{"id":6361,"date":"2025-07-02T17:50:48","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T17:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brokenarrowwear.com\/blog\/?p=6361"},"modified":"2025-11-22T00:15:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T00:15:42","slug":"if-my-kids-ever-want-to-run-the-family-business-heres-10-things-id-want-them-to-know-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brokenarrowwear.com\/blog\/if-my-kids-ever-want-to-run-the-family-business-heres-10-things-id-want-them-to-know-first\/","title":{"rendered":"If My Kids Ever Want to Run the family Business\u2026 Here\u2019s 10 Things I\u2019d want them to know first."},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>15 Minute, 5 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n

Family businesses don\u2019t come with a manual. After 15 years running the one my mom started, these are the 10 truths I\u2019d want my kids to hear\u2014before they ever step into my shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was around 7 years old the first time I remember carefully catching freshly screen printed t-shirts as they came off of the dryer. Our family business started when I was three, so it’s basically been woven into my DNA. I grew up counting shirts, making deliveries and talking about business at the family dinner table. Even back then, watching my parents work their butts off to build something from nothing, I knew I wanted to run it someday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, 36 years after it started and 15 years after I gradually took over from my parents, our little family business has grown into a multi-million-dollar custom apparel company. I’d like to think we qualify as part of the only 30% of second-generation businesses that actually succeed\u2014and with studies showing only 13% make it to the third generation, those odds feel both humbling and daunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that my kids are getting older and starting to talk about working in the business too, it got me thinking about everything I wish I had known before diving headfirst into this world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth is, being a second-generation business owner comes with unique challenges that most entrepreneurs never face. You’re not just building a business, you’re carrying forward a legacy, managing family dynamics, and often feeling the weight of not wanting to be the generation that lets it all fall apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, without further ado, here are 10 things I’d want my kids to know about taking over the family business and living the entrepreneurial lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. It\u2019s almost impossible to fully separate work from personal.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve always tried<\/em> to keep emotions out of the workplace\u2014especially when they don\u2019t help anything. Walking in the door in a bad mood doesn\u2019t do anyone any good, and making emotional decisions usually bites you in the ass. I\u2019ve gotten pretty good at thinking before I speak and trying to stay level-headed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at the end of the day\u2026 my mom is still my mom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are times when she\u2019s trying to help me improve, and all I feel is disappointment in myself\u2014like I\u2019ve let her down. Even if that\u2019s not what she meant at all, it hits different when it\u2019s your mom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth is, you\u2019re never going to fully separate the personal and the professional. There\u2019s always going to be some overlap. But you can<\/em> figure out how to work with it\u2014manage expectations, set boundaries, and have the kind of honest conversations that make it easier to leave work at work (and not bring work home). It takes practice, but it\u2019s doable.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Crying doesn\u2019t change anything \u2013 and nor does stressing.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You know how some life moments just rewire your brain? I had one of those in 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had just been struck by lightning\u2014which sounds dramatic, because it was. In an instant, everything started to unravel. Our server got hit, and suddenly we couldn\u2019t access quotes, orders, or any of our systems. I was 27, standing in our production facility, completely overwhelmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I got a call from Ann\u2014my mom\u2019s business partner, who\u2019s basically known me my entire life. A tech from HP had just told her that our server probably wasn\u2019t salvageable. It was the worst-case scenario, and I felt instantly shocked and overwhelmed. She must\u2019ve heard it in my voice too, because when I started to break down, she said something I\u2019ll never forget:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKortni, crying isn\u2019t going to change anything.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ouch.<\/strong> It stung. But she was right\u2014and I needed to hear it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That moment stuck with me. Not because it was cold, but because it was honest. When everything feels like it\u2019s crashing down, you can cry, you can panic, you can stress\u2014but it\u2019s just not a productive use of energy. I shift my mind set to problem-solving instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. You\u2019ll never have a 9 to 5.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Running a business means you show up when you\u2019re needed – not just when it\u2019s convenient. Some days I stay late because my team is still working, and it feels wrong to leave. Other days, it\u2019s a customer emergency or equipment failure. And sometimes\u2026 you find yourself driving across state lines for t-shirts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2013, the Butter Cow at the Iowa State Fair was vandalized. We jumped into action and launched a \u201cButter Cow Security\u201d shirt as a joke\u2014and it sold out in hours. It was a Friday, and reordering blanks from our vendor meant we wouldn\u2019t get more shirts until Monday. That didn\u2019t work for me because it didn\u2019t work for the customer. I dropped what I was doing and hopped in the cargo van with a friend and drove to Minnesota to pick up blanks by 7PM that same night from a t-shirt blank supplier. We drove home that night. By 5AM Saturday, a team was printing. By 10AM, fresh shirts were delivered to the Fair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tees ended up being one of their largest fundraising events, so it was more than worth it. That wouldn\u2019t have happened if I only worked 9 to 5. The truth is: the business doesn\u2019t run on a clock. And if you want to lead it, neither can you.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. There is great power in these two words: \u201cI\u2019m Sorry\u201d<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even when it\u2019s hard, I\u2019ve learned that saying \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u201d can completely shift the tone of a conversation. It disarms defensiveness and changes the dynamic in the moment\u2014which can change the outcome altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had a little kerfuffle recently with a vendor rep I\u2019d worked with for years. I heard he was upset with me\u2014so naturally, I got a little upset with him, too. Things went downhill from there. When he came by to show us new products, I wasn\u2019t exactly excited. Truthfully, I felt uncomfortable in my own \u201chome,\u201d which just wasn\u2019t going to work\u2014and certainly wasn\u2019t going to lead to anything productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, I walked right up to him and said something like, \u201cHey, I\u2019m not sure what I did to upset you, but if I did\u2014I\u2019m really sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I could actually see the weight lift off his shoulders. Turns out, he was feeling just as uneasy about it as I was. Within a few minutes, we realized it was all a misunderstanding. We laughed, moved on, and honestly\u2014I left that conversation with more respect for him than I\u2019d ever had. All because I was willing to put my ego aside in that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I\u2019ve learned is this: saying \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u201d doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re wrong. It doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re giving in. It just means you care more about moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. You don\u2019t get to just walk away.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When times get tough\u2014and trust me, they do\u2014you don\u2019t get to just walk away. You can\u2019t update your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 and start job hunting. You can\u2019t clock out and leave the stress at your desk. When it\u2019s your name on the line and your team counting on you, quitting isn\u2019t an option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are days I don\u2019t love my job. Days I\u2019m tired, burned out, frustrated, or overwhelmed. But I don\u2019t get to dwell in that space for long. I\u2019ve got people relying on me\u2014not just my family, but the team who shows up every day, whose livelihood depends on the decisions I make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I\u2019ve learned is that I do<\/em> have control\u2014but it\u2019s not about escaping. It\u2019s about making changes. If I feel stuck or unhappy, I have the power to figure out why and fix it. And more often than not, solving the thing that\u2019s making me want to \u201cquit\u201d ends up making the business better for everyone else, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The upside? I know exactly where I\u2019ll be tomorrow\u2014and next week, and next year. That stability keeps me moving forward. It gives me purpose. It forces me to grow. And even on the hard days, I wouldn\u2019t trade that for anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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6. You can change peoples lives, like actually<\/em> change their lives.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I know it sounds clich\u00e9, and maybe you\u2019re already rolling your eyes\u2014but hear me out. This is one of those things I didn\u2019t fully understand until I lived it: you can<\/em> change someone\u2019s life. Like, change it. And sometimes, they\u2019ll change yours right back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had an intern from Malaysia working with us while she was on a student visa. She needed a sponsor to stay in the United States after school, and she asked me, and I said yes. Fast forward a few years\u2014she got her H1B, then her green card, and now she\u2019s a permanent resident. I\u2019m not saying I did it all\u2014she<\/em> did the work\u2014but I helped open the door. And in return, she\u2019s become a major support in our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saying yes to her wasn\u2019t just a smart move for the company\u2014it made me<\/em> better, too. She shared her culture, introduced me to new foods, and reminded me that while we all come from different places, we\u2019re more alike than not. One of my favorite things about her is that she accepts me exactly as I am\u2014even when I ask a million questions about her culture, religion, language, whatever. She never makes me feel silly or ignorant. She sees my curiosity as what it is: a desire to learn and understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether it\u2019s celebrating a new baby, navigating a divorce, or just riding out the everyday ups and downs, this role gives me a front-row seat to support the people I work with. And that\u2019s not something I take lightly. Being in a position to help make someone\u2019s life a little better\u2014that\u2019s one of the greatest privileges of being the one in charge.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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7. Choosing a partner that supports this endeavor is a pretty big deal.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There have been nights I\u2019ve worked until 2AM and had to be back at it by 5. There have been weekends where all of our plans got tossed out the window because something came up at work. And there have been plenty of days when I\u2019ve come home totally drained, crabby, and not exactly a ray of sunshine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This job doesn\u2019t come with a normal schedule. It takes a partner who can roll with the chaos\u2014who doesn\u2019t blink when I don\u2019t know what time I\u2019ll be home, who picks up the slack when I can\u2019t, and who gets that sometimes our life revolves around the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve been married 15 years now, and over time, we\u2019ve found our groove. He\u2019s heard so much about work that he\u2019s basically part of the team\u2014coming up with ideas for our social media skits, helping brainstorm shirt designs for the local school, or even restocking the office vending machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He knew what he was signing up for\u2026 kind of. But let\u2019s be real\u2014neither of us really understood how much this job would take, or how much it would give. Through the stress, the wins, and all the unexpected stuff in between\u2014he\u2019s been there. And without that kind of support at home, this whole thing would be a lot harder.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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8. You\u2019ll never be a traditional parent.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not the mom who\u2019s home at 4PM when the bus pulls up. Most of my kids\u2019 friends eat dinner around 5:00\u2014but I\u2019m still at work then. We usually eat around 8PM, and that\u2019s just what works for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, it\u2019s hard. One time, I got a photo from our neighbor of her and my daughter making cookies after school\u2014and I wasn\u2019t there. That stung. I missed a memory. But I also get to do the random middle-of-the-day school activities, and I\u2019m just down the street if my kids ever really need me. And they know I\u2019ll show up\u2014no question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope that what I\u2019m showing them is that work ethic and sacrifice matter. That being successful and present aren\u2019t mutually exclusive. I had two entrepreneurial parents myself, and at the time, I didn\u2019t realize how \u201cnot normal\u201d our life was. But now? I\u2019m grateful for it. I grew up watching what it means to work hard and still show up for your family\u2014and I hope one day, they\u2019ll feel the same.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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9. No matter how much money you have, you can never buy time.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mark Cuban said this once on Shark Tank, and it stuck with me\u2014but I didn\u2019t really<\/em> get it until I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, I understood time was valuable. But in those first few days after my diagnosis, before I knew what the prognosis was, the concept of time completely changed. Suddenly, I didn\u2019t know if I\u2019d be here in six months\u2026 a year\u2026 to see my daughter graduate or get married someday. Any illusion I had of being in control of time? Gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, I\u2019ve made some real changes. I put my phone down more. I say yes to more cruises. I adjusted our business hours from 6:00 to 5:30 so my whole team gets more time at home. I can\u2019t always say yes to everything, but work and money became one<\/em> variable\u2014not the<\/em> variable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cancer gave me the greatest gift of all \u2013 perspective. I don\u2019t take this for granted, I feel blessed that I can see things in a completely different way.  They say its life changing, and it really is. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let me ask you:
If you knew you had less than 6 months left, what would you do differently today? I doubt anyone would say they\u2019d work more.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

10. You\u2019ll be living on a prayer \u2013 literally.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I was raised in the church thanks to my mom, and I\u2019m so grateful for that foundation of faith. Running a business is hard. Like, really<\/em> hard. And there have been more moments than I\u2019d like to admit when all I could do was pray and hope it would all work out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of those moments came right at the beginning of COVID. A customer\u2014one that ordered every year \u2014called to let me know they were canceling their annual event. Just like that, we had lost our first covid order. That\u2019s when it hit me: this wasn\u2019t going to be a blip. This was going to be a big deal..<\/em> And I had absolutely no control over what was coming next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I did what I\u2019ve done in all of the scariest moments\u2014I moved forward in faith. I didn\u2019t know the answers. I couldn\u2019t predict the outcome. But I believed we\u2019d get through it. And we did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re going to survive in this kind of role, you\u2019ve got to have something<\/em>\u2014a reason to keep going, a belief in something bigger than the mess in front of you, or at least a way to talk yourself through the hard stuff. For me, that\u2019s faith. It’s what carried me through the darkest days, and it\u2019s never let me down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running a family business like Broken Arrow Wear definitely isn\u2019t always sunshine and rainbows\u2014but it\u2019s been one of the most meaningful parts of my life. I\u2019ve made mistakes, figured stuff out the hard way, and grown right alongside this company. I\u2019m proud to say we\u2019ve made it to a second generation, and if my kids ever decide they want to carry it into the third, I hope these little nuggets give them a leg up. And hey\u2014if you\u2019re out there trying to navigate your own version of this kind of journey, I hope something here helps. It\u2019s hard. But it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’d leave to hear from you! What would you want your kids to know if they decided to follow the same career path that you did? Let me know in the comments \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n