Feeling the Luck of the Irish? Check Out America’s Best St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
As we inch closer to the beginning of spring, nature around us is coming back to life. Soon, the grass and trees will return to their typical green hue if they haven’t already. Luckily, you don’t need
Chicago River a beautiful shade of emerald green. They’ll start tinting the river around 9 a.m., and the color will fade within six hours, so make sure you get there early! Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is also one of the biggest in the country. You’ll see floats, Irish step dancers, and much more. NEW ORLEANS, LA Once Mardi Gras concludes, all eyes are on St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans, Louisiana. The city hosts a parade on March 11, and it’s always quite a spectacle. You’ll see the makings of Irish tradition everywhere, including cabbage, onions, and potatoes, so keep your head on a swivel. You can also head to the Irish Channel neighborhood on March 11 to attend an all-day block party. Plenty of green beer will be available at this event, so come ready to celebrate! NEW LONDON, WI Let’s say you want to do something slightly toned down but still exciting for St. Patrick’s Day. Then, you’ll want to check out New London, Wisconsin, for one of the country’s most unique St. Paddy’s Day celebrations. Leprechauns will change the city signs from New London to New Dublin. The city also puts on an Irish funeral parody in its annual downtown parade.
to wait until April to see an abundance of green again. On March 17, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and people across the country will dress in green to honor the occasion. Certain cities in the U.S. go big for St. Patrick’s Day. If you’ve never attended a St. Patrick’s Day parade or celebration, maybe this is the year. Below you’ll find a few cities with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations worth checking out. CHICAGO, IL Nobody does St. Patrick’s Day quite like Chicago, Illinois. The entire city gets a makeover! This year, on March 11, Chicago will host its St. Patrick’s Day parade, which includes dyeing the
All in the Family
4 TIPS FOR WORKING WITH LOVED ONES
Many businesses are a family affair, and franchises are no different. But while working with your loved ones can be an extremely fulfilling prospect, it’s also a minefield that has ripped many families apart. If you’ve brought your spouse,
is on the same page and a respectful chain of command is in place.
around the dinner table will erode your emotional connections with the people you love most. Make time for each other outside of your business relationship. PREPARE FOR CONFLICT. Disagreements are inevitable in any workplace, but they can become particularly fraught when working with family. So, it pays to have a strategy in place before it occurs. Sit down with your family member(s) and discuss how you’ll resolve future conflict. Ideally, you should write official policies and procedures that outline how you’ll make decisions and who has the final say. Make sure you’re all on board with the plan, or it could fly out the window later. The above tips should set you on the path to success. Combining family and business isn’t always straightforward, but countless people make it work with the right attitude, preparation, and willingness to communicate.
REMAIN ACCOUNTABLE. Our standards tend to relax around family. Surely, your spouse will be more forgiving of your procrastination than any other manager — right? That’s a
parents, children, or siblings into your franchise, it’s normal to feel a little tension. But starting from the right framework can ensure that the problems in your business and relationships don’t get out of hand.
slippery slope you don’t want to head down. Expectations, quality, and work ethic should remain high, even when you know your co-
workers well. Slacking off leads to resentment both from your family members and any other
HAVE CLEARLY DEFINED ROLES. Mom may rule the roost at home, but that doesn’t necessarily make her the boss at work. Many problems arise when family members confuse personal relationships with business ones. Everyone in a business should have clearly outlined roles and responsibilities, especially when they’re related. Conflict is reduced when everyone
employees at the business.
STAY PROFESSIONAL. We all have personal problems, but we must leave them at home. A private argument should never bleed over into the workplace. And just as importantly, you shouldn’t bring your business home with you. Talking shop
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