I’m pro relationships in business. I have a very small family but a very large team, and a huge portion of the team legitimately feel like family. We behave, support and socialise in that way.

Would I employ a family member? Yes, I would.

Have I done it before? Yes I have.

Has it worked before? Yes it has.

Has it gone wrong before? Yes it has.

But ultimately it comes down to the hire.

If you’re hiring someone that has the skill-set and the level of performance to do the job, to me it’s a little bit of a bonus to work with family in business.

There’s got to be very clear boundaries in place, and ultimately you’ve gotta have a very strong relationship.

I have seen relationships fail as a result of working together. It’s fair to say, me working with my ex-wife is a great example.

Would I say that working with my ex-wife contributed to our relationship breaking down?
Yes, I would say that – absolutely.

I think there’s gotta be a level of understanding of how to navigate and manage those familial relationships to ensure that they stay happy and healthy.

To me, it’s about the quality of that relationship, of the communication and trust, and a level of awareness around knowing, is this a good idea or is this a train wreck waiting to happen and we’re just gonna hang on and hope for the best?

For me, it comes down to the individuals.

Hopefully, that helps.