PRO/CON

Pro

I believe that entering the family business can be a very rewarding and challenging decision in an individual's life. The desire to succeed on ones own is strong. But the opportunity to be a part of a process started by one's family, and the

acceptance of the responsibilities that go along with it, can be wholly gratifying.

Personally, I have many interests, and I feel confident that I can expand what I know, and what I am capable of achieving, every day that I work in the business. I am free to make choices and to follow through on my own. From my perspective, this freedom would be harder to obtain in other workplace settings.

The decision to enter the family business should be made without pressure. If a person likes the business, works hard, and finds sufficient avenues for his or her abilities and creativity, success and satisfaction will come as progressive responsibilities and promotions are bestowed. My dad let me know from the beginning that I was free to make my career choice with no influence from him. Even if I tried to work at the business and found it was not for me, he would harbor no hard feelings.

Family members who have entered the business should have to earn positions of responsibility by working their way up. Establishing an ability to learn, manage, and problem solve is essential for the assumption of responsibility in a given business. This path to ownership provides ample opportunity for an individual to have a sense of self-satisfaction and challenge. In my case I believe that employees tend to trust and respect my position and eventual ownership because I have worked beside them.

Turning over the family business to the next generation can benefit both the parents and the successors. As long as there is communication, and everyone understands expectations, working in the family business can be a satisfying solution for an individual's career and for the future success of the enterprise.

Richard Dupuis is President of Dupuis Redi-Mix Concrete, Inc. Phone: 816.537.6660 e-mail: dup67@sprintmail.com.

Con

With little more than a quarter in his pocket, my grandfather fled his native Russia in search of a life free from religious persecution. Not only did he find a safe sanctuary in the United States, but also a fertile home in which to give birth to a new business. The early days were fraught with peril as the company struggled to "get legs." However, over time, he transformed that meager quarter into a scintillating gem

Charlie Tivol was more than my grandfather. He was a legend in our family. So, too, was his dear wife, Mollie. They had built a rock solid foundation predicated upon impeccable integrity. Such was the legacy passed on to the second generation, my father and maternal uncle.

Family businesses are tricky things, but Jack Leifer and Harold Tivol had that rare, near-perfect partnership. Whereas my father excelled in corporate operations, Harold was a master of client relationships. Though their turf overlapped, rarely were there squabbles, for each contributed greatly to the growing success of the business. My mother formed the triad of this second generation - adding a distinct panache to the Tivol image.

Things get trickier in that third generation. As is so often the case, tranquillity gave way to tension. My cousins, Tom and Cathy were first to join, followed by me in 1978. There were now three generations and seven family members all under one roof, and Tivol was rapidly approaching a state of critical mass. Heat began to build as the lines of authority blurred between the myriad of chiefs. It was clear that something had to give.

That something was I. I elected to leave, to forever relinquish my position as heir-apparent on my family's side of the business. It was the right decision. I never look back with regret, but rather look upon my family with admiration for holding the course and honoring the Tivol name. Family businesses are a good thing, but sometimes too much family is too much of a good thing.

John Leifer is the President of The Leifer Group, a strategic marketing firm based in Kansas City. 913-385-9200 or email at JohnLeifer@aol.com.