“Even when our kids up and move away, many find that GR is home and is the place to return, to make an impact, to be close to family, and to raise a family. When you combine that love for business and family, GR sets the bar. We are shining examples that work + family aren’t mutually exclusive,”
Lisa Cooper, Cooper People Group
Get to Know Lisa Cooper, Cooper People Group
How did you first get involved with FBA?
My first exposure was presenting some hiring and HR best practices for a NextGen group several years ago. Eric Wildey from Game Room Guys invited me to come in and share with the group of emerging leaders. It was great to see the trust that this team had in sharing challenges, offering support, cheering each other on! Even as the facilitator, I learned a lot from this group!
Why is FBA important to you?
The FBA is important to me because I see first hand how family businesses can do it right and also where issues can erupt. As an HR advisor to many family-owned businesses I have a front row seat to the inner workings of dozens and dozens of operations across our community. This inside perspective is helping me not only to better serve my clients as we refine organizational structure and accountability, develop HR policies and procedures, enhance internal communications, design compensation and benefit programs and many other things, but also gives me clarity about how I’ll structure and operate my own growing business alongside my husband (and hopefully someday one or more of our three teen daughters).
What has been your favorite FBA Event?
Do I have to pick just one?! TogetHER: Women in Family Business event was probably one of the tops for me. While the content was relevant and engaging, simply connecting and collaborating with other women who get our space was so enlightening and inspiring.
Why do you think Family Business is important to West Michigan?
I’m pretty sure that our air and water and soil is chalked full of the entrepreneurial spirit for it seems to run rampant through so many of us in the greater Grand Rapids community. So too does our love of family. Even when our kids up and move away, many find that GR is home and is the place to return, to make an impact, to be close to family, and to raise a family. When you combine that love for business and family, GR sets the bar. We are shining examples that work + family aren’t mutually exclusive. Family + business is not an either/or, rather they’re a both/and. These things can and often do thrive in one ecosystem – GR is a shining example of that! Family businesses make our families, businesses and communities stronger.
Please share one of your bucket list items and why.
I’m hoping to visit all 63 national parks. This summer my family checked off #18, Redwoods National Park and it was breathtaking. Our national parks offer us diverse, jaw-dropping and pristine rivers, lakes, mountains and valleys to experience and explore. It also makes me appreciate the beauty that our Great Lakes offer and how grateful I am to call West Michigan my forever home.
