I’m taking over the family business. I’ll be a third generation owner. I will purchase it through contract for deed.
My father told me the number one thing he wanted to do was run the business better than my grandfather. I feel the same way, and sometimes I’m not quite sure how to vent my frustrations to my father on what he could do better.
He’s a terrific businessman who had brought our family comfort. Sometimes I think he has some blind spots.
How do I approach these things without being insulting?
I grew up in the auto industry and I can tell you that a not preparinh the third generation of owners, caused the failure of many car dealerships. First gen was extremely hard working most likely worked every level of the dealership to build it into some, Second gen was required to work hard if not harder then all the other employees to learn the business and continue to grow it, but they resented it and do the Third gen of a successful dealership was given a hold spoon, never had to do the hard work, never had to get their hands dirty, went to school with the rich kids, went to and expensive college, never had to really pay their own bills, drove the best and coolest cars the dealership had to offer, but never learned how to work with the employees that they viewed to be less then them, never learned to properly deal with customers, or how to actually to most of the duties required to run a successful dealership, ultimately a first or second gen dealer who has done really well buys them out and the small town home grow locally owned business is gone forever. Just my personal observations I was one of the working class in several dealerships and I watched this pattern repeat over and over again, we have a local Honda store going through it right now and it will be gone in the next couple years.
Worthington dealership in SoCal could be a case study. Gone.
Reminds me of the “cannonball theory” of immigrants. Basically what you described with the first gen having the most force and then the rest falling with gravity.
Great point, I grew up in California and you’re spot on.