Meet
Jan Southern
Family Business Advisor
With over four decades of experience in the family business sector, I bring a wealth of knowledge in process improvement, compliance, and profitability.
My journey began at JMFA, a family owned business where I spent 42 years as a Senior Consultant specializing in business process and financial improvement. I spent those 40+ years mostly in the banking and credit union space, but we also consulted for a number of electricity production and distribution companies, as well as other industries.
My core focus has always been on identifying the costs to organizations, not just in dollars, but in efficiency and customer impact.
My expertise covers a wide range of areas, from organizational structure and the most efficient processes to ensuring compliance with industry regulations.
I am passionate about solving common business challenges, such as high employee turnover and ineffective hiring practices. For instance, I often advise on the cost-effectiveness of hiring skilled professionals versus a larger number of less experienced employees, demonstrating how strategic hiring can lead to significant savings and increased productivity.
I am a firm believer that you should always be looking for a more efficient, cost effective way of doing things. A culture of continuous improvement will help to assure that you will survive for many generations, regardless of changes in technology or the market.
My educational background includes a degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Oklahoma State University. My career has taken me all across the Americas and to China, providing me with a diverse perspective on business practices and challenges. I am also a Certified Exit Planning Advisor.
In addition to my professional work, I am deeply committed to volunteering.
For the past 11 years, I have been an active volunteer at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a massive event supported by as many as 40,000 volunteers. My involvement on two of their wine committees helps raise millions of dollars annually for college scholarships. I also volunteer at the Texas Children’s Houston Open Golf Tournament, the Houston Food Bank and for other worthy causes.
On a personal note, I am a wine enthusiast, enjoying both affordable and premium selections. To me, good wine is simply wine that I enjoy. I love to garden and propagate roses as well as other flowers and plants. I’m also very involved in helping to take care of the many stray cats that unfortunately roam the streets of our neighborhoods. Without assistance in controlling their population, who knows how many there would be? Two of them have adopted me and I now live in their house with them.
My combination of professional expertise and personal passion for volunteering makes me a dedicated advisor who understands both the operational and human aspects of running a successful family business. Whether you need help with process improvement, cost effectiveness, compliance, or just a bit of advice on your wine selection, I'm here to help.
