Spending my formative years working in our family business presented me with the opportunity to shape my own dreams and aspirations for the role I might carve out for myself in years to come.
Acutely aware of being seen as the "boss's daughter", it gave me a drive and work ethic that has stood me in good stead over the years. It was also my first lesson in ensuring the customer was at the centre of all of our business decicions.
Working with family can be rewarding and inspiring. Having a sense of collective purpose can be found in other organisations too, of course. For me, the best environment is one where I share the same values with colleagues and that has to extend to ensuring that the customer is the most important person in my day.
In family businesses, leaders sometimes make hiring and staffing decisions based on relationship and obligation as much as on competence and experience. After all, one purpose of these firms is to provide employment for family members. But that doesn’t mean all family members perform effectively
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