Family businesses are different from the general business community, those differences matter and the Family Business Barometer Survey is a crucial way to make those differences heard.

Family business is one of the largest sectors in Australia and New Zealand, making up 70 per cent of all businesses in Australia and 75 per cent in New Zealand, yet with limited data available it is still not as well understood as it should be.

The Family Business Barometer Survey, in partnership with Pronto Software, is a chance to truly understand the family business experience, advocate based on what will make an impact and drive real change for the sector.

The 2025 Barometer Report gave us a stronger foundation for advocacy. It helped us take the realities of family business to government and key decision-makers with greater clarity and confidence. Now we need to build on that momentum. Your participation in this next survey will help us strengthen the case for family business and advocate for policy that reflects your reality.

We saw the impact, let’s keep building momentum

The 2025 Barometer Report strengthened our advocacy by giving us the evidence to speak clearly and credibly about the family business sector. Sharing the success factors, barriers and needs of the family business sector backed by data, made decision-makers take notice.

We have already seen the value of that work. Australian State Government portfolios have started to shift from ‘Small Business Minister’ to ‘Small and Family Business Minister’ in South Australia, Queensland and Victoria, as well as a Shadow Minister in South Australia. This recognition is meaningful progress, and there is more to do. Your response to this latest survey will help us strengthen that story and build on that momentum.

Family businesses juggle multiple, interconnected challenges\

Family businesses face the same market conditions as the broader business community, but they also carry added complexities. Succession planning, family dynamics and long-term financial security sit alongside inflation, workforce pressure, regulation and growth challenges.

As Catherine Sayer, CEO of Family Business Association, explains: “Future vision, goals and strategy of the business, those are a business issue. But with the unique focus on long-term planning that we see in family businesses, as well as balancing the needs of the family versus the needs of the business, this is where the idiosyncrasies of family businesses come in.”

That difference shows up strongly in the data. In the 2025 Barometer, 48 per cent of respondents said future vision, goals and strategy were keeping them awake at night. Close behind were improving business efficiencies and operations at 47 per cent, succession planning complexities at 37 per cent, balancing family and business needs at 36 per cent, and managing growth at 35 per cent. Another 32 per cent said maintaining a legacy while innovating and adapting to change was a key concern. This is not a picture of one isolated issue. It is a picture of multiple, interconnected pressures that family businesses are navigating all at once.

Family businesses have a long-term view

One of the clearest points of difference is the time horizon. Family businesses tend to have a long-term view, focused on legacy, continuity and a responsibility to the next generation, rather than thinking in quarters. The Barometer data reflects that long view. More than half of respondents, 54 per cent, identified financial security for future generations as a top long-term goal. A further 45 per cent nominated planning a successful exit strategy, and 42 per cent said passing the business to the next generation was a priority.

“Family businesses think long-term and build their balance sheet to navigate the peaks and troughs of the economy. That mindset is one of the sector’s great strengths. It supports resilience, steadier decision-making and a stronger connection between purpose and

performance. It also means policy settings designed for short-term commercial thinking do not always reflect how family businesses actually operate,” Catherine Sayer, FBA CEO.

Family business strengths deserve recognition

The survey focuses on the full family business story, not on pressure points alone. The 2025 report highlighted top success factors, such as strong family values (73 per cent), dedicated teams of employees (68 per cent), customer loyalty (56 per cent), and innovation and adaptability (54 per cent). These are a part of what sets family businesses apart.

The Edelman Trust Barometer backs this up, showing that 67 per cent of people trust family businesses to do the right thing, making them the most trusted type of business for the 10th year running.

For a sector built on relationships, reputation and long-term loyalty, this is a true competitive strength.

Policy should reflect the family business reality

The Family Business Barometer Survey is an advocacy tool, “for amplifying the voices of family businesses among government policymakers,” Catherine Sayer, CEO of FBA.

The 2025 report outlined the top areas where family businesses would benefit from FBA advocacy, these included taxation policies and incentives for family-owned businesses (74), simplified regulatory compliance processes (56 per cent), workforce development and employment schemes (46%), and access to funding, government-backed loan programs and grants at (46 per cent). The survey will provide practical priorities that align to the realities faced by the family business sector.

Data drives change

Family business is one of the largest sectors in the country, yet there is limited data to paint an accurate picture of their experience. The Family Business Barometer helps to correct that.

Every survey that is completed helps build a more accurate picture of what family businesses are experiencing, where they are succeeding, what is holding them back and what support would make a real difference. It helps FBA speak with greater authority when advocating to ministers, partners and policymakers. It helps ensure that family businesses are acknowledged as one of the largest sectors and understood on their own terms.

If you work with family and are part of a family business, this is your chance to contribute to the sector’s story. By taking part, you are helping FBA build on the progress already made and strengthen the evidence behind our advocacy. You are helping show that family businesses are different, that those differences matter and that policy, support and public understanding should reflect that.

Take the survey

Want more? Get our newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! Follow Business Builders on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.