Whenever someone learns that I run a business alongside my family, they usually assume it's messy and hard. But the truth is, as long as your leadership has implemented a strong culture and put intentional structures in place, it doesn't matter whether the owners/operators are related. In many ways, our inherent closeness pushes us to be more accountable, because when the founder's sons are in leadership roles, they all better be in the pit with the rest of the crew.
There are simple philosophies my father has lived by from the beginning: Work hard, lead by example, care for your employees and their families, and don't ask anyone in the company to do something you aren't willing to do yourself. My family and I believe that leaders should understand their business through firsthand experience. This sort of bottom-up experience allows the folks in charge to more intuitively empathize with the challenges faced by all the key team members who power their company. This makes management easier, establishes clear-cut values and lays the foundation for a strong culture.