Did you know that 90% of businesses are family owned?  Initially women were asked to join the family business as they were the caregiver of their families and it was thought they could continue this job within the family business. First it was asked as a “favor” and then their role was expanded based on  their talents.

My name is Rosann Levy and I want to welcome you to my “Women in the Family Business Forum” blog.  You might wonder – why write a blog for women who work with their families?  The answer: as women we wear many “hats.”   We are mothers, daughters, wives, significant others, sisters, grandmothers, married or single, and regardless of which hat we don sometimes our responsibilities can be overwhelming – we are continually dealing with which comes first – the family or the business.

Having founded and run The Family Business Council of Greater New York and facilitator of the Women in the Family Business Forum for 12 years, I am aware of the many issues women deal with working with their families in business on a day to day basis.  One of the things I learned when running the family business groups was that women felt they were alone, that they were the only one dealing with the myriad of issues working with their family in business.   But this is a universal problem; you are not alone!  I too, sometimes felt isolated when I worked with my husband and 2 of my sons, but when I started the Family Business Council, I soon learned we are not alone. Today I work with my husband in The Roart Group, and know there are many women in the same boat.

My goal is to share how we can improve our working relationship with our male colleagues, achieve our own successes, and clearly know our roles inside and outside the family business.

Think of my blog as a conversation in which we can discuss our identity, legitimacy, boundaries, our contributions, or simply separating the bedroom from the boardroom. Think of it as our conversation in which we can share stories.  I recall one women telling our group how she fought with her brother in the office over a stapler and it reminded her of a fight over a toy when they were kids.  There are so many more of these stories to tell.

Yes, as women we have made great strides, but considering how far we have come the man still picks up the check and we like that.  And women running the business are thought of as  “pushovers,” afraid to take risks.  Yet today, we are fighting to redefine our roles and gain the respect we so rightfully deserve.

Some questions to think about:  As a wife, do you work for your husband or with your husband?  Are we still looking for approval?  Do we still want to be taken care of?  Do we want to grow and become independent?  Do we want to make change, become empowered all which leads to our success.

So join my conversation and make your voice heard.  I welcome you input, your stories, your challenges and successes.  Let’s explore together and through our dialogue,  empower one another as we establish our true identities.

You are not alone!  You make up part of that 90% of family owned business.  So unleash your power, harness your creative energy and join me in my “Women in The Family Business Forum” blog.

Till we meet again…..Family Matters!

 

 

 

 

 

Rosann Levy, President, The Roart Group, LLC