Mixing family with business unearths a whole new set of small business concerns. It doesn’t have to be like mixing oil and water. Nevertheless, it can add a very challenging dynamic to any small business. (If you do not own a family business, you can stop reading now. Some of these problems will have never crossed your mind.)

Several years ago, we were helping a small family business with their marketing and graphics. Part of our recommendation included a change in their logo. It was causing misperceptions. “No, we can’t change the logo,” the owner responded, “because my Mother-In-Law designed that.” Further conversations identified the owner as figurehead. Meet Paris Stroika. She called the shots. If you married Paris’s kid, Paris was your first and biggest business problem. Paris’s biggest concern is not the health of your business. This mama bear was on a bender to protect her baby from any peril. During the busy months, she went so far as to speak rudely to clients in the office. She desired to protect her child from “all those demanding customers” that were making her baby work so much overtime. Her intimidation ranged from strong hints to unsolicited advice to applying emotional embargos. “If you know what is good for you,” was the silent propaganda.

Unfortunately, Paris was not on the payroll, so they could not fire her.

Family power plays can hold a business hostage. These are serious challenges for any small business. If you are only making business decisions to keep peace in the family, you don’t have a real business. Will the real leader please stand up?

This is why we love small business. It is breakdown before breakthrough. You should not have to choose between a healthy business and a happy family. Pressures like this can be the catalyst to transform passive people into leaders. Resolving these pressures can even improve a marriage. Small business becomes a platform for personal and professional development.

If you are experiencing such problems in your business, seek an experienced coach or a mentor to help you navigate difficult family dynamics, and to bolster your courage and honesty. They can help you open up the communication and draw clear boundaries between business and personal relationships. The ties that bind can once again become a blessing instead of a straight-jacket. And your business will be free to become all it can be.

In the 26 years that we have been helping small companies with their marketing and advertising, we have seen almost every kind of difficulty one can imagine. Throughout this month, we are sharing some of the most common problems using fictitious characters in a humorous way. While all of the details in these stories are true, the names have been changed, to protect the guilty. Should any of the stories sound familiar, it is our desire that they would help steer you around some pitfalls. Stay tuned for more Complex Characters of Capitalism.