A great article by Lisa Evens from www.entrepreneur.com on how to manage the challenes of a family business.

For many family run and family owned businesses, having little separating the kitchen table from the board room table can be the recipe for not only family fallouts but also for business conflict

There are 4 tips to make sure your family business thrive.

1.  Play to each family member's strengths

Establish boundaries and have clearly defined roles and responsibilities can be the difference between sucess or failure in a family business.

2.  Keep personal matters out of the business

Family members will obviously have the inside track on each others personality and traits that non-family business colleagues wouldn't have making crossing the line sometimes unavoidable.  Leave your emotions and feelings at the door - in the work environment your family members are your co-workers and so should be treated as same.

3.  Be understanding of the generational divide

More often that not the differences between generations can be challenging, however remember that both the old and new ways of doing things can create a balance.

4.  Separate personal from professional time

In an ideal world, family will act as family at home and as professionals in the workplace - however most family businesses operate on both levels at all times.  Set approproate time for business to be discussed at the kitchen table