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Running a business with your spouse, kids, parents, or other family members can be incredible.It can also get messy fast.When nobody knows exactly what they're responsible for, business problems become family problems. Roles overlap. People start micromanaging each other. Work follows you home. And suddenly you're talking about customers and employees while lying in bed at night.

In this episode, Tim and Derek get into what they've learned from building businesses with family—and the mistakes they wish they'd avoided.They break down why clear roles matter, how to keep business out of your personal life, why every family member needs ownership and autonomy, and how a shared vision can get everyone rowing in the same direction.

Chapters

00:00 The Reality of Family Businesses

00:34 Why We Started Our Own Businesses

03:29 What Employees Don't See About Ownership

05:24 The Hidden Cost of Running a Business

07:35 What Your Employees Actually Need

09:32 Why Business Owners Need an Outlet

10:44 How Family Gets Pulled Into the Business

11:40 Family and Business Relationships Are Different

12:02 The Biggest Family Business Mistake

12:23 Define Everyone's Role

13:52 Communication Changes Everything

15:28 Keep the Business Out of the Bedroom

16:33 You Need a Life Outside the Business

17:59 Respect Each Other's Time

18:44 Get Clear on Responsibilities

18:50 Build a Shared Family Business Vision

19:40 Look in the Mirror First

20:01 Treat Family Members With Respect

21:16 Stop Assuming You Have All the Answers

23:12 Let Other People Solve the Problem

24:54 The Simple Advice for Family Businesses

Working with family doesn't have to destroy your relationships.Get clear about who's responsible for what. Give people ownership. Communicate like professionals. Build a shared vision. And create boundaries so the business doesn't consume the family you built it for in the first place.Subscribe to The Contractor Fight for straight-talk conversations about sales, leadership, profit, people, and building a contracting business worth owning.

Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight, host of Contractor Fight TV, entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having by becoming the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you'll find straight-talk training on sales, pricing, profit, leadership, marketing, mindset, and what it really takes to build a Strong You, Strong Home, and Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊