Flowcrete founder says 'no' to kids joining the business
By Melissa Hancock
Dawn Gibbins was just 21-years-old when she set up Flowcrete with her father in 1982. Last month she sold the company for £35m and while her husband has stayed on in a MD role, she says there’s “no way” she would want her two daughters to join the business.

Swiss sisters smiling all the way to the bank
By Carryn Dewing
In 2004, sisters Haleh and Golnar Abivardi opened Swiss Smile, a private dental clinic, in Zurich. Today, they have clinics in St. Moritz and London, employ 200 people and, with a turnover of £10m, have plenty to smile about.

Peas in a pod
By Rebecca Burn-Callander
Andy Davidson started helping out with the family business at 16. Ten years on, he’s launched two more businesses under the family umbrella and sales are blooming for the green-fingered clan.

Top ten oldest UK companies
By Real Business
When it comes to the oldest UK companies, family businesses are well represented. Read the list below and see for yourself.

Funeral family business stays true to its roots
By Catherine Woods
Dom Maguire’s youngest son joined the family business – Anderson Maguire Funeral Directors – four years ago, but the two rarely work together.

It’s not easy filling your father’s shoes.
By Rebecca Burn-Callander
When Ben Hall took over the family business in 2003, it was just going to be a short-term gig to raise some cash. But Hall surprised himself. He was given a failing shop in Chorton with eight months on the lease and within three, he’d renewed the contract for another 15 months.

Sibling entrepreneurs take on cosmetic surgery
By Carryn Dewing
Entrepreneurial brothers Surindar and Nick Dhandsa are carving out a niche in the cosmetic surgery business. After selling their nursing home chain for approximately £320m, the brothers opened London’s first purpose-built cosmetic surgery clinic.

Joining a family firm: the low-down for non-execs
By Kate Pritchard
Thinking of becoming a non-exec director of a family business? Betty Thayer, serial entrepreneur and chief executive of Exec-Appointments, reveals what it takes to join the family fold.

"I'd rather crawl naked over broken glass than sell to a supermarket"
By Matthew Rock
Entrepreneur Edward Perry, co-founder and CEO of Cook, rules out one route to market for his upmarket ready meals.

Generational change occurs in family print business
By Catherine Woods
Entrepreneur Gary Mahoney moved Charterhouse from manufacturing to broking when he took over the family print business after his father retired.