working with family?

My 27 year old brother is my maintenance foreman. He is somewhat disorganized by nature, but give him a list and it gets done fast and right. My 21 year old sister assists in the hardscape end and drives truck better than most here. We all grew up in a rural area on a farm. None of these city kids even come close to their work ethic. Also, check with your agent----you may be able to save $$$ on comp charges

My 17 yr old son works for me.........but he seems to get a little lax at times. Fartin around in the house in the morning while the crew is loadin up the equipment...

Have to put an 11 up his butt on occasion

Originally posted by bastalker
Have to put an 11 up his butt on occasion

Click to expand...

i may sound ignorant but what does that mean?

Originally posted by bastalker
Have to put an 11 up his butt on occasion

Click to expand...

i may sound ignorant but what does that mean?

Putting an 11 up his but means sticking his foot in his but. 11 refering to his shoe size.

it works great for us.

My hubby is an integral part in our business, on-call maintenance guy, sound business advice guy, go-between for the real PITA customers that I have tangled w., on call employee. - couldn't survive without him - business or otherwise.

Also, had 2 of my stepsons work for us. The absolute best employees that we have ever had. Always on time, work hard even when the other employees slow down, and deal with customers in a mature manner. Currently, have the younger stepson ( 18) working full time w the crew. Couldn't ask for better employee. I never feel like I have to babysit or explain every single thing to him. We have had good experiences with them. They are young and moldable still. I dunno about older family members.

I've had family work for me before (Never WITH me - as a partner - that would be a nightmare) and I have had very limited success. One family member even had the gall to smoke pot on the job with another one of my workers and hide it from me. Needless to say, neither of them work for me anymore.

I did have one cousin who worked for me for one summer and did a pretty good job for an American guy (no American can outwork Latinos) but the second summer that he returned, he got very lax and eventually just didn't even show up for work one week.

Bad experiences for the most part, here. If I did it again, I'd keep them on a VERY tight leash.

Originally posted by jimlewis
I did have one cousin who worked for me for one summer and did a pretty good job for an American guy (no American can outwork Latinos) but the second summer that he returned, he got very lax and eventually just didn't even show up for work one week.

Click to expand...

Now Jim, why did you have to start that...you know when you say something like that, by classifying, you are going to start a pi$$ing match. Please, don't go there.

I would never work with family members. I would let family help me out in certain ways like for example if one was an electrician and I needed to wire a garage. Something like that is alright, but working with is another thing.

Bad Idea;If you want to make for interesting conversation at the next family gathering this is the best way to do it.I had to fire a relative and it started a Hatfield & McCoy situation.Jerry Springer couldn't have scripted a better show.I'm using two friends that are doing okay but;much like J.L. said they can't hold a candle next to my Mexican(they are Mexican so I can use this term unbiased) laborers.If you really know the family member I guess it's your call but make this decision very carefully.Good luck.

Originally posted by jimlewis
(no American can outwork Latinos)

Click to expand...

I have a 21 yr old white guy that would give any latino a run for thier money. I can understand him too!!

good for u bestalker... it takes need to bring out the best,, and the latinos have experienced more need,, than the mom pampered,, american young men. but givin time ,,the cream comes to the top ,no matter what race.again jmo.
ps that same pampering that mom gives.will make a man able to love freely and reach his full potential as a man ,after hes had time to mature. i know i fought my wife every step o the way as i thot she pampered our children. everyone is now light yrs. ahead of where i was at their age.

I personally don't mix business with family. This means not using any family members as workers. The only person I ask to help out occasionally if I really must have the help is my wife.


Gravely_Man

do you mind me asking if it compromised your relationship? Just curious. You don't have to answer if you don't want to.

My 16 year old son works with me, but I have to continually remind myself not to make long term plans that include him. For one thing, I don't want to drag him into this business if he'd rather do something else. Second of all, I can't figure out if he is lazy by nature or just doesn't have an eye for detail. It seems like after the 20th or 30th time that I inspect his work and show him all the stuff he has missed, that he would get a clue that "we ain't leaving til its all done and all done right - I might as well do it right the first time." My dream has always been to have a family business - something that I can hand down to my boys, but I have to keep reminding myself that that is my dream and not necessarily theirs.

Originally posted by jh88
Putting an 11 up his but means sticking his foot in his but. 11 refering to his shoe size.

Click to expand...

ok thanks

dan g can i borrow you're stuff i will at least fill it up with gas and greese it before i return it.

Mower_Babe,

If you're asking me that question,the answer is yes.
It has affected our relationship.
But in the end he's still my brother ,so I'll do what i can to help him, which gets my wife all ticked off at me.
She says he's got a jealousy issue with me, He wants what i have but doesn't want to put in the time and money to get to the stage i'm at.(wants it handed to him on a platter)

Dan