Life of a Managing Director: Mature Business, Young Family

When I was growing up, I never saw my dad. He had his own manufacturing business, and he was still at work when I went to bed every night. Even when I woke up on a Saturday morning, he was usually already out of the house grafting. This was a constant struggle for me as a kid, and as I got older, I promised myself that when I had a child, I’d make time to see them, no matter what.

Of course, what I didn’t know then was that I’d be in the events business. This isn’t a 9-5 office job: you’re often away from home or travelling up and down the country and beyond. Even last night, I had an event until 22:30, and when it finished, I was still two hours away from home. I looked at my watch and realised there was no point rushing back; my three-year-old daughter would have been in bed hours ago.

So, how am I rectifying the mistakes of the past? What am I doing differently?

Well, I’ve got to balance my priorities and work out what’s important to me. I’m very conscious about providing enough financial support to help support my daughter throughout her life. So, in that way, I’m strongly motivated by money. But it’s about so much more than that. I want to show her that anything is possible, that you can do what you love and make a success of it. We’ve grown from a small business that had nothing to a thriving one with lots of staff, clients, and assets. My daughter needs to know that these things are achievable but that they can’t happen without hard work and dedication.

Having said all that, I also have to show her that I love her and that I want to spend time with her. It’s a constant challenge that any parent has to juggle, and as a business owner, it’s amplified.

Carve family time out where you can.

If I work all weekend, I’m always conscious of owing Ella (my daughter) a big day out. During the time I have with her, I focus on being present and making it as special and memorable as possible.

Last summer, for instance, we went to Warwick Castle, and Ella got to meet Zog. I had worked for six days in a row, I was tired from the week, and the thought of travelling an hour and a half away (when I was 20 minutes from Warwick all week), was not one I relished. But we got up early and had our family day: pizza, theatre, falconry show, dinner. Ella fell asleep in the car on the way home.

This month I also took a last-minute Tuesday off, and we had a daddy daycare day with the adventure playground, soft play, and some lunch after. Just creating great magic memories of us together.

Know your values

It’s one of the hardest things in life to balance, but you have to do what you feel comfortable with. Some people want to be home for bedtime; in fact, so do I. But that’s not always feasible as a business owner, and I have to be mindful of the lesson I’m trying to teach her. Work ethic is important and can set her up for life. I’m driven by the desire to show her she can do and be anything she wants to. Although, at the moment, she wants to be Elsa from Frozen, so that’s a tough one, in fairness.

Presence over presents

We’ve got the business to a point where it can operate without me being there 24/7. We have processes and procedures in place, which means everyone knows who to talk to in an emergency. Even then, if it does escalate to me, I’ll try to ascertain quickly: Is something on fire, or is it just a little spark? Can it wait?

Edging closer to a turnkey business means I’m now in a position where I can have three days’ holiday with my phone completely off. That doesn’t stop people from being able to contact me in an emergency. And maybe I agree to check my emails once a day or phone into the office. But the point is it’s on my terms. You have to create boundaries with the staff and even yourself; find out what your own limitations are.

I may not be around as much as some dads, but I try and be totally present when I am. When she gets me, she gets all of me.?

Use your connections

The events business is one where people are often trading what they have and rewarding their clients and suppliers. When I used to get comped a hotel room, years ago, you’d find me up at 3 am polishing off the minibar and wondering why the kitchen’s closed. Now, I try and tie it in with a day out and use it for a family occasion. Maybe someone offers you a spa day. That’s either a great hangover cure or an excellent chance to show your partner some appreciation, who may be doing the lion’s share of the parenting.

I’m always looking at ways to carve out more of that family time and tapping away at connections. I want to create memorable occasions, whether I’m popping a bouncy castle up in a mate’s garden or hiring a talented face painter to come to my daughter’s birthday.

Don’t forget your staff have families too!

As a family-run business, it’s so important that our staff feel they have the support they need to enjoy a balanced work/home life.

We try and put people in set roles so they can have specific days off, back-to-back. A long-term goal of ours is to offer all staff four-day weeks. The business will still be a seven-day operation, but the team will only have to work four.

Communication and an open-door policy are crucial. We invest a lot of time trying to learn about our team, to discover their why and what they want to achieve. Only then can we support them and try and create roles where the business wins, but family comes first.

And I guess that’s what I’ve realised over the years. Family is the most important thing, how you choose to interpret that is ultimately up to you.