When I was in my twenties, I was advised to have my wisdom teeth out. At the time, I didn’t like the oral surgeon. I’d had a bad experience with a dentist when I was 7 years old and so, perhaps, both unfairly and unreasonably, I was not keen on this chap. Though, maybe I just didn’t like the answer?

I get the innovation.

I get the design.

I get the alternative way of selling.

I get how modern it is.

I get that it is ground breaking.

But I don’t get the numbers!

I’ve been working with one of my good, long standing clients for the past 12 months and we’ve been looking at what is happening in the business in terms of sales. You see, they took on a new staff member to replace one that was leaving after four years and the rate of sales conversion has dropped through the floor.

I believe in most family businesses, the activity of business is never a 12 month per annum revenue proposition. Does that sound weird? Let me explain.

Are you in Busyness or are you in Business? There is a difference.

Absenteeism in the workplace is a major cost to any family business and if it isn’t brought under control, it can quickly kill a business.

Our youngest son, Fraser, has a part time job in a coffee shop in a major shopping mall in our local area. He is trained as a Barista so, at the ripe old age of 17, whatever your order may be, it’s always “order up”.

Last night, Australia’s Treasurer, Scott Morrison, handed down his second, and this Government’s fourth budget, for the financial year commencing 1st July, 2017.

In last week’s edition of Growth, we talked about the evolution from Technician to Manager to Entrepreneur and how many family business owners are regressing from Entrepreneur back to Technician.

The way I see it, the owners and managers of family businesses evolve in three ways.