Cain killed Abel, and they weren't even in business together. So brothers who would be business partners should be on notice: Business is stressful, family relationships are complicated, and combining the two puts both at some degree of risk. That being said, custom building seems an especially fertile ground for such partnerships, and we know many who derive personal as well as financial rewards from the arrangement. This is due partly to a process of natural selection—failed partnerships tend to disappear, while successful ones survive—but native wisdom clearly plays a part. In seeking some of the latter, we found brothers who have teamed up in a variety of ways, but all offered some variation of the same advice: Divide up the business, and stay on your side.
For design/build partners Patrick and Michael Cunningham, the divide-and-conquer principle was something like a birthright. When they were still children their father, a custom builder, pegged Patrick as an architect and Michael as a builder. “Hook up with him,” Michael remembers his father advising, “and you guys will be busy forever.” The old man apparently knew whereof he spoke. In starting their careers, Patrick says, “I worked for an architectural firm; Michael worked for a construction firm.” In 1989, the two founded C&C Partners, took up their long-anticipated roles, and have been busy ever since.
While the partnership seems fated, however, making it work has still required deliberate effort. Despite their seemingly exclusive roles, Patrick says, “There was a day when we had a crossover of duties.” That occasionally led to friction. Some early advice from business consultants convinced the Cunninghams to make clearer distinctions between their job descriptions and not to tread on each other's turf. That, says Patrick, “is when we started working like a real custom home builder.” A custom builder with a considerable advantage, he adds. “I have a co-owner that happens to be someone I trust with my entire life. That is very settling when times are rough.”
Frank and Roy Dalene are the closest of five brothers, a fact that they find crucial to their success as partners. “You have to first be friends and get along together before you go into business,” Frank says. The Dalenes took the plunge in 1984, when Roy, then in his mid-20s and a civil engineer, followed Frank into the family firm. “It took a few years to find our roles and responsibilities in the company. By that time, our strengths and weaknesses had already been worked out.” For the Dalenes, recognizing those qualities is the key to healthy teamwork. “His strengths are on the operational side,” says Frank of his younger brother. An equally talented manager and business strategist, Frank takes care of the front office. The two make important decisions together, but when opinions differ, Frank says, “The tie breakers are in the area of one's strength. If it's an operations thing I defer to him as the expert in that area. And that happens in both directions.” That equanimity reflects a mutual trust that took many years to build. “We grew up together,” Frank says, “and we really understand who we are.” Emotional maturity is another essential ingredient. “We all have healthy egos. A lot of people don't like to admit what their weaknesses are. It takes discipline; that's the biggest thing.” But the benefits are considerable. “Whatever the responsibilities are, you get to share them. I can't imagine being in business alone.”
