Brenda Smola-Foti and Frank Foti are co-founders of The Ground in Willamette Valley, Oregon.

The Ground is a place that almost defies definition – it is a regenerative agriculture farm, but also includes an Inn and Farmhouse where guests can stay, a restaurant, and a farm store. Frank and Brenda host workshops, nature tours, group retreats, guided meditations and a lot more.

The Ground may be different things for different people, but it is tied together by a cohesive set of values that are important to Brenda and Frank, including connection, humility and caring for our planet.

(1:06) – What was Brenda’s upbringing like?

(3:43) – What drove Brenda to go from fashion to farming?

(5:03) – How did Frank find his way into the family business?

(9:34) – What experiences led to Frank joining The Ground?

(11:46) – Why is the theme of connection important to Frank?

(12:30) – What were some of the early issues Brenda and Frank faced while establishing The Ground?

(15:50) – What exactly is The Ground?

(16:45) – How do all the facets of The Ground work together?

(19:26) – How do Brenda and Frank divide and tackle their tasks?

(21:54) – What is Brenda’s “why”?

(22:48) – What is Frank’s “why”?

(24:47) – How are Brenda and Frank thinking about succession?

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Jill Barber is President of CYMI Holdings, which serves as the family office for the Mathile Family. Jill joined CYMI in 1999 just prior to the family’s sale of Iams Pet Food Company to Procter & Gamble.

With more than two decades of experience advising three generations of the Mathile family, Jill has become a widely respected voice in the global family office community.

On today’s episode, we do a deep dive into family offices – how they work, how they evolve, and how they support the needs and legacy of the family.

(0:51) – Where did Jill grow up?

(2:17) – How did Jill find her way into the family office space?

(4:00) – What questions should families ask if they are thinking of setting up a family office?

(8:11) – How should family offices decide which services to build in-house and which to outsource?

(10:46) – How does the family office engage with younger generations of family members?

(13:24) – How do you approach governance in a family office?

(17:14) – How has the family office evolved over the years?

(20:52) – Do family offices have a “culture”?

(23:35) – What are some defining moments during Jill’s career at CYMI?

(25:22) – What questions are top of mind for family offices today?

(28:12) – What is the “why” that drives Jill?

Nadia Rawlinson and Michael Alter are co-owners of the WNBA team, the Chicago Sky.

Nadia was the Chief People Officer at Slack Technologies when the company was acquired by Salesforce in 2021 for $28 billion. She is an advisor for Google Ventures, serves on the Stanford University Board of Trustees and is on the Board of Directors for J. Crew and Vail Resorts.

Michael is President of the Alter Group, which was founded by his father and has become one of the largest private commercial real estate developers in the country. He is also the founder and a board member of the non-profit organization City Year Chicago.

In today’s conversation, we will learn:

(1:05) – What were Michael and Nadia’s formative years like?

(4:16) – How and why did Michael join the family business (Alter Group)?

(8:39) – How did Nadia define her career path after the Slack acquisition?

(12:23) – What makes for a good board member?

(15:12) – What do entrepreneurs get wrong when building a business?

(16:43) – Why did Michael decide to buy Chicago Sky?

(21:08) – What does being a good “steward” of the Chicago Sky mean to Nadia?

(24:35) – How does the organizational structure of a sports franchise work?

(29:01) – What life lessons have Nadia and Michael brought home from Chicago Sky?

(33:15) – What are Michael and Nadia’s “why’s”?

© 2025 Northern Trust Corporation. Head Office: 50 South La Salle Street, Chicago, IL 60603. Incorporated with limited liability in the U.S. Member FDIC.