For some, family businesses mean spending more quality time with their families, financial freedom and so much more while for others it feels like a prison sentence. There are so many pros and cons, positives and negatives and so we wanted to create a space for folks who have experiences with family businesses to discuss the pros and cons.

Devonte Goodwine

Evolving my business into a family business is my ultimate goal. My family is my amazing support system especially my wife. Anyone who has made the decision to start a business has been through a roller coaster of emotions due to the constant trials and tribulations. So putting in all of the hard work, long days & nights, and investing your hard earned money into something you truly believe in then I would definitely want to keep it in the family. Read more>>

Alexa Bontrager

I love the idea of a family business. I recently got married and my husband helps me do all my deliveries on the weekends. He is very tech savvy so also helped me revamp my invoicing system which made it so much more efficient. It sounds so fun to have our kids be a part of the business (whenever that time comes) too! Read more>>

Jared Leon

Most of the biggest success stories come from people with family businesses. We are a mother and son family business and there is no one else I trust more than her. She raised me by herself and was the one who always had my back. I’ve known her my whole life and know her integrity and her brilliance on set and off. Some people think its weird because usually its more acceptable if its a father-son business or a mother -daughter business or even a father-daughter business. Read more>>

Valerie Pampel

As a husband wife team we have learned quickly that healthy work boundaries are a must! My wins are his wins, but at the same time his bad day can be my bad day, so we work hard at holding space for each other without taking it on. Also we are very intentional about when we talk shop. It’s hard because we both are very passionate about what we do and we get excited about it, but we have found asking permission before talking about work allows us to hold boundaries a little better if the other person isn’t there for it. Read more>>

Wendy Walraven

Family businesses… definitely something I always dreamed of having. Growing up in a Hispanic household taught me what teamwork is all about. Having an immigrant upbringing isn’t for the faint of heart. Things aren’t always easy. You have to work three times harder than everyone else to even get acknowledged. I remember staying at home with my younger siblings at a very young age (8 yrs old) while my parents worked double shifts to provide. By the age of 9/10 I was the mom of the house. Waking up early making sure everyone was ready for the day. Read more>>

Melissa Kilpatrick Kiah McDaniel

Since my daughter and I began working on Perspective Shift Art together, I’ve been amazed at her tenacity. Working with resin is not easy, there are a lot of variables to keep track of and any changes in temperature or humidity can wreak havoc on your art. But she kept going and kept learning and I’m very proud of the quality of her work. She also pursued licensing agreements with several authors and has grown the business in a way that hadn’t occurred to me. Read more>>

Robyn Thompson.

I started Four Fat Cows back in 2015. At that time, my oldest two children worked in the store part time as scoopers and managers. That evolved into my oldest, Brenden, coming on board as my partner and CFO, just before he graduated college and then my second oldest, Jacob, joining us a few years later as our COO. We also get tons of input from my younger two, Ewan and Madigan, in regards to flavors, marketing ideas, retail products, etc. With our planned growth we are anything but a small family business, however we get to enjoy the benefits of a, functional family business. Read more>>

Brittney Hernandez

Family business is extremely important to me. I have been around family-owned business all my life and have always wanted to start my own. My great-grandfather owned his own tool store. I watched and helped my father with his plumbing business. Watching my father and going with him to jobs helped shape my childhood and my view on working and entrepreneurship. He taught me how to be resilient and a go getter no matter what the situation is. Since I have created my business, I make sure that I take my kids with me on jobs, so they understand what all it takes to run a business for themselves. Read more>>

Leeza Klimetz

We are a family business! A Perfect Bite was created from our family traditions and specifically, it was my oldest son that inspired the company. Our clients know that their order may be delivered by my husband or they may see our kids on our Instagram. And we love serving other families! We’re in a great community and love being a part of all their memories with their family & friends as well. Read more>>