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I worked at a job for 4-5 years before leaving to assist with the family business. Around 5 months into this role, I identified issues with setting priorities and communication.
Our family business in the natural stone industry was established by my grandfather approximately 50 years ago. Over time, more family members joined, while some pursued independent ventures and left the business. We are now the 3rd generation involved, with my grandfather still contributing part-time.
The biggest and most glaring issue is the debt that was accumulated by the previous generation because they made bad investments. They were not calculated risks, but more like careless spending and borrowing so as a result of that we are forced to work more hours because we can't afford to hire new people. The debt is steadily being repaid but until then we have to sit tight for a few more years.
Our business specializes in high-quality materials with fewer customers but higher profit margins (20-30%) compared to competitors. When it comes to construction materials, the people who want cheap, lightning fast delivery and good quality at the same time bring a lot of headaches and much teeth grinding so we are able to weed these people out quickly due to the nature of our products and how we process them. It's not that we don't get difficult customers, but when we do, this is where we rub more salt to our wounds.
My grandfather's impatience and insistence on outdated methods often disrupt workflow. Despite my brothers' expertise in handling major client projects, clashes arise with my grandfather's inflexibility. This causes frustration within the family, and despite efforts to streamline operations, my grandfather's resistance persists.
As a newcomer to the business, I lack the authority to address these issues directly. However, I am focused on organizing tasks and implementing incremental improvements to enhance efficiency. I like the challenge of figuring out how to fill in the gaps in efficiency and it makes me very happy when employees start implementing new ideas and make incremental improvements. Nevertheless, my grandfather's stubbornness remains a recurring obstacle for us to navigate.
My brothers and I have no clue how to deal with that, and even if our debt was wiped off instantly and managed to hire more people, we would still be unhappy because of that issue.
Our family business in the natural stone industry was established by my grandfather approximately 50 years ago. Over time, more family members joined, while some pursued independent ventures and left the business. We are now the 3rd generation involved, with my grandfather still contributing part-time.
The biggest and most glaring issue is the debt that was accumulated by the previous generation because they made bad investments. They were not calculated risks, but more like careless spending and borrowing so as a result of that we are forced to work more hours because we can't afford to hire new people. The debt is steadily being repaid but until then we have to sit tight for a few more years.
Our business specializes in high-quality materials with fewer customers but higher profit margins (20-30%) compared to competitors. When it comes to construction materials, the people who want cheap, lightning fast delivery and good quality at the same time bring a lot of headaches and much teeth grinding so we are able to weed these people out quickly due to the nature of our products and how we process them. It's not that we don't get difficult customers, but when we do, this is where we rub more salt to our wounds.
My grandfather's impatience and insistence on outdated methods often disrupt workflow. Despite my brothers' expertise in handling major client projects, clashes arise with my grandfather's inflexibility. This causes frustration within the family, and despite efforts to streamline operations, my grandfather's resistance persists.
As a newcomer to the business, I lack the authority to address these issues directly. However, I am focused on organizing tasks and implementing incremental improvements to enhance efficiency. I like the challenge of figuring out how to fill in the gaps in efficiency and it makes me very happy when employees start implementing new ideas and make incremental improvements. Nevertheless, my grandfather's stubbornness remains a recurring obstacle for us to navigate.
My brothers and I have no clue how to deal with that, and even if our debt was wiped off instantly and managed to hire more people, we would still be unhappy because of that issue.
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