FEATURE TAKING OVER THE BUSINESS
Some say you should never work with family, but these FMB member companies are proving that advice wrong ALL IN THE FAMILY
“We built a joinery business over 10 years and handed it over to our daughter, Katie, about three years ago,” Rob says. “With RJB, we’d always hoped we could one day hand it over to Jack. But we never forced him. It had to be his choice. It’s not fair to dictate that your kids have to take over the business. We made it clear right from the start when Jack first joined the business when he was a young lad of 15.” Sue says it was the same for Katie taking over the joinery business. “We made sure she definitely wanted to do it. To be honest, we tried to put her off at one point to make sure she wanted it even then.” Despite having an excellent team to take over, Rob and Sue are feeling a whirlwind of emotions surrounding the day they finally leave the business. “It’s hard to hand a business over that we started from nothing and worked night and day, seven days a week and sacrificed an awful amount of time with young children,” Rob says. “So it's extremely difficult to do this emotionally.”
R ob and Sue Bacon started RJ Bacon Builders Ltd 30 years ago. Now, with one foot in France and the other in Norwich, the couple are finally enjoying much-needed rest – and a whole lot of skiing. But they’re only able to take on their new lifestyle because their business, which
they started from nothing, is very much in safe hands. Rob and Sue’s son, Jack, along with Nick Wright and Flic Quinn – honorary family members – are sharing the leadership of the company. While Rob and Sue focus on winning work, the younger trio ensure the business runs smoothly, employees are happy and clients are satisfied.
(l-r) Nick Wright, Flic Quinn and Jack Bacon of R J Bacon Builders Ltd
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