Questions:
· Do you run a family business?
Sharon: Yes. We run a local dance school in the county of Northamptonshire. I co-own the school with my daughter Hayley.
· What are the positives that you gain from running a family business?
Hayley: I think one big positive from running a family business is that there is a great support system when times are challenging.
Sharon: We can always be truthful with one another and this honesty is key for communicating what is happening with the business in so many different areas of the dance school. We both have the same passion and commitment to the school and this is one of the driving forces that have enabled the school to grow and achieve results.
Hayley: I have been attending dance classes before I could walk. My mum would bring me along whilst she was teaching. I love dancing and have been fortunate enough to work with my mum, who I respect and trust co-owning a dance school which is both of our passions. That for me is a huge positive.
· How long have you run your business for?
Sharon: The dance school started off with very few people attending, it took time for our reputation to build to the standard it is now. We are very fortunate to have been in business for 30 years with a view to continuing for the foreseeable future.
· How has your mother/daughter relationship been effected by running a business together?
Hayley: I think I was naive when we ventured into business together. I was so caught up in the whole dance side of the school I didn’t question that a strain would be put on my relationship with my mum.
Sharon: I think I was probably more aware of the fact that our relationship would be tested. I knew I would be communicating to Hayley in a whole new way...our conversations were turning into nothing but business talk. I was depending on Hayley and looking at her work and how it could combine with mine in a way that was purely business minded. We over time ended up colleagues at work and then mother and daughter when we were having a family meal. This balance was really hard to achieve and we still struggle from time to time.
Hayley: I think that if I look back at how our relationship has changed it’s got stronger if anything. We are whole heartedly focused on the dance school and talk about it all the time practically, but I don’t look at that as a negative because I love the dance school and like Sharon said when we are having a family meal for example we do make a conscious effort to avoid the school being the main topic of discussion.
