16 Dec

Written by Kathryn Vercillo on December 16, 2009

One of the things that frugal people are always trying to do is to balance their work with their personal lives. We want to make sure that we earn enough money to be financially stable. However we don’t want to become so focused on earning money that we do it at the expense of spending quality times with ourselves and our loved ones. One of the best ways to achieve this life-work balance is to start a family business. Although it can be tough to work with your loved ones, doing so can also be a great way to integrate your work life and home life into a seamless shared life together.

There are many different types of businesses that you can start with your family. Ideally you should choose a small business that you can own and operate together. This will give you the most time together and should create opportunities for roles to be filled by everyone in the family. In the most ideal situation, this business would be a creative business that all of you truly enjoy doing. For inspiration, take a look at these ten super unique family-owned-and-operated businesses that real families are working at today.

  1. The Cavanagh Company. The family that works together to operate this business has a big job on their hands. That’s because they manufacture most of the communion wafers that are used by churches all around the world! That’s a tough order to fill but it’s an interesting job to have. What’s even more interesting is that this job seems to be recession-proof; the worse off people are financially the more likely they are to head to church! The family created this business in the 1940’s and have been working together at it ever since.
  2. Wilderness Aware. Imagine spending your time with your family doing something that you love in the outdoors. That’s exactly what the Greiner Family gets to do ever since they started their water adventures business twenty some odd years ago. The whole family is involved in making this rafting tours business work. The business has actually grown so much that the family now also employs other staff but it is still owned and partially-operated by the original family members. They’re having fun and they’re also doing well for themselves; they even made a list of top 50 family-owned businesses!
  3. Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center. Another great outdoorsy business that is family-owned is this horse training and therapeutic horse riding center. Wouldn’t it be great to spend all day out on the beach riding horses with your family? Of course there’s a lot more involved in the job than just this luxury but it’s still such a cool family business that so few people would ever get the chance to be a part of.
  4. MoneyTree. This is one of the best unique family-owned-and-operated businesses. That’s because they are another business that grew too large to stay family-only. Despite this, they’ve shown a great commitment to remaining entirely involved in the entire process of their company. This is proven by the fact that all of their staff members say that they feel like a part of the family. This is a payday loan business with a lot of morals.
  5. Cin Chili. Is there someone in your family who loves to cook a dish that the whole family likes to eat? That sounds like the start of a creative business like Cin Chili. This is a business that was launched by the mom in a family who is known around the world for her competition in chili-cooking contests. She decided to involve the whole family in her passion for this food by starting a family business selling chili products online. What a hot business idea!
  6. Hilgenfeld Mortuary. Movies and television shows have been made poking fun at families that live together in the death business. Despite the fact that it’s the fodder for a joke, the mortuary business is one that often tends to be a family affair. A great example of this is the Hilgenfeld Mortuary which actually won an award for being the family-owned business that had the most longevity since it had been family-owned-and-operated for over eight decades!
  7. Fluoresco. This is a family-owned-and-operated business which provides signs and lightings to various customers. This business is an example of a business that knows how to change with the times even while continuing on with the family traditions. This is best seen in the move that the company has made towards incorporating more green lighting options into the array of products and services that they have available. That might not have been something that the family worried about when they first started but it’s an important issue in their business today. Being in business with family members of different generations can help you stay in touch with modern issues like this as they arise. This keeps the business fresh and profitable!
  8. Tyler Golf Cars. How many people do you know who are in the business of repairing and selling golf carts? There aren’t too many people in this industry but that doesn’t preclude one family from joining the limited membership base. This family-owned-and-operated golf cart business was launched in 1979 and and still going strong in its local area today.
  9. PubGlasses.com. This family-owned-and-operated business is an online business that has a really unique niche. This family sells personalized beer glasses and other merchandise like shot glasses and beer paddles. Is that something that you could see doing with your family over the long haul? It seems to be working out well for these folks which goes to show you that there is a business that’s right for any family!
  10. Bearington Bears. Another great online business that many people love is Bearington bears which sells collectible bears and gift bears to people who love plush toys. You may have heard of this company before but did you know that it’s a family-owned-and-operated business? What a great business to start if you have little ones in the home right?
People sell all kinds of stuff and offer all sorts of different services. If you can find a product or service that the majority of your family enjoys doing then you could find a niche business that does well in the market.

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About the authors

Kathryn

We are Kathryn and Captain Frugal two money saving fanatics. Kathryn is a freelance writer living in San Francisco which means that she's had to work hard to maintain a frugal budget. Captain Frugal learned from a young age that a penny saved is a penny earned, he's made it his life's mission to beat "the system" a few cents at a time. "Living the high life is easy!" say's captian frugal, "all you need is a little creativity, to improve your lifestyle and still save money!

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