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.

Kirsten Oviedo

I remember the first time that my future husband threw out the idea of us owning a business together. Being two years into chasing an Honors degree in Global Studies at a breakneck speed, my eyebrows went up with what has become typical early skepticism of all my husband’s great ideas. I didn’t know at the time how much we would actually enjoy working together and, of course, kids were still pretty far off the radar. Once we were married, starting a business actually became the most practical thing in the world for us to do while waiting on his residency paperwork to come through. Read more>>

Dara Depaolo

I want to start by saying that Nyx Training Center is a family business not only by blood but by relationships that have formed over many years leading into the opening of the gym as well as the relationships that have formed as the gym has grown. My business partner, Michael Johnson, and I met over 7 years ago at another ninja gym where we worked. We worked together for 4 years at that gym until it closed. By that time we got along like.siblings. With that gym closing we decided that we wanted to continue to work together no matter where that took us. We agreed, with a lot of support from a lot of families of the athletes we were coaching, and the support of our own families, that we should open our gym. Read more>>

Ienn Chacon

I believe family businesses have a unique dynamic that can be both highly rewarding and challenging. When I started Dapper Barbershop, I brought my brothers, cousins, and friends into the business with me. My brothers Qodi and Markus, as well as my friend Mackenzie, are all partners now, each owning their own Dapper locations. This has allowed us to grow together and build a solid foundation based on trust, loyalty, and shared vision. Read more>>

Emily Versace

I grew up in my family business. My grandfather and father started an upholstery business in 1972. As a child I was there while my mother worked and we would sweep remove staples and generally soak up what it meant to have a family business. It always starts with quality work and products backed up by a warm welcome and clients that wouldn’t take their business anywhere else. In 2008 I switched gears from working in Cosmetics as a Counter manager for Elizabeth Arden to working full time in my family business House of Covers. Read more>>

Leah Eva

My family business consist of Real Estate and Comedy. My family business is great because there’s a lot of flexibilities. For instance, I can take a work out class in the middle of the day and my husband can cover for me vice versa. However, there are also a lot of responsibilities because if we don’t close a deal in Real Estate we don’t eat. In our Comedy , business, we have to stay consistent with a great show and make sure everyone is paid at the end of the show. If we had, children, I would want them to be part of the family if they decide to. They have find their passion and go after it. So in both business, we have to stay consistent and be diligent. Read more>>