Nate Gravel recently disclosed the secret to success when working in a family business:
“They keep us as far apart as possible,” he joked during an interview for the Mind Your Own Business radio program. Nate and his brother Brian Gravel sat down with hosts Rick Brutti and Jeffrey Davis to discuss GraVoc, with a focus on the unique qualities of a family business. The radio show, which broadcasts on WBNW 1120 in Needham, MA, is pitched towards entrepreneurs and covers a range of business topics.
After introducing GraVoc’s services, Brian, the Director of Media Production, and Nate, the Director of Information Security, took turns explaining their roles within the company and the logistics of working in a small business environment where co-workers are also relatives. Brian noted that conversations tend to carry over “from the conference table to the kitchen table,” but indicated that no one in the family minded talking about the company during off hours.
This fusion of family and business earned GraVoc a spot as a finalist for the Massachusetts Family Business Association’s 2011 First Generation Business award. GraVoc was nominated by Phil Richard of Phil Richard Insurance, a family-run business based in Danvers. The award category was a good match for GraVoc, since the company employs several members of the Gravel family but has not yet transitioned to the next generation of ownership. As both Nate and Brian attested to on the radio show, their father David Gravel is still very much involved in the company he founded 18 years ago.
That’s not to say that Brian and Nate are not involved in any aspect of running the business. As directors of their respective practices, they strike a balance between project management and business development, Nate said. They, along with the directors of GraVoc’s other practices, are actively involved in determining the future of the company.
The interview reveals a side of GraVoc that many long-time customers have been able to experience first-hand: a family dynamic that brings personal quality to the business. The show will be broadcast again on Sunday, December 11 from 9-11 AM on local stations WBNW 1120 AM, WPLM 1390 AM (Plymouth, MA), and WESO 970 AM (Southbridge, MA). You can also find a recording of the show at www.myobtheradioshow.com.
