Many people dream of running their own business. Sometimes new graduates want to dive right into their own operation. This is especially true in many of the professions.

In a time of downsizing and cutbacks, using the skills from previous employment in a business of one’s own, is also an option. Seminars, books and franchise companies offer advice. Many turn to a lawyer, accountant and bank manager for assistance.

Once a business includes two members of the same family, it is considered a family in business. With a growing number of home based businesses, the involvement of a parent, spouse, child or other relative, can be a practical and economical choice.

Families in business have many advantages. These can include tax benefits, personal trust factors, common goals, familiarity and established patterns of working together. There can also be many pitfalls. These include:
• the inability to separate the business from personal time,
• the roles played in the business may not carry over and be best for well functioning family life,
• conflicts from

Keeping healthy family relationships and maintaining a prosperous business requires balance that require both skill and determination. Communicating well, managing stress, resolving conflicts and making wise decisions, are all necessary.

Professionals consulting to families in business, must recognize the impact of the family on the business and the business on the family. Awareness of the dynamics that are unique to this type of arrangement can assist both the client and the professional to create healthy families in prosperous businesses.

Marilyn Barnicke Belleghem M.Ed., consults to families in business on issues of communication, stress management, building boundaries between home and work time and space, conflict resolution and adapting to change. Marilyn is author of Questing Marilyn: In Search of My Holy Grail (Quest Publishing Canada 2003)and Questing France: Deepening the Search for My Holy Grail (2005) http://www.questpublishing.ca

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