11 Things You’ll Understand If You Work In A Family Business

N.B This post was originally published in August 2016.

Ah, family business – it’s so much fun. Just kidding, it’s basically a low-level hell that you have to endure because of DNA. Here are things you’ll know to be true if you’ve ever worked in a family business environment:

1. All the employees are people you grew up around.

’Abu Fadi’ used to carry me around and buy me toys. Fast-forward twenty-five years and I have to reprimand ‘Abu Fadi’ for showing up late to work. It’s the shitty circle of life.

2. Work doesn’t end when you leave the office.

Your parent/relative will feel completely comfortable calling you up at 11:30 PM to discuss the fate of some bank transaction.

3. Family dinners can get awkward..

Have you ever screwed up something major and literally cost your family thousands of dollars? Well, sit down. There’s koussa for dinner and you will sit there and act normal.

4. Getting a raise is almost impossible.

Unless you give yourself one.

5. You’re somehow simultaneously the manager, janitor, and accountant.

I would also make coffee and drive clients around.

6. It comes with quite a bit of judgement.

Get ready for people’s judgmental looks when you tell them you work for the family business, they’ll automatically assume you couldn’t find a job so your parents gifted you one.

7. The biggest perk is having a private bathroom.

That’s basically it. That’s the big accomplishment, that you don’t have to share a bathroom with 30 strangers.

8. It also comes with plenty of assumption.

People assume you can take time off whenever you want, belittling your job in doing so.

9. Things can get dicey when more relatives become involved.

It’s most difficult to manage a relative (like a cousin, sibling, niece, or nephew) without them taking your management skills personally.

10. Everyone in the industry knows you as bint/ibn someone.

They also knew your grandfather. Fun!

11. You have to hear a million stories every damn day.

I would say around 90% of family business is comprised of smiling and nodding while a client regales you with tales about your father, how long they’ve known each other, and how poor they both were.