The Spirit of the Family Business

Among the rewards of operating a family business is the diversity of responsibilities one shares and the extraordinary pride associated with the services a family organization provides. To be sure, drawing the lines between business and personal interests often becomes blurred. It's also very difficult to have the discipline to leave work at the office.

The family business has and will forever remain a staple component of business and industry—probably more on a regional front than a national one, but significant everywhere nonetheless.

We at Ingram’s have a pretty good feel for the dynamics of operating a family business and can empathize with each of our colleagues who share this distinction. My wife Michelle and I have operated Ingram’s Magazine and a number of other regional publications for many years. We certainly have our share of differences, and occasionally I might refer to our business relationship as “lovingly combative,” but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. One such advantage is that we can rely upon one another more than we typically would a non-family member or anyone else without “skin in the game.”

Consider for a moment the amount of time working people spend away from their families. Certainly one of the benefits of working with a spouse or family member is the opportunity to spend more time together. We try to create as much quality time on the job, and, as a result, each employee feels more like family than otherwise. The flipside, however, can be a challenge. Curt Catenhauser of Missouri Sewing Machine Company says of family members in this month’s, “It’s All Relative” feature on page 28, “You have people with devoted work ethics who are willing to work long hours without pay—but they also won’t hold back and will say what’s on their mind.”

Among the rewards of operating a family business is the diversity of responsibilities one shares and the extraordinary pride associated with the services a family organization provides. To be sure, drawing the lines between business and personal interests often becomes blurred. It’s also very difficult to have the discipline to leave work at the office. In short, running a family business is a bit of an art form, one that you can never fully master.

The key to running a family business effectively, like any business for that matter, is to identify each person’s responsibilities and to allow that person the autonomy to manage those responsibilities without compromise to the organization’s high standards.

Tradition and the Family Business

The families featured in this month’s Ingram’s are among the regions’ most distinctive. The Privitera family, for example, has built Mark One Electric to be arguably the most successful and respected electrical contractor in this part of the world. Each of the family members and the firm’s quality staff share distinct responsibilities and a vibrant passion for excellence. Mark One today is as much a part of the city’s building boom as the cranes in KC’s skyline.

Russ Sifers single-handedly resurrected VALOMILK from the ashes in the late 80s and quickly restored the art and tradition of producing KC’s favorite time-honored candy cups. Today, VALOMILK is operated by its forth and fifth generation and is celebrating its 103rd year.

Curt and Christy Catenhauser and their son Martin and their nephew Jeff Allison represent the third and fourth generation of Missouri Sewing Machine Company. Characters all—I remember Curt asking a few years back whether Ingram’s was planning anytime soon to feature forth generation sewing machine companies. Sure, Curt, why not a cover story on all of the many such firms in KC?

In truth, the Catenhauser family and Missouri Sewing Machine do deserve attention. We’re pleased to be in a position to recognize them and the good people at Mark One Electric and VALOMILK.

Our family at Ingram’s understands the importance of covering all relevant aspects of regional business and honoring the many families that work on the front lines of these unique and valued operations.

Regards,

Editor-In-Chief & Publisher

Editorial@IngramsOnLine.com