Keep Your Family and Franchise Strong This Holiday Season

Holidays bring families together. They also bring up the topics you avoid all year. When business and family overlap, those conversations can get personal fast.

As a multi-unit franchise owner, you close out the year thinking about sales, staffing, and goals for next quarter. Then the family gathering starts, and suddenly business becomes the dinner topic. Someone asks when you plan to retire. Someone else wants to know how much the business is worth. Before you know it, you are explaining financial decisions instead of enjoying dessert.

You want to be fair. You also want your franchise to keep running without conflict. As Hugh Roberts, author of Help! I've Got Family in the Business, explains, the goal is not to avoid tension but to manage it before it grows.

Why holidays bring up business tension

When family members work in the business, holidays often bring old issues to the surface:

• Who will take over next year?
• Why does one person get more say than another?
• When will the founder retire?

These are not simple family questions. They are business issues with emotional weight. Talking about them without structure leads to arguments.

Think about the last time someone joked about "working too much." Or when a sibling compared their role to yours. These small comments often hide real frustration. The holidays make them harder to ignore.

Equal is not always fair

Equal and fair are not the same. Giving every child an equal share in the business often creates resentment. The one who works in the business carries the risk. The one who does not may still expect equal benefits. This puts pressure on both relationships and operations.

For example, one franchise owner split ownership evenly between two children. The first ran three locations full-time. The second had no involvement but still wanted equal distributions. Within a year, both stopped speaking. Equal shares did not feel fair to either side.

Focus on fairness based on contribution and responsibility. Use clear agreements to define roles, pay, and ownership. For guidance, see How to Prevent Sibling Conflict in Family Business Succession.

Generations see work differently

Older and younger family members often disagree about how to run the business. The founder values loyalty and control. The next generation values flexibility and innovation. These differences help a company grow when they are managed with respect. Left unchecked, they create tension that affects performance.

One owner told his daughter she needed "to pay her dues" before taking over a store. She argued that she had managed teams larger than his during her corporate career. Both were capable, but neither felt heard. Their disagreement slowed expansion plans by a full year.

See Family Business Generational Conflict: What Owners Need to Know for practical steps on turning generational conflict into cooperation.

Use the holidays as a reset

The holidays are a good time to pause and look at your next steps. Ask yourself:

• Have I explained my vision for the business?
• Does my family understand it?
• Am I making assumptions about who wants to lead?

Start small. Do not try to fix everything at once. Begin by sharing what matters to you. Then plan a formal discussion after the holidays. A neutral advisor can help guide that talk and prevent emotions from taking over.

If your family struggles to have these conversations, bring in a third party. A Certified Succession Planner or family business advisor can help everyone stay focused. They can guide talks about ownership, compensation, and expectations before they turn into arguments.

Keep what matters most

Your franchise supports your family, employees, and community. Protect that by planning early and communicating often. Be clear about expectations and structure. The goal is not to control every outcome but to keep trust and stability.

A good plan helps you enjoy the holidays without worrying about hidden conflicts. When family members know where they stand, conversations stay light and relationships stay strong.

Key points

• Holidays often highlight tension between family and business.
• Equal ownership is rarely fair. Clarity reduces conflict.
• Generational differences require open dialogue.
• Start with small discussions before major decisions.
• Clear planning keeps both family and franchise strong.

Kendall Rawls with Rawls Succession Planners knows and understands the challenges that impact the success of a complex, privately held, and family-owned business. Contact us today to arrange a consultation and discover how we can empower you to overcome obstacles and achieve lasting success. Whether you're navigating regulatory shifts or striving to build a top-tier team, we're here to help you thrive in today's multi-unit franchising landscape. For more information, visit seekingsuccession.com or email kendall@rawlsgroup.com.