FSR November 2022

YourTake BY WILL GARDNER

All intheFamily Bringing your children into the family business can be a professionally and personally fulfilling

experience—when properly executed.

AS I LOOK BACK on my entrepreneur ial journey, I can’t help but think about how much it’s meant to have my family along for the ride. Frommy early days as a server at the Angry Crab Shack inMesa, Arizona, to running my own three loca tions, they’ve been a part of it all—and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My sons’ experience at Angry Crab Shack began when we attended the grand opening of the Phoenix location, which was owned by a friend. Before we’d even made it out of the parking lot, they asked when we could go back. Today, all four of them work at my Happy Valley, Arizona, location. Bring ing them on board was an easy deci sion—after all, many teenagers and young adults have their first jobs in the restaurant industry. Plus, the skills learned in foodservice are transferable into almost any other career path, from time management and exceptional inter personal skills to understanding just how important excellent customer ser vice is at any company. But for all its rewards, working with your own children does come with its challenges. Below are five steps to help operators mitigate workplace conflict, strike the right balance between per sonal and professional, and reap the

ANGRY CRAB SHACK OFFERS SOUPS, SALADS, SANDWICHES, AND BASKETS, BUT THE BUILD YOUR-OWN SEAFOOD BOILS ARE ITS TOP SELLER.

many benefits that can come fromwork ing with family.

them accountable and help them learn, just as I would for any of my workers. You will not be doing your kids any favors by putting them above workplace poli cies and procedures. Instilling a strong work ethic and encouraging them to take responsibility is what will ultimately help them succeed. I love having my sons work at my res taurant, but I know they have their own dreams, too. Ranging in age from 17 to 26, they’re still finding themselves. It’s important to remind yourself that your vision for your kids may not always align with theirs—and theirs matters a whole lot more. If they choose to remain in the res Step 2: Understand their vision may differ from yours

Step 1: Set clear expectations When it comes to onboarding employees, communication is key. This is evenmore important when they are also your kids. There needs to be a clear line between your familial relationship and your work relationship. Historically, one of the hardest parts of working with relatives is two-fold: Not only is it critical to avoid giving them special treatment, it’s also crucial your family and other team members know that to be the case, too. I made it clear from the beginning that although my sons are family, I would be treating them like any other employee. When they make mistakes, I hold

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NOVEMBER 2022