Retiring baby boomers passing the baton on to their children as well as young families looking to strengthen their connection help fuel the growth of family-owned businesses, according to Mike Gilbert, a business counselor with the Silicon Valley Service Core of Retired Executives. In my experience, families with kids are asking themselves what they want," says Gilbert, who spent 30 years in various senior-level management roles in the valley. "Small business owners with children can balance career and family a lot easier," says Gilbert. "Business ownership allows them to have a personal relationship with each other that goes beyond an occasional family event."