Families in Business

• 1Which BEST describes YOUR position in the business? Are you the:?
• 2Do one or more family members own any portion of this business?Top 100 question
• 2aHow many family members own a portion?
• 2bWhich family member or members? Spouse, father, etc., NOT Fred, Ethel, etc. (Allow up to three responses.)
• 2cAs a general rule, do these family member owners actively participate in CRITICAL business decisions or are they passive owners?Top 100 question
• 2dAre there other owners of the business who are not family members?
• 3Do one or more family members help manage this business on a day-to-day basis?Top 100 question
• 3aWhich family member or members? Spouse, father, etc., NOT Fred, Ethel, etc. (Allow up to three responses.)
• 4Do one or more family members work more than 20 hours per week in this business for wages or salary whether or not in a managerial capacity?
• 4aWhich family member or members? Spouse, father, etc., NOT Fred, Ethel,etc. (Allow up to three responses.)
• 5Are there family members over 18 who are unpaid, but who periodically contribute to the business by offering a special skill, filling in for someone, or other wise helping out?
• 5aWhich family member or members? Spouse, father, etc., NOT Fred, Ethel, etc. (Allow up to three responses.)
• 6Is there ONE person, inside or outside your business, that you are likely to talk to or discuss matters with before addressing a serious problem or making a critical business decision?
• 6aIs that person a family member?
• 6a1Which family member?
• 7Are you single, married, separated, divorced, or widowed?
• 7aDoes your spouse also own a business, separate and distinct from this one, that employs people other than the owner or owners?
• 8How many children age 18 or over do you have?
• 8aDoes one or more of your children over 18 own a business, separate and distinct from this one, that employs people other than the owner or owners?
• 8bHow many of your children age 18 or over own such a business?
• 9How many living brothers and sisters do you have?
• 9aDo one or more of your brothers and sisters now own a business, separate and distinct from this one, that employs people other than the owner or owners?
• 9bHow many of your brothers and sisters own such a business?
• 10Are both of your parents surviving, just one, or neither of them?
• 10aDoes [either/your parent] own a business, separate and distinct from this one, that employs people other than the owner or owners?
• 11Would you like one or more of your family members to eventually take over and operate this business?
• 11aDo you think it is very likely, likely, unlikely or very unlikely that one or more family members actually will?
• 11bDo you plan to transfer ownership of this business to one or more of your family members within the next five years?
• 12Did you start this business, purchase it, inherit it, or were you an employee brought into ownership?
• 12aDid you go into business yourself, with a family member, or with a non-family member?
• 13Do you believe that working with family members in this business has:?
• 14Would you consider consulting a banker about business succession planning?

Volume 2, Issue 6, 2002
ISSN 1534-8326

William J. Dennis, Jr.
NFIB Research Foundation