Legacy is Earned, Not Inherited; Humility, Grit, and Growth in a Multi-Generation Business

When Christie Toson, President and CEO of The Tribute Companies, since 2014, stepped into her family’s business, it wasn’t part of a grand plan. In fact, she’s candid about it: “100%, absolutely, no, I did not expect to want to be in this business.” Her great-grandfather entered the cemetery industry during the Great Depression after emigrating from Italy, seeking stability in uncertain times.

What began as a pragmatic decision shortly after college evolved into a four-generation enterprise spanning cemetery ownership, architectural design, construction, and precast manufacturing. Christie’s entry point? Sales. Commission-based. No safety net.

Christie’s journey is a powerful testament to the grit, humility, and emotional intelligence required to build a thriving, values-driven business.

Lesson 1: Earn Your Seat. No One Owes You Credibility (or anything else)

Christie quickly realized that being the boss’s daughter would not automatically earn respect. If anything, it raised skepticism. “I had to work extra hard proving myself,” she says. “Nobody’s going to treat me special.”

The experience toughened her resolve and built confidence the hard way. Early in her career, she admits she wasn’t naturally confident. But repeated exposure to rejection and long nights built resilience.

“You’re going to get beat up. You have to lift yourself back up and go in the next day with your head held high.” For founders, especially those stepping into legacy businesses, credibility isn’t inherited. It’s earned.

Founder Friday Takeaway: Titles don’t command respect. Competence does. Put yourself in the trenches long enough to earn trust from the inside out.

Lesson 2: Emotional Intelligence is Critical in Sales and Service

Given the sensitive nature of their business, Christie uses her background in psychology daily. She understands the grief and emotions clients face, which often manifest as anger or frustration.

Training team members in emotional intelligence is vital to handling these reactions compassionately while maintaining professionalism. Salespeople in this space also walk a delicate line. They need to be empathetic “shoulders to cry on,” yet also bring in business.

“There absolutely is a way to bring both of those worlds into one,” she says. “But to find those two personalities in one person is really difficult.” That balance of results coupled with empathy is rare but powerful.

Founder Friday Takeaway: Equip your team with emotional intelligence, especially if your business deals with sensitive situations. Hiring for empathy and teachability ensures your sales and service go hand-in-hand with customer care.

Lesson 3: Accountability and No Drama Build Strong Teams

Christie’s company codified its core values in recent years, and she’s unapologetic about enforcing them. “Our family’s reputation… is one of those values. If they deviate from that, there’s going to be a problem.”

Accountability is non-negotiable. Christine emphasized that accountability is foundational. It’s more than just doing your job but doing it well. Another value is the “no drama rule.”

Founder Friday Takeaway: Build a work culture that values accountability without drama. Confident humility, believing in your skills while staying teachable, creates a productive environment that attracts the right people.

Lesson 4: Always Prepare for the Pivot

One of Christie’s hardest-earned lessons came from a zoning meeting and securing approval for an upcoming project. Overconfidence led to painful delays when she entered meetings without full contingency planning. Now she prepares more strategically.

“Always go in assuming you’re not going to get approval and be ready for that.” Equally important is the humility to admit fault. “We didn’t win, and it may have been my fault. But we’re going to get it to happen next time.” Founders often struggle to say, “I don’t know,” but Christie sees that as strength.

Founder Friday Takeaway: Always plan for the possibility of rejection or setbacks. Have both Plan A and Plan B ready for critical meetings or launches.

Lesson 5: Take Baby Steps and Perfect Systems Over Time

Christine advised that when stepping into a new role or business, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by grand ideas and the impulse to change everything at once. Instead, she stresses taking “baby steps,” learning the business, and perfecting systems before adding new components.

Humility, teachability, and incremental improvement create a solid foundation for sustainable progress rather than burnout or chaos.

Founder Friday Takeaway: Start out being focused and humble. Master foundational systems first, then expand thoughtfully. Patience in growth helps avoid overwhelm and creates stronger businesses.

From stepping out of the shadow of family connections to navigating tough rejections and complex team dynamics, Christine has learned firsthand that success isn’t handed to you. It’s earned through consistent hard work, preparation, and authentic leadership.

Christie’s lessons call for hard work grounded in humility, preparedness, emotional intelligence, honesty, and a clear focus on legacy. Her story offers invaluable insights and lessons for anyone looking to lead with purpose, foster trust, and create lasting impact and build resilient, values-driven companies that sustain over generations.

Legacy, she proves, is built long before it’s measured.