“Go ask Dad.”

Gordon Clements, Swanton

FOUNDER, GORDON’S WINDOW DECOR, DAUGHTERS SARAH, 40, SHELLEY, 38, AND KELLY, 35

Our three daughters have all, at times, been called upon to work for free in our family business. Kelly, my youngest, probably did the least amount of “child labor.” By the time she was old enough, the business was getting stronger and we didn’t need the girls to pitch in as much.

After attending the Newhouse School of Public Communications, she pursued a career in filmmaking, creating documentaries. Sometime after that, she came to work with us part time and discovered she really enjoyed it. Now she’s the president. She’s kind of a natural, and she’s been at it for 12 years. She’s hired a great team and is doing really well.

My role these days is doing whatever she asks me to do. I’m always here if she stumbles. But I take the approach that I started fresh and made lots of mistakes — and I survived. I think the business is going to do just great under her tutelage. I just went to an industry event in Germany, and people there I didn’t know would say, “Oh! You’re Kelly’s father!”

The entire article: http://www.kidsvt.com/vermont/how-do-you-feel-about-involving-your-children-in-the-family-business/Content?oid=2177458