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UFB Newsletter Issue #077 Boundaries
December 06, 2007
The Key To Family Business Success
ISSN 15465640

Understanding Family Business brings you articles and tips from Family Business Experts who understand family values and business systems.

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Understanding Family Business




December 6, 2007 Issue #077

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.

Reminders...

It costs you nothing... zip...nada... to ASK THE EXPERT. Most of our site pages have a link to a form that lets you submit your question to one of our experts. We try our hardest to respond within 48 hours.

Our Family Business Blog [Blog is short for "web log"] mini-journal will keep you updated about site changes and other family business matters. Check it out regularly on the site from the NavBar button. Better still, subscribe to the blog using the RSS feed information on any of our pages, such as

Understanding Family Business.

And remember to Take our fr*ee assessment on the 29 Leadership Practices...



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.




That's it for this issue. If you have any comments, or if there are any topics you'd like to see covered, please let us know.

Comments, requested topics, blog messages...!



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