Our Philosophy
Helping Families is Our Passion
Let’s Make a Plan for Your Legacy
As trusted stewards to assist with your legacy plan, we ‘ll help you develop harmonious, healthy interpersonal relationships, establish optimized governance structures, succession, estate and other financial planning strategies to set your businesses and family up for long-term success.
Our Philosophy
Most people are familiar with building financial plans, strategic plans, marketing plans and business plans, but when it comes to business, we rarely discuss family plans. As Family Business Practitioners, BGEI helps to align family members to create an environment that makes them better decision-makers, legacy planners and stewards of family and corporate wealth over the long term and across multiple generations.
Core Values
VISIONARY
We believe in a world where aligning family and business values creates the greatest opportunity for long-term business success.
COMMUNITY-FOCUSED
We thrive on new opportunities and seek to see a greater potential in work we take on. We believe in the greater good of any client or projects, and seek out ways to undertake projects that give back to our communities.
DIVERSE
Proudly of African heritage, graciously multi-cultural and inclusively Canadian, we have lived and been educated in a plethora of areas of the world and advocate for positive intercultural relations. We believe in life-long learning and that we all learn and grow from each other as well as from formal education structures.
PROFESSIONAL
Through focus, hard-work and determination we will achieve our goals. We think boldly but respond with humility, dignity and respect.
GENUINE
We strive to always conduct business with friendliness, warmth, openness and trust. We place tremendous value on family in both business and life. We commit to cherish and honor our legacies for the betterment of humanity.
GIVING
We believe we are merely stewards of our success in business and in life, and giving back to humanity is a responsibility and vital role we must play. “To whom much is given, much is expected” (Luke 12,48)
Our Roots
It all began in Ghana.
To understand the very foundation that BGEI was built on and what motivates the Bourne family to place such importance on family legacy, we need to go back a few generations and meet the two people that inspired so many with pure intentions, hard work and unwavering compassion. This is the story of Mr. Emmanual Kwamina Dadson and MOM’s NAME who built a legacy that lives on today.
The Dadson family’s journey began in Accra, Ghana when Mr. Dadson, fresh out of middle school and without a penny to his name started working in theatre and arts. This quickly grew to encompass more as, Mr. Dadson was a true entrepreneur with a compassionate soul. He went on to start many businesses that would benefit his community or help someone in need. These businesses ranged across a variety of industries which included: entertainment, tourism and hospitality, aesthetics, and food and agriculture. This industrial spirit was shared by the love of his life, Mrs. ??? Dadson, who started a hair salon which grew into a training center. They also gave back by opening their home to local children and becoming active in politics. In fact, Mr. Dadson served his country as a prominent politician in varying capacities, including positively contributing to the attainment of independence of Ghana, and by building a massive economic development legacy for his home town communities.
True to the testament that those who give will receive, Mr. Dadsons’ success grew as robust as his portfolio of businesses. The Dadson children as well as various adopted “cousins” witnessed this spirit of community and giving back. But, this along with having an estate plan and a mentored family member successor in place still wasn’t enough to ensure things continued smoothly after his passing.
At the time of his death in 1989, his wife, who had grown the business with him and played a substantial role in the business operations, took over the reins. Three of his sons and six daughters had worked in various divisions of the family businesses, yet the succession transition encountered many challenges and pitfalls. Twenty-nine years later, though, many of the businesses still exist, the fourth-generation children are now school age, and the threat of the “rags to riches to rags” story looms over the family. Phyliss Bourne, a second-generation member of this family, uses her own experiences to educate other families in business and their advisors to ensure the “rags to riches to rags in three generations” story becomes a myth of the past and stays that way.
To whom much is given, much will be required
(Luke 12:48)
Part of our legacy handed down to us by Emmanual Kwamina Dadson was the importance of giving back. Because of this we are inspired to contribute to our global community and place great importance in philanthropy.
