Do you run or work for a family business? If so, we’d love to hear from you for our family business series. In this series, you’ll find insights, stories and a discussion of the pros and cons of family businesses.

Gabrielle “gabby” Collier

I love family businesses. There’s something special about seeing recipes, gifts/talents, and crafts passed down to generations, with each one hopefully building on the last, finding new ways to innovate, while staying relevant. However, family businesses can face challenges. A lack of professionalism, blurred boundaries, or leniency with performance can sometimes lead family members to approach the job less seriously than they would elsewhere. My own business owes its success to family support. My husband, sons, sisters, mom, nieces, nephews, cousins, grandson, in-laws, and aunts have all helped at one time or another. Whether it was helping with huge setups/breakdowns, packaging, and/or helping with sales, they’ve all been there to support me. My sons, in particular, started working at ages 6 and 8. I wasn’t paying a babysitter, so they had no choice but to tag along. Although, there were times I wished I would’ve hired one! Over time, I’ve watched my sons grow from shy, playful, wanting to take a break every 15 minutes boys to professional, outgoing, young men who understand business and know how to work hard and earn an honest dollar. While we’re a family business, I run a tight ship! I bring over 20 years experience in customer service and quality assurance management to the table. My family often jokes and calls me a “dictator,” but professionalism, top-notch customer service, and efficient processes are what keep our operations running smoothly, even in a small business setting. Read more>>

Lorenda Carr

I come from a long line of entrepreneurs on both sides of my family. I grew up working in my maternal grandparents’ various businesses. This helped me understand how to treat and appreciate customers, how to manage/budget money, the importance of showing up every day because that is how you pay bills and build customer loyalty. I also learned the importance of getting to know customers and listening to their stories. I would say the pitfalls would be having to always show up even when you need a vacation. Realizing that while you may have great employees, they will never be as emotionally invested in your business as you will. Doing what “has always been done” doesn’t work in an ever-changing global economy so you can never be idol or get comfortable. Read more>>

Jaden Oluwayomi

Owning a business has been an incredible blessing for our family. One of the things I cherish most about being an entrepreneur is the opportunity to work side-by-side with my husband every day. Running Journey Digital Solutions together has allowed us the flexibility to work from home while raising our young children—a gift we don’t take for granted. But let’s be honest: working with your spouse isn’t always easy. In the beginning, small misunderstandings sometimes turned into bigger conflicts. I remember a time early on when we would argue over something as small as a social media post. Miscommunication and pride got in the way more than we care to admit. Over time, we’ve learned that the keys to success—both in marriage and in business—are communication, grace, and respect. We don’t always agree on every decision, but we’ve learned to value each other’s opinions, even when we disagree. For our business, we’ve divided responsibilities based on our natural strengths and interests, but we’re always ready to step in and help each other when needed. Read more>>