Before The Epiphany

What happens when your business partner is also your mum?

For Janine Williams and Eboni Fogerty, building a business together has meant learning where the family relationship ends and the business relationship begins.

Working with family can be one of the most rewarding things you do in business. It can also be one of the hardest.

In this episode, Janine Williams and Eboni Fogerty of Epiphany Group share what they have learned from building a business together as mother and daughter, while also helping other family-owned businesses navigate conflict, succession, growth and leadership.

They discuss why family dynamics can follow you into the boardroom, why the next generation sometimes needs to leave before they can successfully return, and what happens when a parent has to step back and let their child take control.

We also explore how to separate family issues from business issues, why difficult conversations are essential, and how trust, respect and self-awareness can make or break a family business.

Family relationships can bring years of history and emotion into business decisions. Creating clear boundaries helps separate what matters to the family from what is best for the business.

Sometimes the best thing a parent can do is step back. Leaving the business can also give the next generation the experience, maturity and confidence they need before returning.

Family businesses will inevitably face fear, ego, control and conflict. A foundation of trust and respect makes it possible to have those difficult conversations without destroying the relationship.

Key Takeaways

1. Family and business need different rules

2. The next generation needs room to grow

3. Trust makes difficult conversations possible

Timestamps

[00:00] When Sunday Lunch Becomes Monday's Board Meeting

[02:00] How Epiphany Group Untangles Family and Business

[04:30] Why the Family Dining Table Can Matter

[06:00] The Role of an Objective Third Party

[08:00] What Happens When Family Dynamics Enter the Business

[13:00] Why the Next Generation Sometimes Needs to Leave

[18:40] Why Janine and Eboni Don't Have a Reporting Relationship

[35:34] When Parents Hold Their Children Back

[38:42] When Janine Will Step Away

[40:21] The Biggest Warning About Working With Family

Links

• Epiphany Group
• Epiphany Group on LinkedIn
• Janine Williams on LinkedIn
• Eboni Fogerty on LinkedIn