How you should start family Businesses

Depending on your circumstances, deciding to go into business with your family can be a tough decision. As a parent, you might dream of working with your children and building a legacy for your grandchildren. or you might dread it because you have been doing the same business  for a long time. eg kutengesa pamusika, or farming.

Many families are now dysfunctional these days. So how do you navigate through and build a strong  family business  in that kind of environment? 

1. Communicate openly and often.

Two way communication is key to a successful family business. Listening to what they say to you and them listening to what you tell them. The best thing you can do for your family and the business is to be open and honest, whether you are going to sell the business later or leaving it for them.

2. Be very clear about partnership

Kutanga business nemuzukuru or munin'ina can be a great idea, But think about the business in the long term. What happens if you two get in a fight and things get messy? Or what if he/she wants to let his mukwasha vake chidhakwa to take over his part of the business when he retires? sometimes its better. Ndopaunoona kuti sometimes zvirinani kuti vangoite zvavo vashandi rather than kuita partners 

3. Set clear boundaries.

Setting clear boundaries between family life and your business is very important—especially if you want to run a successful business and still have a family to come home to. If you are at work, keep your family issues at home. And if you’re at home, don’t talk about work. 

4. Have a succession plan.

 You need to start thinking about a succession plan and who will continue your legacy into the next generation. A good succession plan is gradual. If you want your children to take over the business, train and mentor them and gradually give them more and more responsibility until they’re ready to lead.  To avoid Vana babamukuru kuzouya vachida  kuita  takeover musi vaunofa. 

5. Define roles and job description

 With clearly defined roles, written job descriptions including yours too and specific expectations. Just as you would with any other role, you need to work out every possible detail of your family member’s role before you go into business together.

6. Get outside advice—often.

Successful businesses seek advice from outside advisors. Maybe you need help to see your blind spots, setting goals, or working through tough relationship issues. Business mentors/coaches have been through it before. Learn from their experience so you can grow and reach that next level of success. 

7. Create a vision and culture.

Having a vision for your business and working toward goals will keep your business growing in the right direction.  And when you cast this vision to your employees (family), you’ll have something you can all rally behind.  

8. Treat everyone fairly

If you’ve hired both family and non-family team members to work at your business, treat everyone fairly. If your culture favours family, it will be impossible for your workers to feel like a team. And that will keep you from making progress toward your big goals.

9. Put on the professional hat

It will be easier to set boundaries and keep things professional at work if you think of your business role and your family role as hats you put on and take off. At work, you wear your “leader” hat . And at home everyone gets to take off their professional hats and just be family

10. Remember why you want to have family business

To work with family and run a business as a family, sometimes  things get stressful, loses in business or relationships breaking down. So never give up the idea why you decide to go into  family business at the first place.  Building a family legacy, Always remind yourself of this during tough times.

And never forget that you will be always a family whether in business or not .