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Replay: A Legacy Lost with Douglas D. Box

September 19, 2018

Do you have a strong matriarch or patriarch? Do you have more drama in your family business than is healthy? Do you know someone who has sued a family member? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, this episode is definitely for you.

Doug Box, 2nd generation of Box Energy Corp, experienced all of these things and more.

In fact, Doug’s life pretty much reads like a Hollywood movie. He shared many of the details in his recent book, Texas Patriarch: A Legacy Lost and I was thrilled for the chance to interview him and talk about his experience specifically through the family business lens.

Learn more about Doug at douglasdbox.com

In this episode:

  • The rags to riches story of Cloyce Box—from a child of the Depression, to a Marine, professional football player, and prolific businessman
  • A look at life in the shadow of strong, charismatic Patriarch
  • How a rift between brothers tore a company apart
  • Straight talk about advance planning, advisors and recognizing conflicts of interest
  • What Doug Box says he wishes he could have done differently
  • Lessons learned and ideas for raising today’s next generation of family business

Guest Bio

Texas Patriarch

In 2014, Doug published his first book, Cutter Frisco – Growing up on the Original Southfork Ranch.  In the fall of 2016, Doug released a second memoir, Texas Patriarch – A Legacy Lost. Doug has been featured in a number of newspaper and magazine articles, and has made appearances on network television and radio.

In 2005, Doug formed Box Family Advisors, based in Dallas, Texas to help privately held family businesses with succession planning, corporate governance and dispute resolution.  Doug brings personal experience to his understanding of family dynamics.  As the youngest of four sons, he grew up and worked in his family’s enterprise.

The Box Family controlled a number of public and private companies with interests in oil & gas, cement manufacturing and real estate.  Following his father’s sudden death and a litigious four-year family ordeal, Doug and his brothers were forced to sell their family’s flagship oil & gas concern, Box Energy Corp.

Doug received an MBA with honors from Baylor University, and a Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution from Southern Methodist University.  He holds a Certificate in Family Business Advising from the Family Firm Institute.  Doug also obtained bachelor degrees in Business Administration and in Radio, TV, Film from the University of Texas at Austin.

Notable & Quotable:

These are lessons learned from a family business tragedy. —Douglas D. Box #successfulgenerations


When you combine your family enterprise with wealth, money, identity and occupation you are touching a lot of nerves.These are treacherous, combustible waters. We didn’t handle it carefully and it blew up in us. —Douglas D. Box  #successfulgenerations


My passion is helping other families avoid the mistakes we made. —Douglas D. Box #successfulgenerations


They don’t make Rogaine for the family tree. —Douglas D. Box #successfulgenerations


Accountability is the key to staving off entitlement. —Douglas D. Box #successfulgenerations


My dad was a leader, not a teacher. A lot of his values died with him. —Douglas D. Box #successfulgenerations


Resources mentioned in this episode:

  • Texas Patriarch: A Legacy Lost by Douglas D. Box
  • Douglas D. Box

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Want more of Successful Generations? Check out our other episodes: 

Episode 043: Why Hire a Family Business Consultant with Drew Mendoza
Episode 042: Blending Passion, Family + Business with Anne Huntington
Episode 041: An Action Plan for Mental Health with Christy Buck
Episode 040: My Journey to Coaching with Ellie Frey Zagel
Episode 039: Selecting the Right Trustee with Attorney Mark Harder
Episode 038: Standing Up in a Male-Dominated Industry with René Banglesdorf
Replay: Answering the Question I’m Always Asked About Philanthropy
Replay: How My Parents Raised Us to Be Business Smart with Paige Cornetet
Episode 037: Making Your Mark on the Family Business with Cara Mackay
Episode 036: Financial Literacy, Leadership and Entrepreneurship for Teens with Whitney Webb
Bonus Episode: Power20—My Reflect and Connect Challenge
Episode 035: Great Governance for Your Investment Committee with Becky Wood
Episode 034: Trapped in the Family Business with Dr. Michael Klein, Part 2
Episode 033: Trapped in the Family Business with Dr. Michael Klein, Part 1
Episode 032: Spendthrift or Tightwad with Dr. Scott Rick
Episode 031: Impact Investing with Jennifer Oertel
Episode 030: Holistic Weight Management with Cynthia Damaskos
Episode 029: Giving Back Through Giving Circles with Dr. Jason Franklin
Episode 028: The Family Business Podcast with Russ Haworth
Episode 027: The Power of Mindset with Dr. Nancy Jonker
Episode 026: Reflections from Four Decades in Philanthropy with Rob Collier
Episode 025: Power20—10 Ways to Set Your NextGen Up for Success in the Family Enterprise
Episode 024: Pump it Up! Strength Training and Leadership Development
Episode 023: Leadership Development and Agility with Greg McCann
Episode 022: Getting Started in Philanthropy with Colleen Mitchell
Episode 021: Taking Over the Family Business with Mitchell Kaneff
Episode 020: Women and Wealth w/ Adrienne Penta
Episode 019: The Allyn Family 2.0, Part 2
Episode 018: The Welch Allyn Family Business Story with Eric Allyn (4th Gen), Part 1
Episode 017: Achieving Your Goals through MasterMind and Peer Groups
Episode 016: Reframing Limiting Beliefs with Ellie Frey Zagel
Episode 015: Beyond the Piggy Bank with Father, Author, and Entrepreneur Clint Greenleaf
Episode 014: More Awareness and Less Stress through Yoga
Episode 013: Raising Children to be Amazing Business Owners with Paige Cornetet
Episode 012: Generous Genes with Susan Crites Price
Episode 011: Digging into the Family Business Landscape with Daniel Van Der Vliet
Episode 010: 10 Things My Family Did to Engage us in Family Philanthropy
Episode 009: Stress Management and Holistic Health with Cynthia Damaskos
Episode 008: Family, Fights and Ferry Tales with Chris Shepler
Episode 007: Raising Financially Responsible Kids Through the Holidays (and Beyond)
Episode 006: Join the Philanthropic Revolution with Michael Moody
Episode 005: Estate Planning 101 aka Estate Planning is Not Optional with Susan Gell Meyers 
Episode 004: Ginny Esposito – Engaging your Family in Family Philanthropy
Episode 003: Leadership, Wellness, and Concierge Medicine with Dr. Bill Baer
Episode 002: Douglas D Box, Texas Patriarch – A Legacy Lost
Episode 001: About Your Host Ellie Frey Zagel

Learn more about Successful Generations:

FB: @SuccessfulGenerations
Twitter: @EllieFreyZagel
Email: ellie@successfulgenerations.com
Instagram: SuccessfulGenerations


Have a topic suggestion?

If you are the next generation of family business, philanthropy and wealth, and have a topic you think we should discuss, let us know at Ellie@successfulgenerations.com.

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Family Business

Ellie Frey Zagel

Ellie Frey Zagel is 3rd Generation, Vice Chair and Trustee of her family’s foundation the Frey Foundation based in Grand Rapids, MI. For nearly a decade she has been deeply involved in working with the next generation of family business, family philanthropy, and family wealth, first as Director of the Family Business Alliance and now as President of Successful Generations, a company she recently founded.

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