Chapter 19 - THE BUSINESS WITHOUT A PATRIARCH
Norwood Woodworks needed governance that did not depend on brothers liking each other.
We created it.
Five-member board.
Me.
My brother.
Three independents.
Outside CFO.
Related-party transactions require independent approval.
Major sale still required ownership consent under revised agreement, but mediation triggers improved.
Distributions follow verified ownership.
No family accountant taking verbal instructions without documentation.
No “Dad wanted” as corporate policy.
Employees received clearer bonus plans.
We sold part of the workshop site.
Paid company debt.
Repaid my brother’s legitimate loan.
Created repair reserve.
Made corrected distributions.
I received money.
Significant.
Not life-changing.
Enough to pay down my mortgage and strengthen Romy’s education savings.
I did not buy a sports car.
My brother probably expected me to.
He did not either.
The company launched a small heritage line from Dad’s original workshop.
Handmade pieces.
Low volume.
Profitable because we priced them like skilled work instead of nostalgia.
My brother suggested that.
That surprised me.
I approved modern CNC equipment for commercial production.
He stared.
“What?”
“I’m not allergic to machines.”
“Dad was.”
“Dad is dead.”
Silence.
Then we both laughed.
First time in nearly a year.
May you like
It did not mean forgiveness.
It meant two adults found something objectively funny.
