In general, the cases that work well are the ones where the father and son had a fairly good relationship before they went into business. And where there are problems, that's amplified when money enters into the game. We had to put the company first, use the money to make the company healthy. He has a small piece of the ownership of the company. As CEO, I ultimately make the final decision on things, but I need his insight and business-management experience.
Nepotism is rampant here.
Three of my brothers work with me, so I call my father when there's a family crisis in the business. He acts as a mediator. I talk to him and he helps me figure out what's the best way to find a balance. I decided early on that the family comes first. But we all have to leave our egos at the door for the best interest of the company.