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Understanding Family Business

Family Business... Business Family

Boundaries

Dr. Jane Adams is our Family Business Divorce expert. Dr. Adams is a social psychologist, author of best selling books and a sought after speaker. She has appeared on many of the top TV news and talk shows, including the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Q. My husband has asked for a divorce so he can marry another woman. My sons, who work in the family business, are furious with him. So am I, but I don't want their loyalty to me to destroy their careers OR the business, whose continued profitability is a key element of my financial security. How can I keep this from happening?

A. Tell them all that this is an instance in which the boundary between family and business has to be renegotiated and strengthened. Suggest ways to do this, which may range from having them report to someone else besides their father for a while; change their physical location to another office or branch if possible; communicate by e-mail rather than face to face whenever they can; agree to keep their family issues out of the business, which includes not involving other employees, staff or customers in what is essentially a private affair. They have a right to their anger, but keeping it in its place - in their personal rather than business dealings with their Dad - will require good self-management of their emotions.

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Family eBusiness

Master a Niche...
Build a hobby into a business

Our message this week is simple...

eBusiness shares one particular trait for success with traditional business...

You must master a niche.

Whether it is taking a hobby online to build it into a business, or taking your traditional family business online, focus on niche marketing.

Fortunately, it's easier in the eBusiness world. Each niche you need to focus on can have it's own website [web sites cost only a few hundred dollars] and branding. LIke different departments in a traditional layout, they can all be channeled to a common checkout process. Unlike departments, they can be created and made functional in a very short time.

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