Family + Business

Now and then I get asked about how I do both. 

I’m always slightly hesitant to talk about family + business 

because I only know what works for me and my family.

My #1 value is family.

That is not a learned valued

That is my natural preset.

I want to be the best partner for my wife.

The best father to my daughter

And the best son to my parents.

I also like making a ton of money.

But if a business, investment, or opportunity 

gets in the way of quality time with family

I have and will, have no hesitation in dropping it. 

I come from a family of Chinese immigrants.

My mother’s side grew flowers.

My father’s side repaired wicker and rattan furniture.

Owning a business wasn’t a choice. It was a necessity. 

No one would give my grandparents jobs

So owning a business was the only option to feed a family. 

My mother grew up working on her parent’s flower farm.

My father lived and worked at his parent’s furniture store.

There was no separation of 

business and family, home or work.

And that’s how I was raised.

One lesson that has served me well is presence. 

When I am in business, I am 100% in business.

When I am with family, I am 100% with family.

Even though I work and live in the same space

There is a clear distinction in my focus.

When I sit down to have a meal with my family

No phone call,

No text message,

No email can pull my focus away.

There’s a clear line between Jason “on” work and Jason “off” work.

Unplugging really means unplugging. 

A vacation really means a vacation.

When you’re half in and half out

Everyone gets a sh*tty version of you.

Also …

Family isn’t where you dump all of your hardships.

It is not their responsibility to make you feel better. 

That is what coaching, therapy, or inner work is for. 

It doesn’t mean my wife and daughter don’t 

ask me how my day went. They do.

It doesn’t mean I can’t share

my wins and losses. I do.

But it is not their responsibility 

to make me feel different. 

That’s a “me” job. 

That’s my responsibility and ownership. 

Your family isn’t your dumping ground.

Finally, learn how to disagree well. 

Communication is a whole other subject for another day

However, simple communication about why something matters is critical. 

In our household, my daughter is responsible for putting away dishes. 

No kid loves chores. I get that.

And in the past, she would frequently choose to

forget to do her responsibilities.

So we had to sit down and have a

conversation about WHY doing dishes matters to me. 

“Kiddo, when you don’t put away dishes it makes me feel like you don’t care about our family.

Mom and Dad show love through acts of service.

We all do our part to contribute.

And when you don’t do your part it hurts.

Do you now understand why this is important to us?

Do I need to keep reminding you to do your chores?”

I think the key to communication is in the

foundation of wanting to find understanding.

Business and family can absolutely coexist in harmony. 

But it takes real effort to prioritize communication.

But if it’s important to everyone,

you can find a way to make it work. 

Cheers,