This Family's Business Is Turning Tragedy Into Triumph

 

Laquita Conway and Aaron Baker, a mother and son team, are co-founders of The Center of Restorative Exercise (C.O.R.E.). This family business was birthed as a result of a catastrophic injury. Aaron was a professional motocross racer who broke his neck during a training accident. That injury rendered him a quadriplegic. Laquita could not find a facility that offered ongoing therapeutic exercise for conditions like Aaron's. She decided to open one that would focus on rehabilitation through restorative exercise for individuals suffering a catastrophic injury or illness.

Laquita shares these insights about building a family business:

Turn tragedy into triumph.

Q&A with founder of Café Prima Pasta

What makes your family business experience unique? Everyone in the family plays some role at the restaurant, whether it is officially, such as my father in the kitchen or unofficially with my brother working on our web site and social media. 

How is it different from running a "typical" small business? With a family business, everyone is deeply invested in the outcome but not for personal gains. In a family business you get to spend time with your loved ones, share an incredible experience and have a lot of fun.

What do you love about family business?

Aging: The Power of Many Cultures

We’re living in a community where there is a mix of cultural identities. There seems to be an intellectual awareness that other groups exist, but in many ways, we are segregated. We have a unique opportunity to learn from each other and solve some of the economic and social problems we face. Many senior adults have the time, social network, resources and compassion to create more unity in the community. The benefits are huge.

This Family Business Sees Opportunity Solving a Big Problem in Education

I'm a huge fan of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. There are STEM education advocates in non-profit organizations and school systems, but what about leveraging business to promote it? Gary and Shaun Tuch own and operate Professor Egghead, a family business and STEM education franchise. They provide real, and sometimes messy, learning experiences as a way to teach science and engineering. Their franchise model is just as creative as the services they offer.

STEM on wheels.

Q&A with Perfecr Bar

What makes your business a family business?

Perfect Bar is family business that’s owned and operated by the king-sized
Keith family. Myself and 8 of my siblings work together across all
departments and facets of the business. We range from 19-32 years of age
to 19 and founded the company in 2005 with the hopes of sharing our family
recipe with the world.

How did you come into the business?

My dad, Dr. Bud Keith created the original Perfect Bar recipe. He was
renowned nutritionist and fitness industry pioneer. In the mid 1990’s, he
was searching for a healthy on-the-go snack for us Keith kids—13 in all. We
hated taking our whole food vitamin supplements, so dad thought he could
hide the taste in a delicious blend of organic peanut butter and honey.
Needless to say it worked, we loved them, and the Perfect Bar recipe was
born.

By 2005, my dad’s health began deteriorating rapidly from skin cancer and
he was no longer able to provide for the family. I was attending College of
the Redwoods and my parents were desperate to make ends meet. As the
oldest, I knew it was going to be up to me to help save the family. I
convinced my mom to sell the only piece of property we owned and used that
money as start-up capital for the family business. The first few years
proved quite challenging, but we persevered, and the rest is history!

What makes your family business experience unique? How is it different from
running a "typical" small business?

I come to work everyday with 8 of my 13 siblings to make and sell the
freshest and healthiest nutrition bars ever created from a recipe bestowed
upon us by our late father. We never in a million years thought we’d ever
be where we are today—an Inc. 5000 fastest growing companies in the U.S.
For us, it’s not about a job or simply a career. It’s about growing,
learning and building. It’s about making our own personal impact on the
world, fulfilling our potential each and everyday.

What do you love about family business?

Q&A with Huy and Van Phan

      
1. The names, relationship (ex: wife or brother), titles of all family members being interviewed. Names of other members who are a part of the business, but not being interviewed. What is your city/state or Country?

o   Huy and Van Phan (Husband and Wife) – Gilbert, AZ

 

2. What makes your business a family business? (w/ spouse and/or children, siblings...)

Husband and wife

3. How did you come into the business? (transferred, hired by parents? Founder?)

Our business is a franchised location of The Goddard School. The location was transferred to us when we had the opportunity to buy an existing school to make it our own.

4. What makes your family business experience unique? How is it different from running a "typical" small business?

We really think of the children and families who attend our school as an extension of our own family and that is how we run our business.

5. What do you love about family business?

Is Refugee Labor the New Fair Trade Issue?

Fair Trade refers to just compensation for farmers and workers who produce the ingredients we enjoy in various products. With a Fair Trade label, consumers can identify which products were produced in an ethical manner. The main goal of Fair Trade certified products is to encourage the economic growth of disadvantaged communities in developing countries and to improve the quality of life for farmers, workers and their families. It's conscious consumerism, because buying Fair Trade products makes you aware of the origins of the products you buy. What if those farmers and workers are brought here?