What working with a parent can teach you about family, boundaries and business

Your relationship with your business co-founder can be challenging, from financial stresses to conflicting visions and decisions giving rise to potential disagreements. But what happens when the person jointly responsibility for the future of the company is also your parent?
When my travels in South East Asia inspired me to turn a family connection to hibiscus tea into a business, my Dad a was a natural choice of business partner – bringing the operational discipline and financial experience that would be needed to build a successful company.

Of course, we had some reservations about mixing family and business. We knew it could be difficult and that the lines between personal and professional would likely blur. But we trusted each other, knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and shared the same values and long-term ambition. Six years on, it’s turned out to be a fantastic decision, and there are a few lessons we’ve learned along the way:

Respect both relationships
The most important thing we’ve learned is you must respect both relationships. Regarding the business, speaking honestly and holding each other accountable is critical; but once we’re ‘off the clock’, we’re still just father and son, which is exactly how it should be. It isn’t easy, particularly when the business is facing challenges, but we make sure we remember that no order, retailer or business disagreement is more important than our relationship.

Maintain clear areas of ownership
While our responsibilities sometimes overlap, having clear areas of ownership helps accelerate decision-making and reduces the chance of stepping on each other’s toes. Mainly, I look after the sales, marketing, partnerships, and our outward-facing brand vision. Dad leads on the finance, operations and structural elements of the business. We find having clearly defined areas of responsibility works well.

Press pause on disagreements
We focus on factual matters: what’s best for the business? Can we afford it? Does it support our long-term strategy? Bringing different perspectives to the table can be useful, as I tend to work quickly and focus on opportunity while Dad is more focused on practicalities – often challenging the numbers and analysing potential risk. When an obvious answer isn’t immediately identified, we’ve found pausing the conversation and revisiting it once emotions have settled is a great strategy. We don’t always agree immediately, but we understand and respect each other’s opinions and the value they bring to the business.

Respect boundaries
It would be easy to let Revibed dominate family conversations. There’s always another order, production issue, or opportunity to discuss – but we’re learning how to compartmentalise. Boundaries are important and we’re working hard to respect them and to distinguish between something that’s genuinely urgent and something that can wait until business hours. And we’re also acutely aware of just how important family time is and why we need to make space for it.

Lean into the deeper purpose
There are huge advantages to building a business with a parent: we know each other’s character, strengths and intentions. When times have been difficult, we have that trust to drive the business forward. Working with Dad also gives us both a deeper sense of purpose. We’re not just building a drinks company – we’re building something connected to our family, heritage, and story. Sharing milestones, like our Dragons’ Den appearance, just magnifies that sense that we’re achieving something significant together.

Structure is still key
Managing growth with limited resources, resolving production challenges, maintaining cash flow, and satisfying the demands of major retailers have all been incredibly difficult. That said, they’re challenges that any business faces. Whether you’re family or not is immaterial, you still need professional systems, clear communication and accountability. Love and trust provide the foundation, but they can’t replace planning, structural integrity, and honest conversations about challenges the business faces.

Passing on the lessons
For those about to embark on founding a business with their parent, my main advice would be:
– Decide your decision-making responsibilities early on.
– Be honest about each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
– Ensure that all commercial agreements are in writing – even if you trust each other implicitly!
– If difficult conversations are needed – don’t put them off, approach them early and respectfully.
– Make time to celebrate progress together and never forget why you started the project in the first place.

Protecting personal relationships should take precedence over everything else. Working with family can be hard, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. My experience building Revibed with my Dad means the journey we’re on together goes far beyond business.