Why Business, Branding, and Family Do Not Mix: Keep the Family out of It
Well, here we are again. That time of year when we all reunite with our families – the screaming nieces, nose-picking nephews, rambunctious cousins, and Gary, the drunk uncle. While we scramble to make sure everyone is together with unrealistic expectations that inevitably fall apart, we’ll drive toward that fabricated, gleaming silver lining, which at best is the road to perdition.
At that moment when everyone takes their seat for the big dinner please, allow me to give you a recommendation. Beyond passing on the salmon mousse, if you are a business owner, exercise absolute refrain and restraint from ever mentioning your business.
Why? I remember the time I made this mistake and mentioned that I was opening a new business at the table. I was presuming that there would be some smiles uttering “I’m so proud of you.” Instead, it was an exercise in terror because the round robin conversations during the meal went something like this.
“You need a logo. Little Tiffany is such a great artist, have her make your logo. She’s so talented.” Oh Aunt Helen, Tiffany is 13 and unless the Whitney, MOMA, or Getty is beating down her door for a show. I think I’ll pass on this and whatever that salad is with the bug-sized, leggy brown flecks in it.
At that moment, my stinky aunt, Iris, yelled across the table, “Purple. It has to be purple. I just love purple.” Seriously, Aunt Iris? All this color theory expertise coming from someone wearing a different color of eye shadow over each eye. Along with the soupy mush that’s supposed to be green beans, I’ll pass again.
Suddenly, drunk uncle Gary chimes in from across the dining room. “Sexy. Your advertising needs to say that everything is sexy. That worked really well back in my day.” No Gary, that’s sex…ist. Please stop already and no I do not want any of that grey punch you’re sloshing.
My hip, Gen Z cousin, Jet, looked up from his phone and piped up with, “I’ll run your social media.” Why not? He’s the right age and a real whiz at it. He’ll even make videos for me and post them all over TikTok, Instagram, and the likes. As he continued to shoot me his ideas, I realized everything was about his feelings and not the business. Pass, pass, and pass whatever unrecognizable concoction is in this dish as well. Was that stuffing?
And my sister Sharon, apparently feeling like a neglected Jan Brady, suggests that she’ll be happy to make us company shirts. Not only will she silk screen them, she’s going to sew them as well. Because she just made her kids’ scrapped-out Halloween costumes for the first time, she considers herself a couturier.
My plate was empty so I excused myself to the kitchen where I found mom making a sandwich. She said, “Honey, you know they mean well. I love them and still won’t even let them walk the dog.”
She was right – keep the family out of it. It’s way too messy. While they have good intentions, it’s not always the best thing for the business because generally it’s all about them. I’ll get fresh perspectives from professionals, peers, and employees. I’ll hire the best help I can find and together, we as a company, will move forward in a positive, smart way. While family support is nice, it’s really best to have my associates’ buy-in and the professional help I need. And that’s how this will work.
It was the best sandwich I ever ate.
-PJ, Chief Creative
