From Cable Puller to President: Building Family Business Culture Through Radical Love
Getting stuck in a cramped crawl space with a screw caught on your belt isn't most people's career-defining moment. For Sean Schoenberger, that claustrophobic experience at age 14 became the catalyst for transforming a family installation business into a national telecom integrator serving over 16,000 clients across Canada.
Sean's journey from summer cable puller to President of Sunco Communications offers business families critical insights into scaling operations while maintaining family values, navigating technological disruption, and building sustainable leadership transitions.
Building on Family Values
Sunco Communications emerged from kitchen table conversations between Sean's uncle and cousin in 2000. What distinguishes this company isn't just growth trajectory—it's how family dynamics became a strategic advantage rather than operational challenge.
"We treat everybody as family. It's part of our core values," Sean explains. At Sunco, this translates into "radical love"—open-book financial policies, accessible leadership, and genuine transparency that most organizations struggle to achieve.
The family foundation proved essential when Sean transitioned from summer work to full-time employment after completing his telecom program at NAIT. Those cable-pulling years constituted an extended evaluation process testing commitment, cultural fit, and work ethic long before formal employment discussions.
Professional Systems Meet Family Culture
The transformation from installation contractor to national integrator required systematic change. Sean's progression through technician, sales engineering, operations, and ultimately the presidency mirrors the company's evolution toward professional management practices.
The breakthrough came in 2017 with implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). "It's been amazing hockey stick growth since then," Sean notes. However, initial implementation revealed important lessons about family business limitations.
"We for the first 6-9 months, we probably tried self facilitating, and that did not go well," Sean admits. Bringing in a certified EOS implementer transformed both accountability and strategic direction.
This willingness to acknowledge limitations and seek external expertise demonstrates mature family business thinking. Sunco's experience shows that embracing outside expertise enhances rather than diminishes family business advantages.
Leadership Evolution: Growing Beyond Natural Tendencies
Sean's reflection on his DISC profile results provides valuable insights for family business leadership development. As a "hard D" personality type, his natural tendency toward direct leadership required conscious modification as the organization scaled.
"I've had to learn along the way that to lead and manage people successfully, that is not being a hard D is not the way to go about it, because people don't like being told what to do," he reflects.
This evolution from command-and-control to collaborative leadership represents essential development for family business succession. The entrepreneurial skills that build companies often differ from leadership capabilities needed to scale them effectively.
Sean's approach now emphasizes organizational idea generation: "My ideas are, by far not the best always. So bring your ideas. Let's look at using that." Combined with EOS structure, this creates an environment where family authority facilitates rather than stifles innovation.
Managing Family Partnership Dynamics
The working relationship between Sean and his cousin Mike (CEO) demonstrates how family connections can strengthen business operations. Their approach includes structured communication through weekly alignment meetings, clear role division with Sean focusing on operations while Mike handles sales and culture, and mutual consultation on major decisions.
Perhaps most importantly, Sean maintains strict boundaries around business discussions. Despite working closely with family members, he adheres to an "eight-to-five" policy for business conversations.
"I go out to his lake lot, and we don't have time to talk business. We're quading or something or going boating," Sean explains.
These boundaries protect both family relationships and business decision-making quality. When business conversations remain confined to business settings, family gatherings preserve the relationships that form the foundation of family business success.
Strategic Growth Through Acquisition
Sunco's expansion strategy illustrates sophisticated thinking about build-versus-buy decisions. When organic development of managed service provider capabilities wasn't meeting customer needs quickly enough, they acquired Isosceles Business Systems in 2022. The 2024 acquisition of Zayo Canada's on-premise PBX business further accelerated eastern expansion.
"How can we get there faster... they already [have] the people there, the footprint's there, there's customers there, and hopefully there's brand recognition," Sean explains.
The critical success factor wasn't just strategic or financial alignment—it was cultural compatibility. Both acquisitions brought teams whose values aligned with Sunco's family-oriented approach, facilitating smoother integration and sustained performance.
Technology as Enhancement, Not Replacement
Operating in telecom means navigating constant technological evolution. Sean's approach to technology adoption balances enthusiasm with prudence, testing new tools personally with Mike before organizational implementation.
Their deployment of AI tools demonstrates thoughtful technology integration. Rather than viewing AI as job replacement, Sunco frames it as capability enhancement.
"If it's a mundane, repeatable task, let's automate it and have AI do it for you. In most cases, they'd rather be doing something else," Sean observes.
This perspective allows organizations to embrace technological advancement while maintaining people-first cultures that constitute their primary competitive advantage.
Key Takeaways for Family Business Leaders
Leverage Early Exposure: Extended family member involvement before formal employment creates mutual understanding and credible leadership transitions.
Embrace Professional Systems: Structured approaches like EOS enhance rather than replace family business advantages while creating scalability and accountability.
Evolve Leadership Approaches: Natural entrepreneurial tendencies may require conscious modification as organizations mature and professionalize.
Maintain Healthy Boundaries: Clear separation between family time and business discussions protects both relationship quality and decision-making effectiveness.
Prioritize Cultural Alignment: In hiring, acquisition, or partnership decisions, cultural fit often determines long-term success more than technical qualifications.
Building Sustainable Legacy
As Sunco approaches 70 employees across multiple provinces, Sean's perspective on leadership transition reflects mature family business thinking. His willingness to eventually step aside if the company outgrows his capabilities demonstrates selfless leadership that enables multigenerational success.
"At some point the company I'll grow [beyond] what I can do," Sean acknowledges. "I'm not against replacing myself... Nothing's forever."
Sean's journey illustrates that family business success requires more than family relationships—it demands shared values, professional growth, and willingness to prioritize long-term organizational health over individual preferences. That represents perhaps the most radical form of love a family business leader can demonstrate.
Hear the full conversation with Sean Schoenberger on ABFI Table Talk, available on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe for insights from business family leaders and advisors navigating challenges in succession, governance, and legacy planning.
