• Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
  • AWARDS
  • EDUCATION
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Breaking Flooring News
  • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
  • Carpet & Area Rugs
  • Hardwood
  • Installation Products
  • Installation Tools & Equipment
  • Laminate
  • Resilient
  • Specialty
  • Tile & Stone
  • MARKETS
  • Commercial
  • Residential
  • AWARDS
  • Installation Awards
  • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
  • Continuing Education
  • Webinars
  • Sponsored Insights
  • MEDIA
  • FLOOR Podcast
  • Videos
  • TISE 2025 Videos
  • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issues
  • Contact
  • Advertise
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
    • Breaking Flooring News
    • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
    • Carpet & Area Rugs
    • Hardwood
    • Installation Products
    • Installation Tools & Equipment
    • Laminate
    • Resilient
    • Specialty
    • Tile & Stone
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
    • Commercial
    • Residential
  • AWARDS
    • Installation Awards
    • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
    • Continuing Education
    • Webinars
    • Sponsored Insights
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
    • FLOOR Podcast
    • Videos
    • TISE 2025 Videos
    • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Family Dynamics

By Al Levi
November 22, 2009


A steady source of calls and e-mails I get from all different types of contractors from all around the country center on the trials and tribulations of working with family. If your family dynamics are great, congratulations! This blog isn’t for you. But if your family business is generating more stress and strain than you’d like, keep reading.

Even if you don’t work with any relatives and are thinking, “I don’t need to read this,” think again. The nature of all businesses is that they reflect the same type of dynamics a related by blood family has. That means you act like the dad, mom, the brothers, the sisters and so forth. Keep reading and see if you don’t agree.

Why read what I’m saying? Because, I was the third generation of what is now a company that has the fourth generation hard at work. What I can tell you is the same as I tell my clients, “It’s fantastic and exhausting all in the same moment. On any given day, there were either too many Levis or not enough.”

Sound familiar?

You ought to know that I think there’s something very special about building a business that’s made to last so it passes easily to the next generation to run, develop and grow for many years to come. Unfortunately, that’s not likely to happen if there are troubles like:
    1. You haven’t made a clear succession plan for passing the company from one generation to the next.

    2. You saddle the new generation with old debts and outdated ways of doing business.

    3. You treat the arriving generation like an indentured slave rather than a welcome member of the team.

    4. You treat them too well and give them a free pass on conforming to company standards (assuming you have them) and you let them slide on being accountable. It’s demoralizing to all the other staff whether they’re family members or not.

    5. You have no real training other than what you think is training, which is criticizing them for whatever they say and do until they choose to wait and do nothing rather than risk your wrath.
So, what should you do? Here’s what you can do right now to make working with family so much better:

  • Create the 10 Commandments of Family Business. These are the Golden Rules you all agree to abide by.
      Note: If you want a copy of mine I use with customers, please e-mail me at al@appleseedbusiness.com and I’ll be glad to send it along.
  • Create an Organizational Chart with all the boxes it takes to run your company. We’re not talking about fancy titles like President, Vice President and such. We’re talking about positions like Service Manager, Marketing Manager and Financial Manager to name just a few.
      Note:  It doesn’t matter if there is no one at work besides you. You  must have all the boxes filled out and your name in every box. This way as you grow and people (especially family members) come on board, there is a clear place they’re at today and a clear path on where they can go tomorrow.
  • Respect the Chain of Command amongst family members.

  • Create a Buy-Sell agreement and cover at least the 4Ds which are death, divorce, disability and disabled.

  • Meet formally at least once a week some place where you won’t be overheard and get on the same page philosophically so you don’t present a mixed message to your other staff.

    These are just the basics, but they’ll go a long way to building a family business that’s worthy of your blood, sweat and tears.


  • Links

    • Give Me 60 Minutes And I'll Show You The Secrets To Running A Profitable Service Business ... Even During A Recession!
    • Step by Step Program

    Share This Story

    For over seven years, Al Levi has been helping flooring businesses solve problems, turn greater profits, and help get their lives and free time back. This is all based on his 25-year career at his family-owned and operated contracting business. To discover more, visit www.60MinuteRecessionSolution.com.
    You must login or register in order to post a comment.

    Report Abusive Comment

    Recent Comments

    Pantano

    Recycled Bob ...

    http://arnoldschwarzeneggers.com/

    https://www.mylivecart.com/...

    https://www.connect55.com/...

    Blog Roll

    Tile Magazine Blog

    close

    1 COMPLIMENTARY ARTICLE(S) LEFT

    Loader

    Already a Registered User? Sign in now.

    Manage My Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Online Registration
    • Manage My Preferences
    • Subscription Customer Service

    Shaw Flooring Network Retailers Report Post-Election Sales Surge

    Shaw Flooring Network Retailers Report Post-Election Sales Surge

    What Shaw Flooring Network Dealers are Banking on for 2025

    What Shaw Flooring Network Dealers are Banking on for 2025

    Retailers Share Top Takeaways from Shaw Flooring Network Convention

    Retailers Share Top Takeaways from Shaw Flooring Network Convention

    SolidTech R: Sustainable, High-Performance Flooring from Bottle to Floor

    SolidTech R: Sustainable, High-Performance Flooring from Bottle to Floor

    More Videos

    Sponsored Content

    Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the FLOOR Trends & Installation audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of FLOOR Trends & Installation or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

    close
    • Woodura Herringbone 2.0
      Sponsored byBjelin

      The Herringbone Floor of the Future

    Popular Stories

    Woodura Herringbone 2.0

    The Herringbone Floor of the Future

    company branding

    Branding and Marketing Strategies for Flooring Contractors

    Three individuals, a man and two women, discussing flooring options while reviewing samples.

    Humans in the Loop: Why AI in Your Flooring Business Still Needs You

    
Download the Free Moisture Meters Guide

    Events

    December 1, 2030

    Webinar Sponsorship Information

    For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

    View All Submit An Event

    Poll

    Growth Challenges in the Flooring Industry

    What’s holding you back from growth in 2025?
    View Results Poll Archive

    Products

    2025 BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook

    2025 BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook

    See More Products

    FLOORtalk podcasts - Listen Now

    ×

    We’re rolling out the red carpet of flooring knowledge!

    Stay in the know on the latest flooring retail trends.

    JOIN TODAY!
    • RESOURCES
      • Advertise
      • Contact Us
      • Directories
      • Store
      • Want More
    • SIGN UP TODAY
      • Create Account
      • eMagazine
      • eNewsletters
      • Customer Service
      • Manage Preferences
    • SERVICES
      • Marketing Services
      • Reprints
      • Market Research
      • List Rental
      • Survey/Respondent Access
    • STAY CONNECTED
      • LinkedIn
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • YouTube
      • X (Twitter)
    • PRIVACY
      • PRIVACY POLICY
      • TERMS & CONDITIONS
      • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
      • PRIVACY REQUEST
      • ACCESSIBILITY

    Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

    Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

    search
    cart
    facebook twitter linkedin youtube
    • Sign In
    • Create Account
    • Sign Out
    • My Account
    • NEWS
      • Breaking Flooring News
      • eNewsletters
    • PRODUCTS
      • Carpet & Area Rugs
      • Hardwood
      • Installation Products
      • Installation Tools & Equipment
      • Laminate
      • Resilient
      • Specialty
      • Tile & Stone
    • A&D
    • INSTALLATION
    • MARKETS
      • Commercial
      • Residential
    • AWARDS
      • Installation Awards
      • Top Flooring Products
    • EDUCATION
      • Continuing Education
      • Webinars
      • Sponsored Insights
    • BUYER'S GUIDE
    • MEDIA
      • FLOOR Podcast
      • Videos
      • TISE 2025 Videos
      • eBooks
    • EMAGAZINE
      • eMagazine
      • Archive Issues
      • Contact
      • Advertise
    • SIGN UP