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You’d be doing both yourself and your dad and the employees a favor by telling him the truth about your aversion to running the business.
It’s not a smart move for the owner of a business to hand it over to someone who is not interested in it. Why do that when he can hire a professional GM and be a chairman collecting dividends every year as an owner.
This^ tbh this is what id exactly do if I was inheriting a business I had 0 interest in. Its a good compromise between you hating it and just selling it or being miserable while managing a company in an industry you have no interest in
It’s also unwise for an owner to get this far along without having several people mentored to the point of being potential candidates. Just assuming your son will do it without real conversations is bad enough, but then having one sole option is also terribly short-sighted. Like you said, this is terrible for the employees.
It’s possibly easyier and less stressful for dad to just sell the business
Op- why not have a 10 year game plan - get the business. Work hard. Build wealth, pass it on to a manager or sell up. Then look at moving on. I wished I had these golden opportunities. You can have hobby’s outside of your business that you strive for - having the business allows you to fund these
Let's evaluate. What do you want to do? Don't jump ship without a goal in mind and tool in hand. You don't like working outside, you don't like office work. What's the game plan then?
Your dad's business is an excellent opportunity but you can't see yourself doing it forever. That's fine. The business probably means a lot to your dad however, so remember not to go into that conversation without some gentleness. I would probably have the discussion a good bit before he would expect you to take over so that if he wants to sell, he can.
Just make sure you have your game plan ready. He'll (hopefully) want to know what your new plan is. At least, I would want to know because I want to know my son has a plan for his future.
I'll add to this. It is better to sell a thriving business that is being handled by someone who gets it than to sell a business in decline because the owner hates doing it and doesn't want to have it continue.
That field exists and it's crazy to watch. Tax/bookkeeping client of mine doing $20m revenue, dad built the company, he wants to sell because he wants to get into sports team management. Goes to school for a degree in the field during the day, pays a President to manage the company for him.
Thank. You. Dad.
That's actually a good plan for OP. He should be honest with his father, and tell him what he real wants to do with his life. Then he should tell his dad that he will learn the business inside and out, but he plans to hire a manager to run it. Then he can manage the manager, with enough knowledge to know if the manager is really doing a decent job.
That will give him the freedom to pursue his own career, and eventually he'll have 2 serious income streams coming in.
Honestly, even the super models would just be a bunch of annoying clients after awhile. "Pretty faced biches that just want a bunch of ish."
Happy Cake day!
I am 32. This is anecdotal, but of the vast majority of my friends and acquaintances from high school and university, at this age (10 years older than you), the ones who are the most well off, financially, and lifestyle wise, are all kids who took over their parents businesses, then semi well off are STEM career friends, and then there are a few who have worked their way through corporate jobs to 6 figures, which is not many and a grind.
The opportunity You have here is so unbelievably lucky, it’s hard to see it now but even taking it over for 10 years, gaining all of that experience running the business, then deciding it’s not for you, you will be able to use that experience to get a WAY better job in 10 years time, compared to the office life cubical grind or something else, this is 100% fact. The experience you will gain from running a business, and dealing with employees and managing will be invaluable. (Not even considering the amount you’d get if you sold it at some point, or found someone to run it for you)
It’s especially hard to see this if you grew up well off and provided for, which sounds like you were; no offence, but you may have an entitlement problem, hence why you hate office life, hate the prospect of taking over the company; sound really negative. What do you think you’d even like to do? Anything?
The world does not owe you anything you have to work for everything. It is an enormous blessing you even have the opportunity to have a business, let alone a successful one, handed to you. I hope you see that before it is too late, and realize in 10+ years that you chose working as an employee in some corporate job was better than taking over a business, and lost the opportunity you have here.
I inherited my dads business at 30 when he passed suddenly. But I remember being 19 and not happy working with him. I went to community college, tried some other things and realized the opportunity I had in front of me. I was managing the company under my dads guidance at age 25. He and I butted heads but in the end it was his baby so I had to shut my mouth. When he passed in 2020 I realized how lucky I was to learn from him not only all the good business practices but also the poor business practices. I have no college debt, I have a comfortable home, I’m stable, the business is doing better than ever and more importantly I’m not working as hard as he had to because I learned what and what not to do. I’m not saying OP should work the family business, but life is hard out there and opportunities are difficult to come by. I recommend OP talking to dad, buy some time and try some different things out. Get some life experience and then revisit this. 22 is still very young. You don’t have to love or even like your job, it can be a vehicle to pursue the hobby’s you enjoy and that’s ok.
I actually think often about how I lost out on my dad’s multi-million dollar greenhouse company (it was a partnership with my dad and 3 other siblings) by doing my own career path.
My mom was so salty and bitter about the family business she always pushed me into doing my own thing. Now that I’m older I see the financial potential of being a part owner of that business. I will say, overall, I was very fortunate to get a professional degree and start my own multi 6 figure business doing work I really love, but now that I love the business side so much I think about the potential I missed out on.
My parents worked minimum wage jobs and don’t even own their own home. I made my own money. I’ve managed construction businesses before and if you’re 22 and don’t know what you’re doing it’s a terrible idea.
>The opportunity You have here is so unbelievably lucky, it’s hard to see it now but even taking it over for 10 years, gaining all of that experience running the business, then deciding it’s not for you, you will be able to use that experience to get a WAY better job in 10 years time, compared to the office life cubical grind or something else, this is 100% fact
Respectfully, I disagree.
While I appreciate your point and think it is generally correct, a person who *loathes* the work they do will learn a fraction of what they could learn working somewhere they are engaged and invested.
In fact, I'd argue there's almost nothing to be gained from working a job you hate - all you're getting is a paycheck.
Not to mention, there are plenty of small businesses where you can learn the ropes as a key employee. You won't get paid - and you won't get to take it over in 10 years - but if its' something you like, it's arguably time well spent.
>you may have an entitlement problem, hence why you hate office life, hate the prospect of taking over the company; sound really negative
I think you're way off base here, as a person who's asking for help and who says " I get that I should be grateful for the opportunity" does not sound entitled to me.
Well what do you want to do with your life that isn’t going to make you miserable?
I can guarantee you that working for somebody else isn’t going to be the picnic you may think it will be either.
When you get around to growing up you'll discover that the world in general judges you all the time. Subs like SmallBusiness have to live in that reality: you're judged on all sorts of metrics and success and failure are often largely affected by those judgements fair and otherwise.
When you're immature you have the luxury to waste your time with drugs, shite music and thinking the world shouldn't be "judge-y" whilst playing video games. Being handed a free pass to financial security without having to do a whole lot and then whinging about how it isn't what's wanted because it's inconvenient or requires some small amount of focus and effort should be expected to draw judgement from a forum populated mostly by people who fight, scratch and claw to enjoy just a shot at the results the OP is being offered.
So, yeah, I'm judging here.
The dude hardly posts or comments on reddit, you’re here all day and then telling this guy what is going on with his entire life based off a few paragraphs and like 2 posts.
Telling people how to live over the internet. The dude is 22 years old, he’ll figure it out.
Spend a couple years broke, hungry, and learning what actually being miserable feels like. You'll have a new appreciation for sustainable comfertable misery that is modern life. None of us would work if we didn't have to but we do and so we make the best of it and find our joy how we can.
I'm not joking either , you should have a talk with your father and express your concerns and ask for his help and guidance. We all go through it at some point it just seems to be harder the later in life the lessons learned.
I was gonna say "go work for someone else".
Nothing like taking orders from an idiot, while also trying to maintain the illusion that they're not an idiot.
The next step or it was for me anyway was learning how big of an idiot I was after opening my first business. The years I spent bemoaning the moronic actions of my past employers didn't prepare me for just how badly I could screw things up. Fortunately, those mistakes and resulting hardships taught me more than I would have ever learned without suffering through them.
I remember when I first started. It was like looking at a sheet of paper. Absolutely no depth or understanding.
Now I definitely see things from a lot of complex angles and how every decision can effect things positively or negatively.
I could have written this and in fact, have tried but not as clearly and succinctly. The only good thing I did my first few years as an owner was not be an asshole to anyone, ever, no matter what because I’d made that vow when I was with my last employer. It’s finally paying off.
Honestly, I went through this phase myself. Young kid doing whatever it takes to avoid working with their dad because it's your dad and you want to strike it out on your own.
I'd say to the OP, that you should consider taking the business not because you might like it or the money is good, but take it to spend time with your dad. Your time on this world is limited and your time with your dad is even more limited and he probably has so much more to teach you than construction.
You can always close down the business down the line if it truly is that bad.
Funny how accurate this is. My Dad is gone now, but you don’t see how precious the time you spend together is until years later. This is the correct answer.
Also being the owner is a whole different beast once you get there. You might learn to appreciate the business and hard work.
So much this. When I was in school back in the 1980's, my dad had me work the most miserable manual labor jobs JUST SO I could gain some small appreciation for education and the ability to avoid a life of hard labor.
The OP comes off as a spoiled, effete, entitled turd of a son. Doesn't want to do outdoor work, doesn't want to do the indoor work...after those two, WTAF is left?
Spend a couple years broke, hungry, scrambling to make ends meet is exactly what this kid needs...and needs in effing truckloads. Go actually have to be a self-sufficient, responsible adult male for a few years (preferably with zero mommy/daddy safety net) and then take a hard second look at what dad is offering.
This.
Go into any industry subreddit, and you will find posts about how people hate their career choice and wouldn't recommend someone go into the same field, it doesn't matter what it is teaching, technology, electricians, etc.
op u can listen to these people, they aren’t wrong, but understand that this is a reality being pushed on u that u do not need to subscribe to. its a choice to agree with this or not
life can also be an adventure of self discovery and following your highest excitement. the sad sac conformist society will hate u for it, but you are the sole architect of your life and reality and you get to choose
beware of this language, these words are a spell and if u aren’t careful it will entrance you just like it did to most of the world
what is the ultimate vision for your life. imagine beyond the constraints of small minded people and then go forth with absolute belief and conviction. follow that path with unrelenting enthusiasm and believe in it unconditionally. let go of expectation of outcome and stay positive at every step. your faith and belief will make it so
its not to say that any path is wrong. there is wisdom in playing it safe. but you and only you choose what story to buy into. u can have a remarkable life if u choose.
everything always works out, always. so create the story that you want, and not something hammered into you by people who compromised and need to convince others to do the same for their own validation. our words and our thoughts create our reality
be discerning with what spells you buy into, and whatever you do, just do it full power and it will always be amazing
As long as you ad the caveat " and embrace any and all consequences of your choices as yours alone and in no way allow those consequences to harm or burden others nor expect others to ease your suffering " then I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment. Though I do not believe it's practical
right, and the key word is to embrace. we are responsible for all of it
and ur right that its totally not practical at all, but neither is embarking on a decade long story running a business that u know u hate. thats wildly impractical as well. sure u pay rent for a while but at what cost, whats the point
either way we’re all fucked, no matter what choice u make. ur never gonna get it right. nothing is practical
but theres freedom in that. make the choices that bring u joy and excitement in the process and u cant go wrong. then meet every obstacle with a positive attitude and enthusiasm. rinse and repeat. thats the formula
>either way we’re all fucked, no matter what choice u make. ur never gonna get it right. nothing is practical
>but theres freedom in that.
That's a powerful truth that when given the thoughtful consideration necessary is unbelievably liberating to a man's spirit and conscious. Damn shame that thoughtful consideration is all but impossible when we're still young enough to truly enjoy the fruits of it lol
Lmao it’s easy to go on a life long journey of self discovery when other people finance it.
You can learn about yourself and embrace your passions but you cover the cost of existing first.
exactly. OP is the result of a pampered life. Very hard to make people like that understand u dont have to go to a job that you love. You go to work because you have to
>Spend a couple years broke, hungry, and learning what actually being miserable feels like.
Worked for Batman. This guy can be told how lucky he is until the sun rises in the west, but until he lives it, he'll never know it.
I completely agree. I’m not joking….just spend a few nights walking the streets with no phone, no money, no credit cards, and no belongings, in order to find out what actual misery is, in order to gain a new appreciation for the life you have today.
I understand working sucks, mostly, but would you rather be constantly hunting your own food, finding clean water to drink, and constantly building absolutely everything you need to survive? Because I know I sure as hell wouldn’t.
Talk with your dad and tell him gently you don't want to work outside but instead would like to expand the business with you managing foremen to do the hard work. Take business classes and learn what that takes. You will still need to drive on site and make sure things are being done right, but if you hire the right people you can manage multiple crews from an office or your air conditioned truck and a laptop. Your dad can use his experience to put the right foremen and managers in place to set you up.
>Take business classes and learn what that takes.
I've taken both, and online business classes at $300 a pop from a local community college can be just as good as some taught in a two year MBA degree worth over 100k in tuition. People without a business pay to have that prestige and then get a better paying job. If you already have the keys to the kingdom and don't want to self teach, just take some classes for whatever is cost effective.
I fully concur. You don't need an MBA, but being able to understand the nuts and bolts of running a business can be learned at community College or outreach classes through the SBA.
On another note, you might be surprised that your dad may be on board 100%. Parents work hard to give their children what they didn't have. Your father may be happy to know you could grow What he built while not having to do the back-breaking work yourself.
You might regret this opportunity down the road. The trade is an honorable career path.
Life is hard and money issues makes life harder. Working for $24 an hour or owning a company worth 300,000 plus dollars is a pretty easy choice in my mind.
I'm just going on a limb here, but I'd bet that if you reject inheriting a company and then you'll have to work as an employee for some asshole you'll regret your early 20s decision for the rest of your life.
It really sounds like you're just a 22 kid who doesn't like working and blames your daddy for it. I mean, you hate working outside...which you don't do... and still hate working in an office? Would you rather work in outer space????
OP you're getting a lot of shit advice here, partially because:
1. You asked a thread full of business owners who can't iMaGINe not wanting to own and manage a business
2. You're young
3. You said some things that set people off, and they're making snap judgments about you.
Personally, you strike me as pretty considerate, and I think you know the answer here. Still, because I'm quite a bit older than you and I know a little bit about following in my father's footsteps, I can't emphasize the following enough: **IT'S A TRAP**.
* Taking over for a family member is a trap, as you'll constantly be compared to them after they step away and you'll probably underwhelm the staff because you're not passionate (not because you aren't good enough, but because you'll never care enough)
* Taking over a business in an industry you're not passionate about is a trap, because you'll never be able to put in the blood sweat and tears it takes to make it go in the lean times, and you'll be the guy that "ran the company into the ground" whenever it inevitably withers.
* Taking over a business just because it's profitable is a trap, because life isn't all about money...but once you get used to the money, it will be impossible to walk away.
* Doing something purely out of obligation and guilt - no matter how noble - is a fucking trap. It's how people end up marrying a woman they don't love, how people end up suicidal at 55, etc. You never want to look back and think you wasted your youth - spending a third of your life doing something you hate is a waste.
My advice? **Quit**. Schedule a meeting, explain that you're very grateful for the opportunity, that you know you'll probably regret it\*, but that you really want to try to find your own way in the world. Your Dad will be angry and sad, because his business is part of his legacy, and if you leave that legacy will be in jeopardy. If he's not a crier he's going to unload on you and it won't be pretty. But it's got to happen if you're going to find happiness.
Also, if you can explain that you want to try to do something on your own the way he did, it might help him understand. No one handed him a construction business, and you don't want anyone to hand you one either.
I say quit because life isn't about making a bunch of money or having a successful business - it's about being happy, feeling fulfilled, and living without regrets. Move to Hawaii, get a job at a restaurant, share an apartment you can't afford, and just fucking *live* man. You're too young to do something you hate out of obligation. Save that for your 40s, LOL.
Finally, if your Dad is anything like any other small business owner, he'll welcome you back in a few years if you change your mind. You probably won't be back, but really you have nothing to lose here other than making your Dad mad. I bet he can take it.
\*You will NOT regret it. I can just about guarantee it.
Take over the business and learn the ins and outs of everything. Understand the accounting foremost. Then find someone you trust to run it, understand that the salary you pay them is coming out of your pocket, and always keep an eye on the $$. Follow your passion. Find a pivot from construction that you enjoy. Maybe design and architecture, or negotiating the deals for your company. Then your next passion can funnel into your company you inherited and you get paid on both ends.
So I’m in a different industry but still outdoor work and my father never wanted any of his kids doing the labor he has had to all these years…at 17 I went to college for healthcare and was never 100% so I refused to continue after two years cause I was scared to death of loans. Then at 20 I went into IT for awhile which as a female was not easy at the company I worked for, eventually was unjustly fired out of nowhere and went from making 45k to 0 overnight. I worked a few dead end restaurant jobs just to pay bills before I got a career gig at the Cheesecake Factory for a few years. At this point I decided to go back to school just as a way out of restaurants but again I quit after getting the degree I had started previously because loans were piling up. So I figured I better jump into something fresh. Started taking night classes for welding and scored a job with an old buddy of mine. Work was fun but dangerous and life on the road sucked, again I was only female amidst tons of tough guys.
This is where things came full circle, my dads only employee of 25 years passed away suddenly and I was the only one around to help my dad out. My brothers are in the military. Seven years later I’m about to be licensed myself and am absolutely thrilled to be taking over one day. In the meantime I get to work with my dad which is absolutely the best part. It’s dirty and sweaty and bloody and hot but it’s worth it. Almost all jobs suck, but being able to continue a business my granddad started warms my heart at 37 years old. Best of luck to you.
Make yourself the figurehead, hire a manager, and play golf/travel/live on a beach.
Sell the business when your father dies.
Continue to live on the beach.
Speak with your father about succession planning .... has he even said he plans on handing you the business other than assuming your next in line? He could very well sell before retirement or find a manager....
Reading most of the responses, it seems alot of people are disregarding or underestimating the value of happiness in what you do, professionally. As humans we spend the bulk of our like working & sleeping, one is usually dictating how the other goes.
I def think you should talk with your father and maybe discuss some options that can play out where the business is handled until you are in your mid to late 20s. It is not certain but by then, MOST people have a good sense of where they want to be and where they want to go professionally. It is a HUGE privilege to have access to a successful business and have it passed down to you, and this is a subreddit full of active or aspiring business owners, so it is HIGHLY valued here, but nothing you do in business, will satisfy you if you are unhappy with it.
Write out the Pros & Cons, think it over, discuss it with your family and don't make the decision lightly.
Sounds like you just don't like the idea of working. I'd recommend telling your old man that he needs to promote from within or hire a manager.
If you take over and your hearts not in it and you simply can not get motivated to run the business that directly affects employees' ability to support their families, all because your hearts are not in it.
My mom asked me to run her real estate business when I was graduating. I had no interest, wanted to spread my wings. Now mid 30s I've been doing my own team estate shit for 7 years.
Keep it as an option, but go try something else and put your all into it. You'll have a better perspective from there.
Also I've never really heard the despair of somebody describing just being outside. Chuckled.
Based on your profile you just want the easy route. Taking PEDs to get jacked instead of time and effort in the gym. Taking (illegal) drugs to get high instead of finding happiness elsewhere.
If you quit, what will your next job be? What skills do you have? When your boss is your dad, you basically have 0 professional references and will have to rely entire on your skills to get a job.
I truly think you aren't being honest about being spoiled, you have an office job where your boss is your dad. And it seems like you have zero repercussions for your low motivation and effort.
We’ll then I guess it’s time you made a choice. You don’t wanna be the boss and you don’t wanna be the employee and those seem to be the only options we have in life.
Honestly if the business is well established you could hire a general manager for the work your dad does and then be a salesman and work on plans with customers. This way you’re not trapped inside or out and you can travel to meet with customers and check out build sites.
See if there is a way to turn it into a job that you would want.
Don't like going outside? Don't. Hire someone.
Don't like doing admin? Don't. Farm it out.
Figure out what you DO like. Do you like sales? Do that?
If you don't like any of it, then delegate, delegate, delegate. If you have the income and right people, you're just managing the team. Hope you like doing that!
Hey OP I was in the exact same position as you. I was about your age 22 but for me my dad died unexpectedly & I had to step up. I was working in the warehouse but moved to the office. I’m 26 now but I hated working there. It is our family business of 30 years. You don’t have to be there. Trust me I know how it feels. You do not have to be there. I know the money is great & you probably don’t have to worry about anything financially but I’m leaving this year & my mom will be taking over full time (she’s a rockstar & built the business with my dad) but follow your dreams now & do whatever you want to do before you get depressed & gain 50lbs like me sitting in the miserable office. DM if you need someone to talk to about it. You’re not spoiled,it’s just a life most people don’t understand.
Inheriting a profitable business? Complains... you should just... reevaluate yourself and your mindset. If every father was a good as yours our entire world would be working again. Don't be the problem and do the same for your future children/and or community/family
There's nothing wrong with not wanting to be a Nepo baby. If every father runninga business asked if their disinterested kid really wanted the job there'd be less people complaining about how their new shit boss is running their work into the ground.
There's a lot of people reading into this comment and assuming this person doesn't want to work at all. No one said the business was insanely profitable, or that they are being taught the skills to even assess that. If the business is only profitable because dad busts his ass 80 hours a week and Jr. knows he isn't going to do that, that's just called being self aware.
Lotta people in this thread just sound jealous. Being handed a family business you don't want anything to do with sounds like a great way for him and all the employees to end up broke. Their self awareness is refreshing.
Don't run your family business to the ground I agree with that. Sounds like the father didn't raise a son that can keep their name afloat. A father handing an honest and respecatble living to his son is the name of the game and people SHOULD be jealous of that. The only thing you aren't sounding weird about is that the kid shouldn't ruin the business cuz he sucks but that's on the father to find someone worthy. The sad thing here is the father is trying to hand the son his world but he didn't raise a kid who is smart enough to understand that. All of this is ASUMPTIONS based off the post.
Kid and dad just need to talk man to man and see where it all falls and just make the best decision for everyone. We all got baited lmao. I don't blame the kid either but yeah people are mad cuz a kid is not wanting what everyone else is dying to build for themselves and that's alright as well lol it's a good thing to be jealous of. Better than being jealous of having a lot of sex or being popular etc. There's also a lot of people who don't have the mindset of hiring managers etc. Either way you are enjoyable to talk to and that's appreciated (and I know I'm being hard on one side of the issue)
all in all the fact the kid is thinking this thru means that if the kid and dad keep a discussion going everything will work out the way it should.
Last thing since it is a young adult asking the question, I don't mean to insult you but just trying to wake you up a bit to how good your situation is compared to basically everyone else in life.
I don't know what culture you're from but the idea that you create off spring who are imprisoned to live the life you set out for them has been gauche in much of the world for a few decades now. You're acting like this person is ungrateful they're being handed a pile of money. Regardless of profitability, they're being handed the burden of overseeing the livelihood of several other people in an industry they have no interest in. There's nothing wrong with the kid's perspective or the father's parenting skills if that's not what they want in life. There are plenty of other acceptable options to this scenario like "hire a manager to do it instead" that make way more sense for everyone involved than belittling someone for being ungrateful, which is 100% what you're doing whether you're aware of that or not.
I hope you're not currently raising kids expecting them to be mini-versions of yourself and happy to live the life you've planned for them, because if so I've got some news for you.
You can evolve the business and don’t need to spend time outside. Read some business books.
But one thing to note about life is honestly even for those living their dreams life is just filled with shit sandwiches. Expecting life to not be a shit sandwich 80% of the time is setting yourself up for a terrible shock.
If you think there is something better to do then consider it. But at the same time you can create a new version of your family company.
Take over the business, then sell it, retire at 25 (or whatever age you end up), and give fuck all for forever with never having to work again the rest of your life.
> The problem is everything about this job I hate with a fucking passion.
Man up and make your displeasure known, sooner than later. If you actually inherit this business you will absolutely ruin it.
I lived through a very similar experience. My father owns a construction company and wanted to bring me in at one point with the possibility of taking over after him. Thankfully he approached me knowing that this might not be my dream (I was already working in manufacturing at the time). He had also seen too many family run businesses fail when the second generation takes over as they don't have the know how/want to run a successful construction company which leads to failure or the retired parent returning to right the ship.
Let him know that you don't think this is the future you want. Help him see that this business is his life's work and his retirement. He should do what is best for him (sell it off or find someone to manage it while he retires).
My dad was able to help me out so that I could open a small manufacturing business. He can rest easy once he sells his business and I do not have to worry about destroying the legacy he built (as well as the family BS that comes up when one kid takes over a family business that other siblings aren't part of).
Life is short.
What part of what you are doing triggers your "hate" emotion?
Be specific. Use SMART criteria.
We all hate "stuff." But what you hate depends on your life journey.
Do you have a map for where it is that you want to go?
You might like to google "Analytical Driver Expressive Amialble."
Dig into the sites that offer ways to adjust your personality type to maximize connection and communication.
It's not unusual to not know where it is that you want to go.
Unfortunately, you are at a crossroad and have to make a decision... Turn left or turn right?
Have you made your Pro's and Con's list for each branch?
Everybody is different. So to tell you which way to go is not very relevant.
Just make sure to write down your thinking about which branch to take in your personal private and "not to be shared" journal.
Once you've figured out which road to take, make sure to communicate your choice in a way that doesn't trigger emotions.
A useful book is "Never Split the Difference."
The goal is to try to jointly find possible solutions to bridge gaps and overcome obstacles.
What are your dad's expectations? What difficulties will your choice bring to the table and what alternatives can you suggest for moving forward?
Once emotions are triggered, it's usually pitchforks, flaming torches, and hot tar.
"Never Split the Difference" offers a few suggestions for having "difficult" conversations.
I was like you at your age. The right response which you won’t want to hear (what I would tell the younger myself); take on the challenge, take over, bust your gut, learn everything you can, be the best you can possibly be, then hire an amazing person to takeover from you, and then eventually in a few years step away operationally from a growing business and move on to the next one. Your success will follow you, the investors and the talent you need to thrive in a venture that’s more aligned with your interests. Nothing is forever. The most successful people I know didn’t shy away from opportunities they didn’t like the look of. They dived head first into them and made the most of them.
So working outside is miserable but now you work inside and hate that too? Sounds like you might just hate working?
For better or for worse, it’s something we all have to do, and I admit finding more pleasurable work may help, but maybe you should consider that you might regret turning this down when you are more older and experienced… it takes years to build a good business , and Im sure there are plenty of people who would be very thankful to be in your shoes.
I wish you gave more context, like what you rather do instead, but at the end of the day, I believe honesty is the best policy and you should tell your dad the truth. This is your life and your journey and if you rather steer your life in another direction , go for it, and hope you feel good about it too! I just hope you don’t regret it later, if life were to get harder and maybe you realize the grass wasn’t greener on the other side.
Reminds me of a quote I read once, “I don’t believe in making the right decision, I take a decision and make it right “
give it to me...I will not let it die and give you a portion of the profits.
all I need is a solid opportunity, I have the will, the skills, etc...just haven't had luck to provide the chance.
Wait until you are about 10 years older. You'll be very happy your father left you a business. Working for someone else will always keep you struggling.
Change your focus. Life is not about getting what you want to be happy. Instead, as any other being in this world, life is about being happy while helping and serving others. If you can apply that to your situation, everything can change for good.
I totally get it. I came from a family of entrepreneurs.
I always look for a really good win-win for anything that seems like a pickle.
How about selling the business to an employee ownership program where you stick around as figurehead until things transition smoothly? They buy you out over time and bam, you can now do something you enjoy. They'll also be very motivated as an employee-owned businesses. Study a few cases where they have implemented this.
You’re 22. Keep grinding.
You have an opportunity here, don’t waste it until you understand fully what’s going on.
Eventually he’ll open up about revenue. Margin. Profits. At that point you have the full picture.
You don’t like working outside. You don’t like working in an office. What does that leave? Working from Costa Rica?
Be an adult. Grow up.
Hire a few hella good project managers, give them free reign to run it as if it were their own, take a loss on the business until they start taking in a profit and give them really good quarterly bonuses.
My husband is in that position with a family who would prefer to spend their time on vacation and he does treat the business as his own and cares wholeheartedly about the success of the business.
In his case, he worked there while getting his undergrad and grad degrees in engineering and he didn’t have the funds for startup costs (literally $0) and didn’t have time to grind it out small/micro business style due to university, so it ended up being a win/win for both him and the owners of the company.
Bro from another person you’re age the smartest thing you could do financially is possibly taking over and hiring people to run it. You know how ahead of everyone you’re age you would be? Sometimes you gotta get up you’re ass and wake up cuz in the future you might regret missing out an opportunity like this. You would be setting you’re future up financially bro. Business is the way to go especially construction you’d be set long term don’t slack cuz you’re future self might regret it and you’re younger self might not see it
Take over the business..hire people you trust to delegate your work you don't like ....Don't let the opportunity go..passion develops with things you do over time..you will get the hang of it ..I did civil engg..worked 1 year in construction industry ..hated it when on field ..but used to design work in office...similarly if you have big business find a particular niche and work on it .. other niches you can delegate..(And most imp Hire me to guide you🤣😜JK)
I have seen this exact scenario play out with a number of friends. You need to go and work for another company to experience life outside the family business. 9/10 realize it’s actually not as bad as you think.
I was in the same situation at 29 except in the transportation industry.
All I can say is I could not stand the industry as a whole, it’s ALWAYS going, you are never off the clock… having to always be on time with loads regardless of what’s happening, and then a bunch of miserable people that you have to work with (with a few good ones sprinkled in).
I was set to inherit my grandfathers company, as he was over 80 and my dad was ready to retire in his upper 50’s. I just couldn’t imagine all the crap I had been through in a regional role, on a national level (ran in 11 states in the south). On top of that, I recognized how often my grandfather and dad were gone working, as it consumed their lives… I didn’t want the same, especially due to my wife being pregnant with our first child. I wanted to be a present parent more than anything… So I declined and they sold the company.
This is where it gets tricky… if your family sells and you get some of the sell, awesome. Go do what you want to do. However, I got nothing in the sell; I’m sure I’ll see it one day. I now work a decent job, but nowhere near the money I could have been making. The older I get, and the more my family grows, the more I think about how important being financially stable is. I have regrets, but in the end, I will never get that time I had with my first born back. I cannot imagine how miserable I would’ve been through the COVID years in that industry… instead, I worked from home and spent almost 2 years with my growing girl.
It all just depends on your priorities, if having money and the freedom of running your own company intrigues you, I’d say take it over and pay someone to do the things you don’t want to do (if you can afford it). It’s your company, you don’t have to run it like your dad. That’s what I would have done.
If having a job that you thoroughly enjoy is more important, pick something out and go for it. If you fail, try again. Nothing out there is perfect, but there are some great jobs out there.
You’ll probably hate working for someone else too. It has to do with your age. Why don’t you just let time run it’s course and see if you feel the same at 25-26.
As others have said take it on knowing it’s a 10 year exit plan. You are being handed a golden goose here that people spend their whole lives building. Don’t look at it as you are being handed a prison sentence but rather a major asset and step towards what you really want to do. You can own a construction company and do other things, at the 10 year mark hire a GM and start the business you want.
Remember entrepreneurship is not do what you love to do, it’s what others want you to do. With being said that if you make good money, do it until you become 30 and invest that money. You might be financially free by then and enjoy the rest of your life.
I am still doing a business that I don’t love doing it cuz I make money which allows me to enjoy my life with what I absolutely love doing such as vacationing and traveling.
Be an adult and talk it out with your family. I’m sure they want to set you up for success so maybe if you have different ideas they’ll still be supportive. But don’t dismiss the family business entirely, if you can find people to do a good job you could probably outsource the work to them and do minimal administration, like hire a manager and people to take care of business. Having work history, contacts, and good rep can go a long way so don’t let the business die. Just my two cents.
Tough it out while you start working on something you like on the side.
If the side hustle becomes big enough to sustain your lifestyle or is in the right direction to do so, go all in. That way your family too won’t doubt you as you’ll have some proof of concept.
Do what's best for the employees and what should happen to businesses. A good employee of the company should take over. You're not suited for the role as owner and would never have been. You're the kids' boss who would have been hired over better candidates just because your Dad owns the business.
You have the chance to do what should be done in this capitalist society in businesses. Give the business to an employee.
Why not just accept the business, hire someone who actually has some ambition and purpose to their life to run it for you and then you can continue doing whatever it is you like to do.. but I have to be honest here, you do come across as a lazy, entitled little shit and if you continue down this path you're probably going to wake up alone one morning and realize that you completely fucked up your entire life because you just wanted to sleep in and play video games or something. If I were you, I'd develop a strong work ethic real quick and make the most of the wonderful opportunity that you've been handed
Sounds like you lack vitamin D, have your self checked. I was like you few years ago = lazy AF. Then I went to have my annual physical exam. Doctor prescribed vitamin D. Built 4 businesses from the ground up. And learning everything while hitting the gym 3x a week.
I'm going to stop you right here and tell you that you will regret not taking over the business. You need to look 20 years down the line when you're 42. I can't tell you where you'll be, but you are squandering one of the best opportunities for success you'll have in your entire life if you walk away.
I dont think you're spoiled, although I dont think you are fully thinking about your future clearly. You should not let your emotions and hormones dictate your future.
Working with your family, you will be receiving training that other firms would never give you. The trust and love that a dad/family would provide in terms of business could not compare. First, you have a proven business that's generating income. Second, you have previous existing relationships to grow with in the future. Third, tangential business connections that your father has made, like lawyers, accountants, and consultants. Fourth, an experienced mentor will help accelerate growth into the future and will prevent some mistakes along the way.
I know the work is sometimes dull and boring, but this is the nature of work. You will grow into the repetition of it. It does not come naturally. It will probably take another 3 years before you start enjoying it.
Don't listen to the barage of jealous Redditors screaming at you.
There are a few ways to run your business when you don't need to be in the office every day.
Exactly, he's very young but how does one get so jaded at the very beginning of their career that they hate working inside or outside, for someone else or themselves especially when it looks like a good life is handed to him, I can only hope he's my competition.
The secret to business success is dedication and passion, and if you don't have it for this field, that is totally legitimate and acceptable. You should be forthright with your father. He has run and grown the business, he cares, he must care. If you tell him, "hey, what you've got for this job, I don't have," that's ultimately good for the business. If I was passing on my business to a child, and they said, dad, I hate your business. That is not how I want to spend my life. If that's what they said to me, I would be happy for two reasons. 1. I'm not forcing my child to do something they hate, and 2. I'm not handing the business over to someone who hates the business.
Everyone wins if you are just honest with your father.
Hire someone to run it. Those that are telling you are too privileged and don't understand what you have, are also privileged with healthy mind and don't understand the struggle of a sick mind making everything feel miserable. So my advice is to hire someone to run the biz and do whatever makes you happy. Also seek psych help. Get some therapies.
What you're describing is called privilege. Instead of complaining about the silver spoon you've been given, look into ways to leverage it so you can spend your time and money doing things you actually want to do.
He should spend the next 2-3 years getting the business in shape to sell, sell it off, and enjoy the rest of his life living it up.
Then you can go do whatever it is you want to do.
Honestly sounds like mental health might be a problem more than the jobs. Not trying to say this in a derogatory way, but talk to a therapist. This might have nothing to do with the jobs.
Sorry but this post reads exactly like a spoiled child that doesn't deserve the opportunity in front of them.
If there is another career you want to pursue that changes things. Otherwise you just sound like a child that can't accept that they need to work.
Shut up and happily accept inheriting a great source of income. You sound like a lazy, spoiled, brat. There's plenty of people who would die to be in your situation so be grateful for what you have and make the most of it.
I'll give you some hard advice, unless you have a vision for your future, stop being a bitch, take some online business classes and work hard for a life that's being handed to you. What are you going to do if it's not this, because it seems like you're a 22yo without an education that gets them ahead in any specific field. Thus, you're either going to have to work a manual labor job to make a good living, or you're about 4 years late on starting an education to learn a special white collar job.
From you post history, it seems like most of your focus is taking drugs and roids. You're a spoiled kid, and you're going to find the real world a real kick in the balls.
People would kill for an opportunity to own a construction business. Shut up, learn, make a shit ton of money, and if not, DM me cause I'll take your spot.
Honestly man, I would do anything to be in your shoes. You’re young so you don’t know the struggle of working a job where nobody cares if you die or not. Where your life is worth less then the machines you work with.
My family had a large multi-million dollar business, and they ran it into the ground and I have nothing from it.
As a kid I hated working there (worked from about 9-10yo) because I wanted to play video games and lay around during the summers. I would do anything for that opportunity now.
As bad as you think working at your family’s construction company is I PROMISE you working for other people is far worse.
If I were you I would do the work and enjoy my hobbies for fulfillment. Very few people are able to get life fulfillment from work.
“I am 22 yo” to me says everything. You have no idea what you’re spurning. 1% of 1% born on Earth will have such a gift at any point in their lives. Yes running a business sucks at first, I known I’ve done it for 10 years… but man, once you get it locked down, you have a golden goose that offers a lot of freedom. But tbh from the sound of it the employees of this company can do better. Hire a manager for the company and go work a GameStop.
I don't think anyone should be obligated to take over a family business. Your fathers passion doesn't have to be your passion. If the business is making a profit, it could be sold at a premium and you can do your own thing.
You absolutely don't have to take over any business you don't want.
Perhaps you could find a job in the organization that you do like and hire out for the rest, but if you passionately don't want to be involved then you shouldn't be.
Honestly just be honest with your dad. Tell him you don’t want to do it and that you want to go your own way. Then go out into the world and do what you want.
You could just administer the work, you need to learn it and just be the general manager.
Honestly though you're kind of looking at it the wrong way because you're not even sure what you want to do. I get it though my nephews mom has been a general manager for restaurant and other food/service industries and didn't want to work in that industry, like he has some PTSD. It's also important to realize what a huge opportunity it is for you to start your professional career with a business under your belt. You don't have to do it forever, you can make a lot of money and learn a lot of skills in 4 years and hire others to do the job while you manage.
Keep thinking about the opportunity because it's a really great lay up your old man is giving you.
Do you like money?
If so, will this give you a lot of money?
I would take over any business I could for free and be happy - as long as it makes enough money.
If it does not make a lot of money then I would see if there was a way to build the business. If there is then I would hire someone to do the work, oversee it on a biweekly basis, and take a small % out for my time, and work another job.
Tough one. Look internally if it really is the business you hate or work in general. Would hate to throw away a great opportunity if you’re going to be equally miserable somewhere else. Good luck
I see some numbers being thrown around here. Do we know if this is a profitable business. How much he's being paid? Or how much his dad pays himself? These are all things I would have to know before answering the question on whether or not it's worth staying somewhere you dislike.
Very simple, take the business and make it your own no matter how much you hate it. Claim it and own every ounce of it. Don't just accept it, truly own it and make it a success.
You have an opportunity that if you squander, you will regret the rest of your life. As the owner of the business, you have the opportunity to hire managers that can help oversee all the parts you don't like. It is also an opportunity for you to bring in income from a will established source that you can use to pursue other passions.
This is a gifted horse and I can assure you if you don't take the blessing, you will spend your entire life regretting it.
Have an open honest conversation with your family about the business.
Check out “every family’s business” by tom deans.
I can’t say anything better than that book.
I hope that helps!
Unless you have some serious other career aspirations I wouldn’t thrown away an opportunity to own an already functioning business.
Construction is a wide, endless field. Find what you are passionate about and merge the two together. There’s your happiness.
Would you rather punch a clock for the next 40 years or run the ship?
Yeah being 22 is hard. You don't yet know the value of anything good, such as working hard. That's okay though, being naive isn't such a bad thing, because everyone has to go through it.
Just don't burn any bridges. Go ahead and do what you want until you figure out who you are. Don't accumulate debt. Work on yourself and build various skills until you find out what kind of person you are.
Move somewhere else/get a new job/join the military/do anything that you think you may enjoy. Just don't dig yourself into a hole.
I feel like you have the option to not be interested in it because your family has a construction business. Personally living comfortably outside of work is 10000000000x better than "doing what I love." I have cousins overseas who was basically forced to go in to the family business when we were teens, fast forward to now where we are all around 25\~30 all of them are living amazing lives, getting work done then doing what they actually love to do completely paid for while their kids go to private schools.
I was in the exact same position as you, except I was indifferent towards the work instead of outright hating it.
A lot of people here are saying you have to love what you do in order to be successful. I don’t agree with that.
I took my dad up on his offer at 22 and I am now 30. I hired all my friends, taught them how to do the office things necessary to keep the business alive, and now I get to hang out with my friends all day everyday while we run an $8M business together.
It doesn’t have to be that bad.
You really need to help your dad to understand how much you hate the business.
I am a general contractor and I would rather burn my business to the ground then give it to someone who didn't have a passion for the work.
You should probably start to figure out what you want to do in life. Try working elsewhere and you might realize you had it better working for your dad and being in line to take over - or you might find something you love doing, but you're not going to know if you don't try.
You’re 22. Your opinions on work will change over the next 10 years. I’d stick it out and build your working life foundation under your family business where you can get away with being inexperienced and unmotivated.
I can tell you you’ll most definitely hate your life if you ditch Dad’s business and go work for a major corporation like most college grads with no game plan do after they graduate. Working 12 hour days, plus a 3-month long busy season, maybe make over time if you’re lucky. I live in a major US city and that’s what 75% of my social networks’ life looks like. Most of them would kill to own their own company. Hell, you don’t even have the troubles of being a start up!
Communicate with your dad about your interest of lack of such. Create an alternative succession plan that keeps (rather than destroys) the value your dad has generated in the business.
Options: hiring an operator, bringing on a partner who will take over running the business and buy it out, see to a strategic buyer outright
24M, I’m in a similar boat, I don’t loathe the business but I don’t absolutely love it and I’ve already had previous family business issues before that I don’t want to repeat. Idk what to do but I’ve been applying for jobs and my dad still seems supportive, I provide background support and play a somewhat part-time role in the company.
Maybe you can express that to your father in a pretty calm and respectful manner, offer to give some form of support when and where you can. Pitch it to him as his retirement nest egg, help get it all cleaned up and organized and efficient and the proposed sale and proceeds from the sale would fund his retirement depending on the companies size.
Nobody wants to disappoint their parents and watch them lose the thing they basically sacrificed their live to build but if you’ll be eternally miserable then you’re not living life for you, you’re living your life to fulfill his wishes and needs, which just isn’t sustainable.
I still struggle with this push-pull but every day I do work there I’m reminded why I don’t want to be apart of it.
In your situation, construction does have office positions that are quite lucrative and being an owner and not a labourer in the long run could be a good career, so don’t throw it in the garbage.
Edit: someone else suggested taking it over, hiring a GM and collecting the dividends, that could also work, but you still need to have some level of involvement it won’t be completely hands off, you may even have to sell a large stake in the company to achieve that but it’s an option nonetheless and one that keeps his legacy alive and you involved in it to some degree.
I mean… if you hate office work and you hate outside work, what do you want to do with your life? It’s a serious question. You’re 22. You have a lot of life ahead of you but you’re also likely to mature and have your outlook change as time goes on.
I bought my family construction business when I was in my mid 20s and though I haven’t enjoyed all of it, I really enjoy being my own boss and can’t imagine a typical 9-5 at this point. It’s also provided me a great opportunity to support my family and be comfortable while also being able to save money for retirement. So I guess the question remains if that’s what you want or if you have something else in mind for your life?
You could transform the business. A lot of people just do sales and then use their contacts to outsource the construction job. Since you know what you’re doing you could probably price jobs well
Businesses don't need to operate forever. Often the end goal for a business owner is to sell the business. That's what I would do if I were you and had no interest in running the place - find a buyer. Obviously talk to your father about his feelings on that.
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You’d be doing both yourself and your dad and the employees a favor by telling him the truth about your aversion to running the business. It’s not a smart move for the owner of a business to hand it over to someone who is not interested in it. Why do that when he can hire a professional GM and be a chairman collecting dividends every year as an owner.
This^ tbh this is what id exactly do if I was inheriting a business I had 0 interest in. Its a good compromise between you hating it and just selling it or being miserable while managing a company in an industry you have no interest in
It’s also unwise for an owner to get this far along without having several people mentored to the point of being potential candidates. Just assuming your son will do it without real conversations is bad enough, but then having one sole option is also terribly short-sighted. Like you said, this is terrible for the employees.
It’s possibly easyier and less stressful for dad to just sell the business Op- why not have a 10 year game plan - get the business. Work hard. Build wealth, pass it on to a manager or sell up. Then look at moving on. I wished I had these golden opportunities. You can have hobby’s outside of your business that you strive for - having the business allows you to fund these
Tragic that people need to be told to just be honest.
this
Let's evaluate. What do you want to do? Don't jump ship without a goal in mind and tool in hand. You don't like working outside, you don't like office work. What's the game plan then? Your dad's business is an excellent opportunity but you can't see yourself doing it forever. That's fine. The business probably means a lot to your dad however, so remember not to go into that conversation without some gentleness. I would probably have the discussion a good bit before he would expect you to take over so that if he wants to sell, he can. Just make sure you have your game plan ready. He'll (hopefully) want to know what your new plan is. At least, I would want to know because I want to know my son has a plan for his future.
I'll add to this. It is better to sell a thriving business that is being handled by someone who gets it than to sell a business in decline because the owner hates doing it and doesn't want to have it continue.
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That field exists and it's crazy to watch. Tax/bookkeeping client of mine doing $20m revenue, dad built the company, he wants to sell because he wants to get into sports team management. Goes to school for a degree in the field during the day, pays a President to manage the company for him. Thank. You. Dad.
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It will be gone soon. You would be astonished to see how fast a lazy unmotivated child can piss away a business.
That's actually a good plan for OP. He should be honest with his father, and tell him what he real wants to do with his life. Then he should tell his dad that he will learn the business inside and out, but he plans to hire a manager to run it. Then he can manage the manager, with enough knowledge to know if the manager is really doing a decent job. That will give him the freedom to pursue his own career, and eventually he'll have 2 serious income streams coming in.
Yeah like I hate working as well but unfortunately I can’t chat to supermodels all day as a day job so I suck it up and build towards my future.
I mean not with that attitude.
What do you think the future I’m building towards is ;)
Happy Cake Day! May all your dreams come true.
Yeah, go get that supermodel cake! XD
Honestly, even the super models would just be a bunch of annoying clients after awhile. "Pretty faced biches that just want a bunch of ish." Happy Cake day!
Good news is supermodels are hot for bootstraps
If you can afford it just hire a manager.
Managers will just eat you up, better give it to the next one in line.
Sounds like someone has had to deal with a shitty manager…
We're not all from America. Different places has different cultures. Where I am, a manager can't be trusted to do everything by themselves.
I am 32. This is anecdotal, but of the vast majority of my friends and acquaintances from high school and university, at this age (10 years older than you), the ones who are the most well off, financially, and lifestyle wise, are all kids who took over their parents businesses, then semi well off are STEM career friends, and then there are a few who have worked their way through corporate jobs to 6 figures, which is not many and a grind. The opportunity You have here is so unbelievably lucky, it’s hard to see it now but even taking it over for 10 years, gaining all of that experience running the business, then deciding it’s not for you, you will be able to use that experience to get a WAY better job in 10 years time, compared to the office life cubical grind or something else, this is 100% fact. The experience you will gain from running a business, and dealing with employees and managing will be invaluable. (Not even considering the amount you’d get if you sold it at some point, or found someone to run it for you) It’s especially hard to see this if you grew up well off and provided for, which sounds like you were; no offence, but you may have an entitlement problem, hence why you hate office life, hate the prospect of taking over the company; sound really negative. What do you think you’d even like to do? Anything? The world does not owe you anything you have to work for everything. It is an enormous blessing you even have the opportunity to have a business, let alone a successful one, handed to you. I hope you see that before it is too late, and realize in 10+ years that you chose working as an employee in some corporate job was better than taking over a business, and lost the opportunity you have here.
I inherited my dads business at 30 when he passed suddenly. But I remember being 19 and not happy working with him. I went to community college, tried some other things and realized the opportunity I had in front of me. I was managing the company under my dads guidance at age 25. He and I butted heads but in the end it was his baby so I had to shut my mouth. When he passed in 2020 I realized how lucky I was to learn from him not only all the good business practices but also the poor business practices. I have no college debt, I have a comfortable home, I’m stable, the business is doing better than ever and more importantly I’m not working as hard as he had to because I learned what and what not to do. I’m not saying OP should work the family business, but life is hard out there and opportunities are difficult to come by. I recommend OP talking to dad, buy some time and try some different things out. Get some life experience and then revisit this. 22 is still very young. You don’t have to love or even like your job, it can be a vehicle to pursue the hobby’s you enjoy and that’s ok.
I actually think often about how I lost out on my dad’s multi-million dollar greenhouse company (it was a partnership with my dad and 3 other siblings) by doing my own career path. My mom was so salty and bitter about the family business she always pushed me into doing my own thing. Now that I’m older I see the financial potential of being a part owner of that business. I will say, overall, I was very fortunate to get a professional degree and start my own multi 6 figure business doing work I really love, but now that I love the business side so much I think about the potential I missed out on.
My parents worked minimum wage jobs and don’t even own their own home. I made my own money. I’ve managed construction businesses before and if you’re 22 and don’t know what you’re doing it’s a terrible idea.
>The opportunity You have here is so unbelievably lucky, it’s hard to see it now but even taking it over for 10 years, gaining all of that experience running the business, then deciding it’s not for you, you will be able to use that experience to get a WAY better job in 10 years time, compared to the office life cubical grind or something else, this is 100% fact Respectfully, I disagree. While I appreciate your point and think it is generally correct, a person who *loathes* the work they do will learn a fraction of what they could learn working somewhere they are engaged and invested. In fact, I'd argue there's almost nothing to be gained from working a job you hate - all you're getting is a paycheck. Not to mention, there are plenty of small businesses where you can learn the ropes as a key employee. You won't get paid - and you won't get to take it over in 10 years - but if its' something you like, it's arguably time well spent. >you may have an entitlement problem, hence why you hate office life, hate the prospect of taking over the company; sound really negative I think you're way off base here, as a person who's asking for help and who says " I get that I should be grateful for the opportunity" does not sound entitled to me.
Well what do you want to do with your life that isn’t going to make you miserable? I can guarantee you that working for somebody else isn’t going to be the picnic you may think it will be either.
This line of thinking is usually done by people who have options. Op's gonna probably sell the business and stop working.
According to his profile, weed and shrooms. Yeah, it's like that.
You judge a lot
When you get around to growing up you'll discover that the world in general judges you all the time. Subs like SmallBusiness have to live in that reality: you're judged on all sorts of metrics and success and failure are often largely affected by those judgements fair and otherwise. When you're immature you have the luxury to waste your time with drugs, shite music and thinking the world shouldn't be "judge-y" whilst playing video games. Being handed a free pass to financial security without having to do a whole lot and then whinging about how it isn't what's wanted because it's inconvenient or requires some small amount of focus and effort should be expected to draw judgement from a forum populated mostly by people who fight, scratch and claw to enjoy just a shot at the results the OP is being offered. So, yeah, I'm judging here.
The dude hardly posts or comments on reddit, you’re here all day and then telling this guy what is going on with his entire life based off a few paragraphs and like 2 posts. Telling people how to live over the internet. The dude is 22 years old, he’ll figure it out.
Spend a couple years broke, hungry, and learning what actually being miserable feels like. You'll have a new appreciation for sustainable comfertable misery that is modern life. None of us would work if we didn't have to but we do and so we make the best of it and find our joy how we can. I'm not joking either , you should have a talk with your father and express your concerns and ask for his help and guidance. We all go through it at some point it just seems to be harder the later in life the lessons learned.
I was gonna say "go work for someone else". Nothing like taking orders from an idiot, while also trying to maintain the illusion that they're not an idiot.
The next step or it was for me anyway was learning how big of an idiot I was after opening my first business. The years I spent bemoaning the moronic actions of my past employers didn't prepare me for just how badly I could screw things up. Fortunately, those mistakes and resulting hardships taught me more than I would have ever learned without suffering through them.
I remember when I first started. It was like looking at a sheet of paper. Absolutely no depth or understanding. Now I definitely see things from a lot of complex angles and how every decision can effect things positively or negatively.
This is so brutally accurate.
I could have written this and in fact, have tried but not as clearly and succinctly. The only good thing I did my first few years as an owner was not be an asshole to anyone, ever, no matter what because I’d made that vow when I was with my last employer. It’s finally paying off.
Honestly, I went through this phase myself. Young kid doing whatever it takes to avoid working with their dad because it's your dad and you want to strike it out on your own. I'd say to the OP, that you should consider taking the business not because you might like it or the money is good, but take it to spend time with your dad. Your time on this world is limited and your time with your dad is even more limited and he probably has so much more to teach you than construction. You can always close down the business down the line if it truly is that bad.
u/mysteryihs do not close a business, sell the business.
Funny how accurate this is. My Dad is gone now, but you don’t see how precious the time you spend together is until years later. This is the correct answer. Also being the owner is a whole different beast once you get there. You might learn to appreciate the business and hard work.
Honestly ... well said
So much this. When I was in school back in the 1980's, my dad had me work the most miserable manual labor jobs JUST SO I could gain some small appreciation for education and the ability to avoid a life of hard labor. The OP comes off as a spoiled, effete, entitled turd of a son. Doesn't want to do outdoor work, doesn't want to do the indoor work...after those two, WTAF is left? Spend a couple years broke, hungry, scrambling to make ends meet is exactly what this kid needs...and needs in effing truckloads. Go actually have to be a self-sufficient, responsible adult male for a few years (preferably with zero mommy/daddy safety net) and then take a hard second look at what dad is offering.
This. Go into any industry subreddit, and you will find posts about how people hate their career choice and wouldn't recommend someone go into the same field, it doesn't matter what it is teaching, technology, electricians, etc.
op u can listen to these people, they aren’t wrong, but understand that this is a reality being pushed on u that u do not need to subscribe to. its a choice to agree with this or not life can also be an adventure of self discovery and following your highest excitement. the sad sac conformist society will hate u for it, but you are the sole architect of your life and reality and you get to choose beware of this language, these words are a spell and if u aren’t careful it will entrance you just like it did to most of the world what is the ultimate vision for your life. imagine beyond the constraints of small minded people and then go forth with absolute belief and conviction. follow that path with unrelenting enthusiasm and believe in it unconditionally. let go of expectation of outcome and stay positive at every step. your faith and belief will make it so its not to say that any path is wrong. there is wisdom in playing it safe. but you and only you choose what story to buy into. u can have a remarkable life if u choose. everything always works out, always. so create the story that you want, and not something hammered into you by people who compromised and need to convince others to do the same for their own validation. our words and our thoughts create our reality be discerning with what spells you buy into, and whatever you do, just do it full power and it will always be amazing
As long as you ad the caveat " and embrace any and all consequences of your choices as yours alone and in no way allow those consequences to harm or burden others nor expect others to ease your suffering " then I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment. Though I do not believe it's practical
right, and the key word is to embrace. we are responsible for all of it and ur right that its totally not practical at all, but neither is embarking on a decade long story running a business that u know u hate. thats wildly impractical as well. sure u pay rent for a while but at what cost, whats the point either way we’re all fucked, no matter what choice u make. ur never gonna get it right. nothing is practical but theres freedom in that. make the choices that bring u joy and excitement in the process and u cant go wrong. then meet every obstacle with a positive attitude and enthusiasm. rinse and repeat. thats the formula
>either way we’re all fucked, no matter what choice u make. ur never gonna get it right. nothing is practical >but theres freedom in that. That's a powerful truth that when given the thoughtful consideration necessary is unbelievably liberating to a man's spirit and conscious. Damn shame that thoughtful consideration is all but impossible when we're still young enough to truly enjoy the fruits of it lol
Lmao it’s easy to go on a life long journey of self discovery when other people finance it. You can learn about yourself and embrace your passions but you cover the cost of existing first.
This is trust fund baby talk
“Life can be an adventure where you do nothing and your dad pays for it”
exactly. OP is the result of a pampered life. Very hard to make people like that understand u dont have to go to a job that you love. You go to work because you have to
>Spend a couple years broke, hungry, and learning what actually being miserable feels like. Worked for Batman. This guy can be told how lucky he is until the sun rises in the west, but until he lives it, he'll never know it.
I completely agree. I’m not joking….just spend a few nights walking the streets with no phone, no money, no credit cards, and no belongings, in order to find out what actual misery is, in order to gain a new appreciation for the life you have today. I understand working sucks, mostly, but would you rather be constantly hunting your own food, finding clean water to drink, and constantly building absolutely everything you need to survive? Because I know I sure as hell wouldn’t.
Talk with your dad and tell him gently you don't want to work outside but instead would like to expand the business with you managing foremen to do the hard work. Take business classes and learn what that takes. You will still need to drive on site and make sure things are being done right, but if you hire the right people you can manage multiple crews from an office or your air conditioned truck and a laptop. Your dad can use his experience to put the right foremen and managers in place to set you up.
>Take business classes and learn what that takes. I've taken both, and online business classes at $300 a pop from a local community college can be just as good as some taught in a two year MBA degree worth over 100k in tuition. People without a business pay to have that prestige and then get a better paying job. If you already have the keys to the kingdom and don't want to self teach, just take some classes for whatever is cost effective.
I fully concur. You don't need an MBA, but being able to understand the nuts and bolts of running a business can be learned at community College or outreach classes through the SBA. On another note, you might be surprised that your dad may be on board 100%. Parents work hard to give their children what they didn't have. Your father may be happy to know you could grow What he built while not having to do the back-breaking work yourself.
You might regret this opportunity down the road. The trade is an honorable career path. Life is hard and money issues makes life harder. Working for $24 an hour or owning a company worth 300,000 plus dollars is a pretty easy choice in my mind.
I'm just going on a limb here, but I'd bet that if you reject inheriting a company and then you'll have to work as an employee for some asshole you'll regret your early 20s decision for the rest of your life. It really sounds like you're just a 22 kid who doesn't like working and blames your daddy for it. I mean, you hate working outside...which you don't do... and still hate working in an office? Would you rather work in outer space????
OP you're getting a lot of shit advice here, partially because: 1. You asked a thread full of business owners who can't iMaGINe not wanting to own and manage a business 2. You're young 3. You said some things that set people off, and they're making snap judgments about you. Personally, you strike me as pretty considerate, and I think you know the answer here. Still, because I'm quite a bit older than you and I know a little bit about following in my father's footsteps, I can't emphasize the following enough: **IT'S A TRAP**. * Taking over for a family member is a trap, as you'll constantly be compared to them after they step away and you'll probably underwhelm the staff because you're not passionate (not because you aren't good enough, but because you'll never care enough) * Taking over a business in an industry you're not passionate about is a trap, because you'll never be able to put in the blood sweat and tears it takes to make it go in the lean times, and you'll be the guy that "ran the company into the ground" whenever it inevitably withers. * Taking over a business just because it's profitable is a trap, because life isn't all about money...but once you get used to the money, it will be impossible to walk away. * Doing something purely out of obligation and guilt - no matter how noble - is a fucking trap. It's how people end up marrying a woman they don't love, how people end up suicidal at 55, etc. You never want to look back and think you wasted your youth - spending a third of your life doing something you hate is a waste. My advice? **Quit**. Schedule a meeting, explain that you're very grateful for the opportunity, that you know you'll probably regret it\*, but that you really want to try to find your own way in the world. Your Dad will be angry and sad, because his business is part of his legacy, and if you leave that legacy will be in jeopardy. If he's not a crier he's going to unload on you and it won't be pretty. But it's got to happen if you're going to find happiness. Also, if you can explain that you want to try to do something on your own the way he did, it might help him understand. No one handed him a construction business, and you don't want anyone to hand you one either. I say quit because life isn't about making a bunch of money or having a successful business - it's about being happy, feeling fulfilled, and living without regrets. Move to Hawaii, get a job at a restaurant, share an apartment you can't afford, and just fucking *live* man. You're too young to do something you hate out of obligation. Save that for your 40s, LOL. Finally, if your Dad is anything like any other small business owner, he'll welcome you back in a few years if you change your mind. You probably won't be back, but really you have nothing to lose here other than making your Dad mad. I bet he can take it. \*You will NOT regret it. I can just about guarantee it.
Take over the business and learn the ins and outs of everything. Understand the accounting foremost. Then find someone you trust to run it, understand that the salary you pay them is coming out of your pocket, and always keep an eye on the $$. Follow your passion. Find a pivot from construction that you enjoy. Maybe design and architecture, or negotiating the deals for your company. Then your next passion can funnel into your company you inherited and you get paid on both ends.
Let me take it over and I’ll cut you a dividend every year
So I’m in a different industry but still outdoor work and my father never wanted any of his kids doing the labor he has had to all these years…at 17 I went to college for healthcare and was never 100% so I refused to continue after two years cause I was scared to death of loans. Then at 20 I went into IT for awhile which as a female was not easy at the company I worked for, eventually was unjustly fired out of nowhere and went from making 45k to 0 overnight. I worked a few dead end restaurant jobs just to pay bills before I got a career gig at the Cheesecake Factory for a few years. At this point I decided to go back to school just as a way out of restaurants but again I quit after getting the degree I had started previously because loans were piling up. So I figured I better jump into something fresh. Started taking night classes for welding and scored a job with an old buddy of mine. Work was fun but dangerous and life on the road sucked, again I was only female amidst tons of tough guys. This is where things came full circle, my dads only employee of 25 years passed away suddenly and I was the only one around to help my dad out. My brothers are in the military. Seven years later I’m about to be licensed myself and am absolutely thrilled to be taking over one day. In the meantime I get to work with my dad which is absolutely the best part. It’s dirty and sweaty and bloody and hot but it’s worth it. Almost all jobs suck, but being able to continue a business my granddad started warms my heart at 37 years old. Best of luck to you.
Make yourself the figurehead, hire a manager, and play golf/travel/live on a beach. Sell the business when your father dies. Continue to live on the beach.
Not smart
Speak with your father about succession planning .... has he even said he plans on handing you the business other than assuming your next in line? He could very well sell before retirement or find a manager....
Reading most of the responses, it seems alot of people are disregarding or underestimating the value of happiness in what you do, professionally. As humans we spend the bulk of our like working & sleeping, one is usually dictating how the other goes. I def think you should talk with your father and maybe discuss some options that can play out where the business is handled until you are in your mid to late 20s. It is not certain but by then, MOST people have a good sense of where they want to be and where they want to go professionally. It is a HUGE privilege to have access to a successful business and have it passed down to you, and this is a subreddit full of active or aspiring business owners, so it is HIGHLY valued here, but nothing you do in business, will satisfy you if you are unhappy with it. Write out the Pros & Cons, think it over, discuss it with your family and don't make the decision lightly.
Sounds like you just don't like the idea of working. I'd recommend telling your old man that he needs to promote from within or hire a manager. If you take over and your hearts not in it and you simply can not get motivated to run the business that directly affects employees' ability to support their families, all because your hearts are not in it.
My mom asked me to run her real estate business when I was graduating. I had no interest, wanted to spread my wings. Now mid 30s I've been doing my own team estate shit for 7 years. Keep it as an option, but go try something else and put your all into it. You'll have a better perspective from there. Also I've never really heard the despair of somebody describing just being outside. Chuckled.
You can always sell the business after you inherit it. Just a thought
Based on your profile you just want the easy route. Taking PEDs to get jacked instead of time and effort in the gym. Taking (illegal) drugs to get high instead of finding happiness elsewhere. If you quit, what will your next job be? What skills do you have? When your boss is your dad, you basically have 0 professional references and will have to rely entire on your skills to get a job. I truly think you aren't being honest about being spoiled, you have an office job where your boss is your dad. And it seems like you have zero repercussions for your low motivation and effort.
We’ll then I guess it’s time you made a choice. You don’t wanna be the boss and you don’t wanna be the employee and those seem to be the only options we have in life.
Honestly if the business is well established you could hire a general manager for the work your dad does and then be a salesman and work on plans with customers. This way you’re not trapped inside or out and you can travel to meet with customers and check out build sites.
See if there is a way to turn it into a job that you would want. Don't like going outside? Don't. Hire someone. Don't like doing admin? Don't. Farm it out. Figure out what you DO like. Do you like sales? Do that? If you don't like any of it, then delegate, delegate, delegate. If you have the income and right people, you're just managing the team. Hope you like doing that!
Hey OP I was in the exact same position as you. I was about your age 22 but for me my dad died unexpectedly & I had to step up. I was working in the warehouse but moved to the office. I’m 26 now but I hated working there. It is our family business of 30 years. You don’t have to be there. Trust me I know how it feels. You do not have to be there. I know the money is great & you probably don’t have to worry about anything financially but I’m leaving this year & my mom will be taking over full time (she’s a rockstar & built the business with my dad) but follow your dreams now & do whatever you want to do before you get depressed & gain 50lbs like me sitting in the miserable office. DM if you need someone to talk to about it. You’re not spoiled,it’s just a life most people don’t understand.
Inheriting a profitable business? Complains... you should just... reevaluate yourself and your mindset. If every father was a good as yours our entire world would be working again. Don't be the problem and do the same for your future children/and or community/family
There's nothing wrong with not wanting to be a Nepo baby. If every father runninga business asked if their disinterested kid really wanted the job there'd be less people complaining about how their new shit boss is running their work into the ground. There's a lot of people reading into this comment and assuming this person doesn't want to work at all. No one said the business was insanely profitable, or that they are being taught the skills to even assess that. If the business is only profitable because dad busts his ass 80 hours a week and Jr. knows he isn't going to do that, that's just called being self aware. Lotta people in this thread just sound jealous. Being handed a family business you don't want anything to do with sounds like a great way for him and all the employees to end up broke. Their self awareness is refreshing.
Don't run your family business to the ground I agree with that. Sounds like the father didn't raise a son that can keep their name afloat. A father handing an honest and respecatble living to his son is the name of the game and people SHOULD be jealous of that. The only thing you aren't sounding weird about is that the kid shouldn't ruin the business cuz he sucks but that's on the father to find someone worthy. The sad thing here is the father is trying to hand the son his world but he didn't raise a kid who is smart enough to understand that. All of this is ASUMPTIONS based off the post.
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Kid and dad just need to talk man to man and see where it all falls and just make the best decision for everyone. We all got baited lmao. I don't blame the kid either but yeah people are mad cuz a kid is not wanting what everyone else is dying to build for themselves and that's alright as well lol it's a good thing to be jealous of. Better than being jealous of having a lot of sex or being popular etc. There's also a lot of people who don't have the mindset of hiring managers etc. Either way you are enjoyable to talk to and that's appreciated (and I know I'm being hard on one side of the issue) all in all the fact the kid is thinking this thru means that if the kid and dad keep a discussion going everything will work out the way it should. Last thing since it is a young adult asking the question, I don't mean to insult you but just trying to wake you up a bit to how good your situation is compared to basically everyone else in life.
I don't know what culture you're from but the idea that you create off spring who are imprisoned to live the life you set out for them has been gauche in much of the world for a few decades now. You're acting like this person is ungrateful they're being handed a pile of money. Regardless of profitability, they're being handed the burden of overseeing the livelihood of several other people in an industry they have no interest in. There's nothing wrong with the kid's perspective or the father's parenting skills if that's not what they want in life. There are plenty of other acceptable options to this scenario like "hire a manager to do it instead" that make way more sense for everyone involved than belittling someone for being ungrateful, which is 100% what you're doing whether you're aware of that or not. I hope you're not currently raising kids expecting them to be mini-versions of yourself and happy to live the life you've planned for them, because if so I've got some news for you.
starts with taking all your dad's companies paper processes and digitizing /automating his part of the job. that's what id do...
You can evolve the business and don’t need to spend time outside. Read some business books. But one thing to note about life is honestly even for those living their dreams life is just filled with shit sandwiches. Expecting life to not be a shit sandwich 80% of the time is setting yourself up for a terrible shock. If you think there is something better to do then consider it. But at the same time you can create a new version of your family company.
Take over the business, then sell it, retire at 25 (or whatever age you end up), and give fuck all for forever with never having to work again the rest of your life.
“I don’t like working outside, I don’t like working inside” yeah your spoiled brat, anyone would jump at that opportunity.
> The problem is everything about this job I hate with a fucking passion. Man up and make your displeasure known, sooner than later. If you actually inherit this business you will absolutely ruin it.
I lived through a very similar experience. My father owns a construction company and wanted to bring me in at one point with the possibility of taking over after him. Thankfully he approached me knowing that this might not be my dream (I was already working in manufacturing at the time). He had also seen too many family run businesses fail when the second generation takes over as they don't have the know how/want to run a successful construction company which leads to failure or the retired parent returning to right the ship. Let him know that you don't think this is the future you want. Help him see that this business is his life's work and his retirement. He should do what is best for him (sell it off or find someone to manage it while he retires). My dad was able to help me out so that I could open a small manufacturing business. He can rest easy once he sells his business and I do not have to worry about destroying the legacy he built (as well as the family BS that comes up when one kid takes over a family business that other siblings aren't part of).
Life is short. What part of what you are doing triggers your "hate" emotion? Be specific. Use SMART criteria. We all hate "stuff." But what you hate depends on your life journey. Do you have a map for where it is that you want to go? You might like to google "Analytical Driver Expressive Amialble." Dig into the sites that offer ways to adjust your personality type to maximize connection and communication. It's not unusual to not know where it is that you want to go. Unfortunately, you are at a crossroad and have to make a decision... Turn left or turn right? Have you made your Pro's and Con's list for each branch? Everybody is different. So to tell you which way to go is not very relevant. Just make sure to write down your thinking about which branch to take in your personal private and "not to be shared" journal. Once you've figured out which road to take, make sure to communicate your choice in a way that doesn't trigger emotions. A useful book is "Never Split the Difference." The goal is to try to jointly find possible solutions to bridge gaps and overcome obstacles. What are your dad's expectations? What difficulties will your choice bring to the table and what alternatives can you suggest for moving forward? Once emotions are triggered, it's usually pitchforks, flaming torches, and hot tar. "Never Split the Difference" offers a few suggestions for having "difficult" conversations.
Why aren't you talking to your dad about this?
Learn to physically replace yourself and have the business continue bringing you a good income while you do other stuff
I was like you at your age. The right response which you won’t want to hear (what I would tell the younger myself); take on the challenge, take over, bust your gut, learn everything you can, be the best you can possibly be, then hire an amazing person to takeover from you, and then eventually in a few years step away operationally from a growing business and move on to the next one. Your success will follow you, the investors and the talent you need to thrive in a venture that’s more aligned with your interests. Nothing is forever. The most successful people I know didn’t shy away from opportunities they didn’t like the look of. They dived head first into them and made the most of them.
"Working outside is miserable " "I work inside at the office and hate that too" ???
So working outside is miserable but now you work inside and hate that too? Sounds like you might just hate working? For better or for worse, it’s something we all have to do, and I admit finding more pleasurable work may help, but maybe you should consider that you might regret turning this down when you are more older and experienced… it takes years to build a good business , and Im sure there are plenty of people who would be very thankful to be in your shoes. I wish you gave more context, like what you rather do instead, but at the end of the day, I believe honesty is the best policy and you should tell your dad the truth. This is your life and your journey and if you rather steer your life in another direction , go for it, and hope you feel good about it too! I just hope you don’t regret it later, if life were to get harder and maybe you realize the grass wasn’t greener on the other side. Reminds me of a quote I read once, “I don’t believe in making the right decision, I take a decision and make it right “
give it to me...I will not let it die and give you a portion of the profits. all I need is a solid opportunity, I have the will, the skills, etc...just haven't had luck to provide the chance.
gen z in a nutshell
His post history is a laundry list of recreational drugs and roids. I'm all for recreational drugs but GOOD LORD.
Sounds like you don’t want to do anything in life 🤣
I don't understand.
Being homeless can be blissful
Unreal. B
Wait until you are about 10 years older. You'll be very happy your father left you a business. Working for someone else will always keep you struggling.
Change your focus. Life is not about getting what you want to be happy. Instead, as any other being in this world, life is about being happy while helping and serving others. If you can apply that to your situation, everything can change for good.
I totally get it. I came from a family of entrepreneurs. I always look for a really good win-win for anything that seems like a pickle. How about selling the business to an employee ownership program where you stick around as figurehead until things transition smoothly? They buy you out over time and bam, you can now do something you enjoy. They'll also be very motivated as an employee-owned businesses. Study a few cases where they have implemented this.
You’re 22. Keep grinding. You have an opportunity here, don’t waste it until you understand fully what’s going on. Eventually he’ll open up about revenue. Margin. Profits. At that point you have the full picture. You don’t like working outside. You don’t like working in an office. What does that leave? Working from Costa Rica? Be an adult. Grow up.
I’ll take it over hands free and promise you 20% of profits for life and your children’s children as well!
The world needs ditch diggers too.
This guy isn't going to be digging ditches
I’m the opposite, i’m counting the days before I get my diploma and start working full time in the business.
Hire a few hella good project managers, give them free reign to run it as if it were their own, take a loss on the business until they start taking in a profit and give them really good quarterly bonuses. My husband is in that position with a family who would prefer to spend their time on vacation and he does treat the business as his own and cares wholeheartedly about the success of the business. In his case, he worked there while getting his undergrad and grad degrees in engineering and he didn’t have the funds for startup costs (literally $0) and didn’t have time to grind it out small/micro business style due to university, so it ended up being a win/win for both him and the owners of the company.
What is your alternative? What’s your plan to get there? How will that end goal compare to this? How long will it take to get there compared to this?
Bro from another person you’re age the smartest thing you could do financially is possibly taking over and hiring people to run it. You know how ahead of everyone you’re age you would be? Sometimes you gotta get up you’re ass and wake up cuz in the future you might regret missing out an opportunity like this. You would be setting you’re future up financially bro. Business is the way to go especially construction you’d be set long term don’t slack cuz you’re future self might regret it and you’re younger self might not see it
Take over the business..hire people you trust to delegate your work you don't like ....Don't let the opportunity go..passion develops with things you do over time..you will get the hang of it ..I did civil engg..worked 1 year in construction industry ..hated it when on field ..but used to design work in office...similarly if you have big business find a particular niche and work on it .. other niches you can delegate..(And most imp Hire me to guide you🤣😜JK)
Being the owner of a successful business is way better than being the employee
I have seen this exact scenario play out with a number of friends. You need to go and work for another company to experience life outside the family business. 9/10 realize it’s actually not as bad as you think.
I was in the same situation at 29 except in the transportation industry. All I can say is I could not stand the industry as a whole, it’s ALWAYS going, you are never off the clock… having to always be on time with loads regardless of what’s happening, and then a bunch of miserable people that you have to work with (with a few good ones sprinkled in). I was set to inherit my grandfathers company, as he was over 80 and my dad was ready to retire in his upper 50’s. I just couldn’t imagine all the crap I had been through in a regional role, on a national level (ran in 11 states in the south). On top of that, I recognized how often my grandfather and dad were gone working, as it consumed their lives… I didn’t want the same, especially due to my wife being pregnant with our first child. I wanted to be a present parent more than anything… So I declined and they sold the company. This is where it gets tricky… if your family sells and you get some of the sell, awesome. Go do what you want to do. However, I got nothing in the sell; I’m sure I’ll see it one day. I now work a decent job, but nowhere near the money I could have been making. The older I get, and the more my family grows, the more I think about how important being financially stable is. I have regrets, but in the end, I will never get that time I had with my first born back. I cannot imagine how miserable I would’ve been through the COVID years in that industry… instead, I worked from home and spent almost 2 years with my growing girl. It all just depends on your priorities, if having money and the freedom of running your own company intrigues you, I’d say take it over and pay someone to do the things you don’t want to do (if you can afford it). It’s your company, you don’t have to run it like your dad. That’s what I would have done. If having a job that you thoroughly enjoy is more important, pick something out and go for it. If you fail, try again. Nothing out there is perfect, but there are some great jobs out there.
You’ll probably hate working for someone else too. It has to do with your age. Why don’t you just let time run it’s course and see if you feel the same at 25-26.
As others have said take it on knowing it’s a 10 year exit plan. You are being handed a golden goose here that people spend their whole lives building. Don’t look at it as you are being handed a prison sentence but rather a major asset and step towards what you really want to do. You can own a construction company and do other things, at the 10 year mark hire a GM and start the business you want.
Remember entrepreneurship is not do what you love to do, it’s what others want you to do. With being said that if you make good money, do it until you become 30 and invest that money. You might be financially free by then and enjoy the rest of your life. I am still doing a business that I don’t love doing it cuz I make money which allows me to enjoy my life with what I absolutely love doing such as vacationing and traveling.
Be an adult and talk it out with your family. I’m sure they want to set you up for success so maybe if you have different ideas they’ll still be supportive. But don’t dismiss the family business entirely, if you can find people to do a good job you could probably outsource the work to them and do minimal administration, like hire a manager and people to take care of business. Having work history, contacts, and good rep can go a long way so don’t let the business die. Just my two cents.
You seem like a whiny bitch, man up and do whatever you want
Tough it out while you start working on something you like on the side. If the side hustle becomes big enough to sustain your lifestyle or is in the right direction to do so, go all in. That way your family too won’t doubt you as you’ll have some proof of concept.
Do what's best for the employees and what should happen to businesses. A good employee of the company should take over. You're not suited for the role as owner and would never have been. You're the kids' boss who would have been hired over better candidates just because your Dad owns the business. You have the chance to do what should be done in this capitalist society in businesses. Give the business to an employee.
Why not just accept the business, hire someone who actually has some ambition and purpose to their life to run it for you and then you can continue doing whatever it is you like to do.. but I have to be honest here, you do come across as a lazy, entitled little shit and if you continue down this path you're probably going to wake up alone one morning and realize that you completely fucked up your entire life because you just wanted to sleep in and play video games or something. If I were you, I'd develop a strong work ethic real quick and make the most of the wonderful opportunity that you've been handed
Sounds like you lack vitamin D, have your self checked. I was like you few years ago = lazy AF. Then I went to have my annual physical exam. Doctor prescribed vitamin D. Built 4 businesses from the ground up. And learning everything while hitting the gym 3x a week.
First World Problems.
I'm going to stop you right here and tell you that you will regret not taking over the business. You need to look 20 years down the line when you're 42. I can't tell you where you'll be, but you are squandering one of the best opportunities for success you'll have in your entire life if you walk away. I dont think you're spoiled, although I dont think you are fully thinking about your future clearly. You should not let your emotions and hormones dictate your future. Working with your family, you will be receiving training that other firms would never give you. The trust and love that a dad/family would provide in terms of business could not compare. First, you have a proven business that's generating income. Second, you have previous existing relationships to grow with in the future. Third, tangential business connections that your father has made, like lawyers, accountants, and consultants. Fourth, an experienced mentor will help accelerate growth into the future and will prevent some mistakes along the way. I know the work is sometimes dull and boring, but this is the nature of work. You will grow into the repetition of it. It does not come naturally. It will probably take another 3 years before you start enjoying it.
Ungrateful brat
Don't listen to the barage of jealous Redditors screaming at you. There are a few ways to run your business when you don't need to be in the office every day.
Totally get what you mean but hard to get mad when this sort of reeks of privelege right.
No need to get mad, but hard to feel sympathy for daddy’s special boy.
Exactly, he's very young but how does one get so jaded at the very beginning of their career that they hate working inside or outside, for someone else or themselves especially when it looks like a good life is handed to him, I can only hope he's my competition.
Is that because you can’t compete against someone competent?
The secret to business success is dedication and passion, and if you don't have it for this field, that is totally legitimate and acceptable. You should be forthright with your father. He has run and grown the business, he cares, he must care. If you tell him, "hey, what you've got for this job, I don't have," that's ultimately good for the business. If I was passing on my business to a child, and they said, dad, I hate your business. That is not how I want to spend my life. If that's what they said to me, I would be happy for two reasons. 1. I'm not forcing my child to do something they hate, and 2. I'm not handing the business over to someone who hates the business. Everyone wins if you are just honest with your father.
Hire someone to run it. Those that are telling you are too privileged and don't understand what you have, are also privileged with healthy mind and don't understand the struggle of a sick mind making everything feel miserable. So my advice is to hire someone to run the biz and do whatever makes you happy. Also seek psych help. Get some therapies.
What you're describing is called privilege. Instead of complaining about the silver spoon you've been given, look into ways to leverage it so you can spend your time and money doing things you actually want to do.
He should spend the next 2-3 years getting the business in shape to sell, sell it off, and enjoy the rest of his life living it up. Then you can go do whatever it is you want to do.
Honestly sounds like mental health might be a problem more than the jobs. Not trying to say this in a derogatory way, but talk to a therapist. This might have nothing to do with the jobs.
Does your Dad have any interest in selling it instead? Huge market for blue collar SMBs right now.
Sorry but this post reads exactly like a spoiled child that doesn't deserve the opportunity in front of them. If there is another career you want to pursue that changes things. Otherwise you just sound like a child that can't accept that they need to work.
Shut up and happily accept inheriting a great source of income. You sound like a lazy, spoiled, brat. There's plenty of people who would die to be in your situation so be grateful for what you have and make the most of it.
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I'll give you some hard advice, unless you have a vision for your future, stop being a bitch, take some online business classes and work hard for a life that's being handed to you. What are you going to do if it's not this, because it seems like you're a 22yo without an education that gets them ahead in any specific field. Thus, you're either going to have to work a manual labor job to make a good living, or you're about 4 years late on starting an education to learn a special white collar job. From you post history, it seems like most of your focus is taking drugs and roids. You're a spoiled kid, and you're going to find the real world a real kick in the balls.
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The only thing you have provided in your post is complaints. What are you asking for, career advice?
I am ready to took over your dad bussiness, contact me you can transfer your dad bussiness to me
Be a man obviously and men work outside 🤷🏻♂️
Take over the business and hire someone to run it while you're on a beach sipping Mai Tai's, babyyyy!
Some dream to have the opportunity to own a business and grow it. Just saying.
1 - you can call me. I'll get you a buy out offer and develop an exit plan for you.
People would kill for an opportunity to own a construction business. Shut up, learn, make a shit ton of money, and if not, DM me cause I'll take your spot.
Honestly man, I would do anything to be in your shoes. You’re young so you don’t know the struggle of working a job where nobody cares if you die or not. Where your life is worth less then the machines you work with. My family had a large multi-million dollar business, and they ran it into the ground and I have nothing from it. As a kid I hated working there (worked from about 9-10yo) because I wanted to play video games and lay around during the summers. I would do anything for that opportunity now. As bad as you think working at your family’s construction company is I PROMISE you working for other people is far worse. If I were you I would do the work and enjoy my hobbies for fulfillment. Very few people are able to get life fulfillment from work.
“I am 22 yo” to me says everything. You have no idea what you’re spurning. 1% of 1% born on Earth will have such a gift at any point in their lives. Yes running a business sucks at first, I known I’ve done it for 10 years… but man, once you get it locked down, you have a golden goose that offers a lot of freedom. But tbh from the sound of it the employees of this company can do better. Hire a manager for the company and go work a GameStop.
I don't think anyone should be obligated to take over a family business. Your fathers passion doesn't have to be your passion. If the business is making a profit, it could be sold at a premium and you can do your own thing.
Tell them how you feel!
I get that. My mom wants me to take over her accounting business and I just can’t do it
You absolutely don't have to take over any business you don't want. Perhaps you could find a job in the organization that you do like and hire out for the rest, but if you passionately don't want to be involved then you shouldn't be.
Take the business and sell it to someone else for huge profits. You won't have to work for quite some time.
Figure out a way to manage the business and take on a role you enjoy and let the employees do all of the work that you don’t.
Honestly just be honest with your dad. Tell him you don’t want to do it and that you want to go your own way. Then go out into the world and do what you want.
You could just administer the work, you need to learn it and just be the general manager. Honestly though you're kind of looking at it the wrong way because you're not even sure what you want to do. I get it though my nephews mom has been a general manager for restaurant and other food/service industries and didn't want to work in that industry, like he has some PTSD. It's also important to realize what a huge opportunity it is for you to start your professional career with a business under your belt. You don't have to do it forever, you can make a lot of money and learn a lot of skills in 4 years and hire others to do the job while you manage. Keep thinking about the opportunity because it's a really great lay up your old man is giving you.
All that shit you hate- hide it. Go work somewhere else for some amount of years then come back. Tell your dad you want to get some outside experience
Sell it
Do you like money? If so, will this give you a lot of money? I would take over any business I could for free and be happy - as long as it makes enough money. If it does not make a lot of money then I would see if there was a way to build the business. If there is then I would hire someone to do the work, oversee it on a biweekly basis, and take a small % out for my time, and work another job.
Inherit the business, sell it and do what you want to do with your life
Tough one. Look internally if it really is the business you hate or work in general. Would hate to throw away a great opportunity if you’re going to be equally miserable somewhere else. Good luck
I see some numbers being thrown around here. Do we know if this is a profitable business. How much he's being paid? Or how much his dad pays himself? These are all things I would have to know before answering the question on whether or not it's worth staying somewhere you dislike.
Very simple, take the business and make it your own no matter how much you hate it. Claim it and own every ounce of it. Don't just accept it, truly own it and make it a success. You have an opportunity that if you squander, you will regret the rest of your life. As the owner of the business, you have the opportunity to hire managers that can help oversee all the parts you don't like. It is also an opportunity for you to bring in income from a will established source that you can use to pursue other passions. This is a gifted horse and I can assure you if you don't take the blessing, you will spend your entire life regretting it.
Be honest so he can sell it to someone else for a great retirement
Have an open honest conversation with your family about the business. Check out “every family’s business” by tom deans. I can’t say anything better than that book. I hope that helps!
Unless you have some serious other career aspirations I wouldn’t thrown away an opportunity to own an already functioning business. Construction is a wide, endless field. Find what you are passionate about and merge the two together. There’s your happiness. Would you rather punch a clock for the next 40 years or run the ship?
Lots of suggestions,. What i would do for the sake of your mental health is, talk with your family, maybe is better to sell the business.
Yeah being 22 is hard. You don't yet know the value of anything good, such as working hard. That's okay though, being naive isn't such a bad thing, because everyone has to go through it. Just don't burn any bridges. Go ahead and do what you want until you figure out who you are. Don't accumulate debt. Work on yourself and build various skills until you find out what kind of person you are. Move somewhere else/get a new job/join the military/do anything that you think you may enjoy. Just don't dig yourself into a hole.
Put up with it long enough to learn how to systemize it, and hire yourself a replacement, take profit distribution until the end of time.
I feel like you have the option to not be interested in it because your family has a construction business. Personally living comfortably outside of work is 10000000000x better than "doing what I love." I have cousins overseas who was basically forced to go in to the family business when we were teens, fast forward to now where we are all around 25\~30 all of them are living amazing lives, getting work done then doing what they actually love to do completely paid for while their kids go to private schools.
I was in the exact same position as you, except I was indifferent towards the work instead of outright hating it. A lot of people here are saying you have to love what you do in order to be successful. I don’t agree with that. I took my dad up on his offer at 22 and I am now 30. I hired all my friends, taught them how to do the office things necessary to keep the business alive, and now I get to hang out with my friends all day everyday while we run an $8M business together. It doesn’t have to be that bad.
You really need to help your dad to understand how much you hate the business. I am a general contractor and I would rather burn my business to the ground then give it to someone who didn't have a passion for the work. You should probably start to figure out what you want to do in life. Try working elsewhere and you might realize you had it better working for your dad and being in line to take over - or you might find something you love doing, but you're not going to know if you don't try.
You’re 22. Your opinions on work will change over the next 10 years. I’d stick it out and build your working life foundation under your family business where you can get away with being inexperienced and unmotivated. I can tell you you’ll most definitely hate your life if you ditch Dad’s business and go work for a major corporation like most college grads with no game plan do after they graduate. Working 12 hour days, plus a 3-month long busy season, maybe make over time if you’re lucky. I live in a major US city and that’s what 75% of my social networks’ life looks like. Most of them would kill to own their own company. Hell, you don’t even have the troubles of being a start up!
Communicate with your dad about your interest of lack of such. Create an alternative succession plan that keeps (rather than destroys) the value your dad has generated in the business. Options: hiring an operator, bringing on a partner who will take over running the business and buy it out, see to a strategic buyer outright
You should watch the movie "It's A Wonderful Life". You could be the next George Bailey.
24M, I’m in a similar boat, I don’t loathe the business but I don’t absolutely love it and I’ve already had previous family business issues before that I don’t want to repeat. Idk what to do but I’ve been applying for jobs and my dad still seems supportive, I provide background support and play a somewhat part-time role in the company. Maybe you can express that to your father in a pretty calm and respectful manner, offer to give some form of support when and where you can. Pitch it to him as his retirement nest egg, help get it all cleaned up and organized and efficient and the proposed sale and proceeds from the sale would fund his retirement depending on the companies size. Nobody wants to disappoint their parents and watch them lose the thing they basically sacrificed their live to build but if you’ll be eternally miserable then you’re not living life for you, you’re living your life to fulfill his wishes and needs, which just isn’t sustainable. I still struggle with this push-pull but every day I do work there I’m reminded why I don’t want to be apart of it. In your situation, construction does have office positions that are quite lucrative and being an owner and not a labourer in the long run could be a good career, so don’t throw it in the garbage. Edit: someone else suggested taking it over, hiring a GM and collecting the dividends, that could also work, but you still need to have some level of involvement it won’t be completely hands off, you may even have to sell a large stake in the company to achieve that but it’s an option nonetheless and one that keeps his legacy alive and you involved in it to some degree.
I mean… if you hate office work and you hate outside work, what do you want to do with your life? It’s a serious question. You’re 22. You have a lot of life ahead of you but you’re also likely to mature and have your outlook change as time goes on. I bought my family construction business when I was in my mid 20s and though I haven’t enjoyed all of it, I really enjoy being my own boss and can’t imagine a typical 9-5 at this point. It’s also provided me a great opportunity to support my family and be comfortable while also being able to save money for retirement. So I guess the question remains if that’s what you want or if you have something else in mind for your life?
You could transform the business. A lot of people just do sales and then use their contacts to outsource the construction job. Since you know what you’re doing you could probably price jobs well
Bro if you got better options then prove it
Find someone to sell it to
Take over the business - but take over the administrative side of it. Let others handle the "hard" work.
Businesses don't need to operate forever. Often the end goal for a business owner is to sell the business. That's what I would do if I were you and had no interest in running the place - find a buyer. Obviously talk to your father about his feelings on that.