Helping the Family Business Grow

Can a newcomer revitalize a family business--without igniting a family feud? Learn from 3 entrepreneurs who did just that.

By Chris Penttila • Mar 1, 2005

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Editor's Note: Looking for our online exclusive? Click here for a list of resources to help you keep things running smoothly in your family business.

The 20s are a time for self-discovery, and Robert Douglas Jr.'s 20s were no different. After earning a political science degree in 1995 from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, he was off to Maui, Hawaii, to ride the tide for a year as a professional windsurfer. Then it was back to Florida to pursue another interest: flying. Robert Jr. earned a commercial pilot's license and got a job as a flight engineer for a family-owned Miami airline company. By the late '90s, he was flying DC-8s all over Central and South America.

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