Starting a business can be challenging. Starting a business with your family can be uniquely challenging. No one knows you better than your family, and sometimes that can be a blessing or a curse. If you are considering starting a business with your family, you should consider a few things. Some of the basic things such as choosing a name for your business can be solved easily by using a free business name generator from Namify. Namify is a great place for new and seasoned entrepreneurs to get started with their latest ventures.
On the other hand, other issues may take a little more thought and preparation. Let’s look at a few considerations you should keep in mind when starting a business with your family.
Can You All Work Together?
It may be tempting to look at your family business venture through rose-colored glasses in the early planning stages, but at some point, you really need to ask yourself if everyone can work together long term? Have you all had experience working together before? How did that go? Was it successful or was it a disaster? Keep in mind that if family members had issues in the past and were difficult to work with, they are probably still dealing with those challenges.
If you have not worked together in the past, then you need to take an honest evaluation of how everyone gets along. Will the family relationships really be able to withstand working together every day?
Is Everyone On the Same Page Financially?
This can be a real sore spot with families. Money always makes family matters more complicated. It is of vital importance to make sure that everyone is on the same page in regards to money. This can apply to money that is being invested in the company. It can also apply to everyone’s expectations concerning salaries and profit-sharing.
If this is not handled early on, there can be many misunderstandings and hurt feelings. When families get put out with each other over money, it can sometimes take years to repair the damage. Make sure you have very open, honest conversations about the money involved and the money that will be made.
Are You In Agreement on Division of Labor?
Coming up in a close second to money issues will be issues regarding the division of labor. This can also get touchy. You and your family have a long history of dividing labor over tasks. Whether it was cleaning up the house, setting up the Christmas tree, or deciding whose turn it was to cook dinner. Some of those old emotions can start to bubble to the surface when family members think they are being given too much work to do and others are being allowed to slack off.
Again, the solution is to have up-front, honest conversations and not to let things fester when there is a problem.
Running a family business is a great American tradition. Many families have become quite successful just by growing their little family-owned business. You too can join this legacy with careful planning and consideration. Namify offers many tools to help business owners get a smooth start.