Business Education

Help! My Dad Retired from the Family Business Years Ago but Still Tries to Run It and It’s Causing a Lot of Problems

It can be difficult when a parent retires from their job within the family business but continues to act as if they are still in charge. They may make unnecessary demands or try to micro-manage things that are no longer their responsibility. This can cause tension and conflict among other family members who are trying to run the business smoothly. If you find yourself in this situation, it is important to set boundaries and communicate effectively with your parent. So, let’s discuss some tips for how to do that.

The “Unable to Let Go” Syndrome

Some people, be it a father, mother, or even another family member, who’s worked for long periods of time in a family business regard the company as part of their identity. It’s simply part of who they are and therefore, it’s not easy to walk away. It becomes even more difficult when handing the operation over to children, who don’t have all their years of experience.

One of the most agonizing experiences that any business faces is moving from one generation of top management to the next. The problem is often most acute in family businesses, where the original entrepreneur hangs on as he watches others try to help manage or take over his business, while at the same time, his heirs feel overshadowed and frustrated. Paralleling the stages of family power are stages of company growth or of stagnation, and the smoothness with which one kind of transition is made often has a direct effect on the success of the other. —Harvard Business Review

Unsurprisingly, this can easily lead to a father, mother, aunt, uncle, or even a cousin to hang around. Perhaps to the extent that he or she still continues to “run” the business, without the permission of their successors. He or she may make promises, enter into deals, or offer discounts that undermine the new authority of their successive family member(s). Of course, this can cause resentment, anger, frustration, and might also be the cause of unnecessary fighting and/or financial trouble.

How to Deal with a Parent Who Keeps Interloping in a Family Business After Retiring

Fortunately, if you’re in a situation where one or more of your family members has retired but still continues to interlope in the family business, there are steps you can take. First, you need to have a discussion with your parent about their role in the business now that they are retired. It is important to be respectful yet firm in this conversation. Explain to them that while you value their opinion, they need to respect the fact that you are now running the business. This means that they should not try to make decisions or give orders without consulting with you first. You may also want to set some ground rules about how often they can come into the office or participate in business meetings. It is also important to stay calm and avoid getting into arguments with your parent. If they continue to try and take control, it will only escalate the situation and make it more difficult to resolve. Instead, try to have a rational and calm discussion about the situation. If necessary, you may need to involve other family members or even a mediator to help resolve the situation. Additionally, it may be necessary to speak privately with any customers who aren’t completely clear about who is actually running the company and who makes the decisions. This could help in the future with communication and in other important areas. If you find yourself in this situation, it is important to set boundaries and communicate effectively with your parent. By doing so, you can hopefully avoid conflict and maintain a healthy relationship with your parent. Have you ever dealt with this type of situation? What would you do to resolve it? Please take a moment to share your experiences and thoughts so others can benefit from your input. Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

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Effective Ways to Deal with a Setback

May 7, 2019 No Comments

Setbacks show up uninvited, and they never feel fair when they do. Shock, frustration, even a little despair — it’s natural to feel knocked off balance. But how you respond in the moment is what actually determines whether a setback derails you or simply becomes part of your story. Here’s how to handle it.

How Cannon’s Upholstery Built the Systems to Scale Past $1,000,000

October 20, 2026 No Comments

.elementor-widget-text-editor{font-family:var( –e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif;font-weight:var( –e-global-typography-text-font-weight );color:var( –e-global-color-text );}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:var( –e-global-color-primary );}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap, .elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-default .elementor-drop-cap{color:var( –e-global-color-primary );border-color:var( –e-global-color-primary );} Strong Demand, Stretched Leadership Cannon’s Upholstery, a Phoenix-based upholstery business led by Latrice Cannon, had what most small businesses want most: an established brand, strong market demand, and roughly $600,000 to $700,000 in annual revenue. What it didn’t have was the operational bandwidth to grow beyond that plateau. Production scheduling was reactive rather than planned, job tracking lived in people’s heads and notebooks instead of a centralized system, and Cannon’s own time was stretched across estimating, customer communication, material ordering, accounting, and financial oversight all at once. Ready to Grow, But Not Yet Built to Scale In February 2025, Cannon engaged Waters Business Consulting Group to support the company’s next phase of growth and operational refinement. The core issue was clear: reactive scheduling was creating production bottlenecks and overbooking, and without a centralized system for tracking jobs, it was difficult to know project status at a glance. Forecasting and margin visibility were limited, workflows across estimating, billing, and accounts receivable were inconsistent, and Cannon’s own bandwidth constraints made it hard to delegate or train staff systematically. Staffing challenges called for clearer role definitions and accountability, and marketing lacked a structured, data-driven strategy tied to actual growth targets. Without defined KPIs, it was hard to know whether the business was actually improving month over month — even as ownership pushed to expand both its commercial and residential client base. A 150-Day Plan Built on Data WBCG introduced its Profit by Design™ framework, starting with a comprehensive business assessment across marketing, sales, finances, organizational structure, and culture. A thorough analysis of three years of profit-and-loss trends fed into a two-to-three-year financial forecasting model, giving Cannon clarity on exactly how many transactions would be needed to hit higher revenue and margin targets. From there, the work turned operational: streamlined estimating and scheduling workflows to reduce the bottlenecks that had been slowing production, a new organizational chart with draft position descriptions tied to performance metrics, and pricing and cost analysis guidance aimed at strengthening gross margins. WBCG also completed a break-even analysis to determine when the business could afford to hire an internal bookkeeper and office support, then helped Cannon actually make that hire — developing position descriptions and assisting with training. A data-driven marketing strategy focused on commercial-sector expansion and brand leverage, and weekly coaching sessions kept the whole plan moving through a structured 150-day action plan designed to stabilize operations and set up sustainable growth. The Results: Growth With a Foundation Underneath It By 2025, Cannon’s Upholstery had grown to approximately $950,000 in annual revenue with roughly a 35% gross profit margin — solid progress toward the $1.2 million baseline the engagement was built around. Streamlined estimating drove higher project conversion rates, and the business now has structured financial forecasting, defined KPIs, and clearer operational accountability in place to support continued growth. Just as important, Cannon’s has a documented three-year strategic roadmap and the organizational clarity to pursue expanded commercial and residential opportunities deliberately, rather than reactively — along with the early groundwork for an eventual succession plan. Ready to Build the Systems Behind Your Growth? Strong demand can only carry a business so far without the operational structure to support it. If you’re ready to move from reactive to strategic, a free consultation can help map out what that looks like for your business. Contact Waters Business Consulting Group to schedule a free consultation.

How Business Owners can Deal with Bad Managers

February 5, 2021 No Comments

There’s plenty of advice out there for employees dealing with a bad boss, but not much for business owners stuck with an underperforming manager. When a manager’s style undermines the team, the fallout touches your whole organization. Here are three effective ways to get a struggling manager back on track — or help them become the leader your team actually needs.

Help! My Dad Retired from the Family Business Years Ago but Still Tries to Run It and It’s Causing a Lot of Problems

The “Unable to Let Go” Syndrome

How to Deal with a Parent Who Keeps Interloping in a Family Business After Retiring

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Effective Ways to Deal with a Setback

How Cannon’s Upholstery Built the Systems to Scale Past $1,000,000

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