Family Company Memories

I grew up on a family business. My father started a music business when I was about three years old. We always called it our family business because we helped with some of the small tasks of the family business. For example when my brother and I were still small kids we would help with the family business by cleaning cassette tape shells. The cassette tapes had a white ink that would wash off with rubbing alcohol so that the cassette shells could be re-used. Our family business was started in the basement of my grandparents house. So, it really was even more of a family company or family business than just our immediate family. The success of the family business was the hope of all the family members involved.
 
The music family business my dad started sold music services that would provide accompaniment music for pageant singers. Pageants were really big in the eighties so he could sell a lot of cassette tapes as well as provide recording studio services. Family members helped to spread the word, but part of being a pro business was to get marketing out beyond our family members social circles and influence.
 
So, our family company and family business started going to trade-shows where all types of musicians and music businesses come together to share ideas and market to the attendees. We had employees and family members go to the trade-shows. I have fond memories of going to the family business trade-shows. Family members and business employees would set up the business booth. There was often some type of music booth that our family business had where attendees could sing along with the accompaniment music services provided by the family business music booth. It was a fun business services booth to attend. I remember going around to the hundreds of other business booths around and collecting free key-chains and free marketing things that were fun to keep as kids. My other young family members enjoyed the same.
 
As the music business changes today with digital technology our family business has changed a lot as well. No longer does the family business make cassette tapes, that's for sure. Now the family business is basically run by all family members. I have since quit working for the family business, but I still think of the family business often and if I get any business ideas I pass them on to the family members who are still working hard to keep the family business going.
 
A business analyst came along several times to ask if we wanted to sell the family business, but the family business was and is more than just about the money. The family business is about working together and continuing to make a living for family members. The family business/family company provides services such as training and skills development to employees and family members. The family business/family company provides a sense of unity when family members work together to achieve a success. The family business/family company is family owned and will be family owned until there are no other family members interested in owning the family company.