Summer is here — the books are closed, and the balance sheet looks clean. By definition, a balance sheet “balances,” meaning that assets equal liabilities plus equity. The balance sheet provides a snapshot in time of your enterprise’s worth — and potentially so much more.

All good businesses are personal. The best businesses are very personal. — Mark Cuban, owner, Dallas Mavericks NBA franchise

My column [in the May 21 issue of The Central New York Business Journal] on the darker sides of managing a family business generated a lot of response. Numerous owners of family businesses gave me feedback about the accuracy of my experiences. Given that 80 percent to 90 percent of businesses in the United States are family-owned, I’m not surprised that many of you are interested in the challenges and opportunities these companies offer. So it seems only fair to focus this month on the many positives of managing and working for a family business. Here are just a few.

In the dark days of World War II, when it seemed inevitable that Germany and Japan would prevail and the world would be ruled by incredibly evil regimes — two leaders of men and country stood against world devastation.

“The economic development program agreed to by the Governor and legislature will limit New York’s ability to compete in the race to create and retain jobs as the nation moves out of the recession,” said Ken Pokalsky, senior director of government affairs for The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

The Fraud Tax is not like any other tax that New Yorkers pay. It’s not like a sales tax that shows up on a store receipt — it’s much harder to see. It’s imposed on New York drivers by criminals who steal hundreds of millions of dollars every year. The good news is that this is one tax we all agree must be cut, and one way to help do it is by toughening the laws to stop fraud under our no-fault, auto-insurance system.