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Being part of a family business can be rewarding in several ways. As part owners, family members have equity in the operation, and they are decision makers. Unlike working for “someone else,” there is also a degree of independence and an added sense of job security. But having equity, being a decision maker, and having a sense of independence and job security pales in comparison to some of the other advantages of working with your parents and siblings, according to Kurt Bland, CLP, CLT, one of two brothers who work for Bland Landscaping Co., Inc., in Apex, North Carolina.

“One of the biggest rewards that my brother Matt and I have is being in a position to learn from our father, who is both a leader and visionary. He has the uncanny ability to surround himself with great people and to encourage them to reach their fullest potential. To be able to learn from him will be invaluable for us as we grow as individuals and as managers.”

Tom and Nancy Bland started their company in 1976, and the business became incorporated six years later. Brothers Kurt and Matt grew up working in the industry; after graduating from college, they worked elsewhere for a couple of years before returning to home.

“The family formed a pact that Matt and I would work elsewhere before coming back to work in the family business,” Kurt recalls. “Part of that agreement also implied that we could return only after working in managerial positions.” Kurt graduated with degrees in horticulture and agribusiness management and worked for a landscape contractor in California. Matt graduated with degrees in financial management, economics, and accounting and went to work for IBM. Kurt retuned home in 2002, and Matt came back last year, both having fulfilled their obligations.

Kurt says, “We found it difficult to work for another company knowing where our hearts truly were. Yet, our parents put the experience in perspective, telling us that it was the real-life extension of our college experience. Later, I realized the value of working for someone else is not necessarily in what you learn new to bring back to the table, although that is important. For me, the value was realized in what I brought back for myself. I found out what it means to manage without having the final decision on important issues. I was learning the social architecture that makes up a company, and it gave me the opportunity to put myself in our employees’ shoes and understand some of the frustrations they may feel when working for us.”

Kurt has a couple of other tips for business-aspiring family members. “Since we are a relatively large company that employs approximately 135 people, it is especially important to run the business professionally. We try to avoid mixing personal and work issues, and we never use the company as a family bank. There is a succession plan in place, and my parents have been very open about sharing that plan with employees.”

“The company also takes advantage of outside expertise for both succession and strategic planning,” he continues, noting that it is all too easy for families to become insulated in their business approach. “My parents routinely seek advice from key employees, too.” Every year, Bland Landscaping Company goes offsite with the management team for a two- or three-day strategic planning retreat. It may be a family-owned business, but having the respect and support from employees is critical for continued success and growth.

Kurt emphasizes that employees are made to feel like part of the family. In fact, one of the Blands’ proudest moments came at the company’s 25th anniversary celebration four years ago. At that event, company employees created an endowment fund at North Carolina State University in the name of Tom and Nancy Bland. The fund currently sponsors a $500 scholarship, and it is steadily growing. “Every year since the fund was created, we have asked employees to contribute to it rather than giving us a Christmas gift,” relates Kurt. “Our mother and father, and the company, matches that contribution. Just having our employees create the fund was a tremendous feeling for all of us. It not only confirmed the mutual respect that we have for each other, but it reinforced the fact that we are all part of the same family, in this case, working to give someone else an opportunity to join the industry.”

When asked again about having fun in the business, Kurt thinks back several years. He recalls having conversations with Matt about what they would do one day if they worked together in the business. “Matt always liked working with numbers and wanted to manage the company’s finances. I was more of a production person and wanted to be involved with the day-to-day operation. We knew what we wanted to do as youngsters, and being able to fulfill our dreams was rewarding. Fulfilling those dreams while working together in a family environment just made it that much more fun for us.”

3/05

By Rod Dickens, PLANET Contributing Writer