serve the business and the family well for today and the next generation. Every family business is unique. Understanding the issues specific to each family business is critical to being able to help. There is not a formula that can be applied. I help family businesses by asking good questions, gaining insight to the perspectives of all the people involved, and then creating solutions that build on experience, expertise, research and best practices. If you are facing challenges in your business or you simply want to take things to a higher level, I’d love to have a conversation with you about how I can help.
Thank you for being here,
