August 8, 2009

Family business

How often do you here people use the word like family business? Mafia usually use it. As for, that can only mean doing business with your other family member or spouse. I have been involved in my parent's family business since time immemorial (at least to me). 

My parents own lots of land. Some they planted fruit trees. Some they turned into developments. Other than that, they also owned a landscaping business. I state here "owned" as I have been pushing them to close the business since 5 to 6 years ago. I don't see any one of my siblings, me included who will be willing to take over.

As for the lands, the one which are turned into an orchard is there to allow my brothers to come and eat fruits such as durian, manggis, langsat and all the Malaysian local fruits. I am not really a local fruit eater but I always treat my clients and friends to these fruits when they are in season. Some of those clients who get invited always ask the next year if the furits are in season. This year, sadly, the trees did not bear a good harvest.

I always wonder what would be my current profession if I have greener fingers than I have now. My wife did worked with my parents once but it did not work out. She do helped now and again with paperwork still but the real work is done by my parents. 

There is a saying in Chinese that the third generation will lose all the wealth accumulated by the first and the second generation. In my family's case, it did not even go past the second generation...

 
The worker of my parents' landscape company doing some work

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