“If you want to go into business during tough economic times, you might want to do it with family,” writes Lisa Rathke, Associated Press, at the Boston Globe.
“According to the Family Business Institute,” she says, “90 percent of US businesses are family owned. Some giants got their start as family businesses, including retailer Walmart and automaker Ford.
“Maple Landmark, a wooden-toy company in Vermont started by Michael Rainville, now employs his sister, his wife, his mother, and his grandmother, as well as his sons.
“Rainville is willing to work long hours and do whatever it takes to keep the business going. When business softened after 2001, they bought a similar Vermont company so they could offer a broader array of toys. But between 2002 and 2007 they were lucky if they grew at all and ended up smaller by about 15 percent.
“Rainville said he didn’t have any more tricks to pull out his bag so they focused on being more efficient. …
“Brothers Charles and Arthur Anton also grew up in the family business, Anton Cleaners, based in Tewksbury, Mass. Their grandfather started the business nearly 100 years ago.
“When the economy soured, people were dry cleaning their clothes less often. But like the Rainvilles and [others] they didn’t resort to laying off employees. They cut back hours.” They were determined to make it work because it was family. More.
The infighting at some family businesses I’ve heard of make them seem like a bad idea most of the time, but I haven’t previously considered that in a recession, blood may really be thicker than water.
Photo: Toby Talbot/Associated Press
Michael Rainville employs his sister, wife, mother, and grandmother at Maple Landmark, a wooden toy company based in Vermont.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
Very interesting, I am with you, I otherwise never would have considered that side of things had I not read this, like I said very interesting! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
It occurs to me that I am kind of in a family business in that I blog for my daughter’s Luna & Stella birthstone jewelry. But I do it for love and I have total freedom. I don’t think the average family business can run on love — or give Grandma carte blanche in her corner!
I stumbled on this toy store while touring Vermont. I was so charmed, that I bought toys for the future. I had no grandchildren at the time, but I figured buying those toys (too many of them, considering there were no children in the family to play with them) would be like planting seeds of hope. It worked.
Sounds like something I would do, Tracy Lee. P.S. I liked your Easter poem and hope my poet readers will find it, http://tracyleekarner.com/2013/03/31/easter-morning/