Abstract
The purpose of this article is to present the research on family businesses in Poland commissioned by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development. The study allowed for estimating the share of family businesses in the MSME sector and for identifying the differences in the functioning of family and non-family businesses in the Polish economy. Training and advisory services designed for family businesses thanks to the study resulted in development of tools specifically adjusted to the features of this group of enterprises, supporting their organizational, financial and legal aspects. The article also discusses two innovative tools developed as part of the Przewodnik po sukcesji [A Guide on Succession] and Kody wartości [Codes of Values] projects, allowing for independent completion of a succession process.