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Some of the world’s longest-running and most successful businesses are family-run. The shared ethos and values in families make for good common ground, and the commitment and stability in management can be greater than in publicly traded corporations. However, without some important guidelines, your company can easily turn into a Succession-type situation where dysfunctionality and nepotism smother the business.
Sawyer Solutions has been family-owned and operated since its founding in 2011. Ken Sawyer, our founder, has always had a passion that’s very clear, “I love to make things work – I love to build solutions!” This passion has been the underlying current for all the work we do, and the torch is being carried on by Ken’s son, Benji Sawyer. But passion alone isn’t enough to build a successful business! Here are a few things we’ve learned over the years when it comes to running a family business.
Meet the full Sawyer Solutions team here!
First, Light the Fire
If you don’t believe in what you do, it will show. As you can see, the passion behind Sawyer Solutions is in the name! Solutions. Our number one goal is to bring together ideas, people, and technology to create the best solutions available, customized to your IT problems. We are here to make your life easier by fixing your technology and making sure your systems are set up to protect and grow your business.
Then, Make Sure You Are On the Same Page
Communication is key in everything we do. Who are we and what do we do? It is just as important to communicate this vision to our employees as it is to our clients. It can be deadly if you assume your management team is on the same page when in reality each member is pursuing separate goals. Don’t let personal issues bleed into, and bleed out your business!
Constantly Seek to Evolve
If you do things the way you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. An easy adage to take on paper, but can you put it into practice? Can you grow? Can you learn from each other? Changing with the times is essential for any business, especially multi-generational family businesses. Don’t get stuck in your ways just because it’s worked before; don’t let tradition squash innovation.
It’s Not Just A Family Business…
You want to run a successful business, not spend all day every day at a family reunion. There is a world of talent out there. It is crucially important to recruit from the outside for new minds and fresh ideas. Successful family companies tap into this talent pool for skills and expertise family members don’t have.
…But You Can All Still Be A Family
However, successful family-owned businesses treat everyone like family, whether they are relatives or not. This includes employees AND customers. Do you value what they say? Do you want what’s best for them? You spend most of your day with your coworkers and clients, and that’s a bond worth treating with the highest value.
Plan For The Future
Ken had turned a vision into a successful reality, but in order to retain that success, the company needed a long-term strategy. Several months ago, Benji took over as CEO of the business. Ken is still CFO and plays a role, but Benji’s leadership is taking Sawyer Solutions to new places. You can’t run your business forever. Make sure you have a solid plan in place to take your business into the future.
And Don’t Forget, Have Fun!
At Sawyer Solutions, we love what we do, and we love doing it. Just because we know everything about computers doesn’t mean we don’t love a good joke!
If you want to know more about our family business, or realize that your family business needs some quality IT services to keep you growing and thriving, contact us here!