Navigating Family, Thanksgiving, and the Art of Pivoting in Business

Memories of Thanksgiving: Building Tradition and Connection

When I reflect on Thanksgiving before I turned 12, family and tradition come to mind before anything else. As Tom so perfectly described, our celebrations involved bouncing between grandparents’ homes, gathering cousins for outdoor adventures, and being cautious not to break Grandma’s best china. The day was filled with home-cooked foods, turkey, pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream, and sometimes a special raisin dressing from my grandmother. Those meals weren't from the store freezer section; even the pie crusts were made from scratch, reflecting a time when nearly everything was homemade.

But beyond the menu, what really stands out is the hustle and bustle of big family gatherings, tables stretching from dining rooms into living rooms, guests from all walks of life, and the sense that everyone found a place at our table. As Shirley pointed out, the weather might have been wintry or mild, but it never stopped us from running around outside or squeezing in a little pheasant hunting in true Midwest fashion.

The Unseen Shifts: Adapting Holiday Traditions Over Time

What’s interesting is how those traditions evolved as our lives and the world changed. Some years, moving to new towns or changes in family circumstances shaped how and where we celebrated. There were stories of Thanksgiving dinners delayed by a broken oven or working in the family store up until the holiday meal. When we recounted those small mishaps and major shifts, it was funny how some of the most memorable Thanksgivings weren’t planned but became part of the family lore.

These stories remind me that, just as businesses must adapt when things change, like when a highway bypass stole half our store’s traffic overnight-families, too, naturally pivot. Whether it’s where we eat, who joins us, or what’s on the table, the heart of the day remains the same: togetherness, gratitude, and maybe a little improvisation when things don’t go as planned.

The Art of the Pivot: Reinventing the Family Business

Transitioning from memories of family to decades of running businesses together, our conversation turned to a topic near and dear to my heart: the necessity and sometimes, inevitability of pivoting in business. As Tom wisely put it, “when things stop working, you have to change,” and those decisions aren’t always clear-cut.

In our grocery and restaurant ventures, we’ve faced everything from changing consumer tastes to major economic events. Sometimes the warning signs were obvious, declining sales, a steady drop in customer traffic, or stiff competition from big-box stores with more buying power. Other times, the clues were subtle: a team dynamic that just wasn’t clicking, or new technology that disrupted our reliable routines.

Tom emphasized the importance of building for a rainy day, saving during good times so you have what you need to survive the tough ones. Mistakes and missteps are part of the journey, but so is learning when to cut your losses and move forward.

Embracing Change and Each Other

One of my biggest takeaways from our episode is that both business and family thrive on adaptability and honest reflection. Sometimes, the right pivot comes from keeping an ear to the ground, asking what our customers want, or listening, truly, to our own team (even if we might need a little push from those around us to act!). Other times, it comes from outside advice or a mastermind group, as Shirley mentioned.

If you’re stuck or unsure of what to do next, our collective advice, straight from years of living it: You probably already know what change needs to be made. Don’t wait too long. Discuss, ask for perspective, and leap. Family, business, and tradition all require a willingness to reinvent with courage, reflection, and a good sense of humor.

Mixing family and business isn’t always neat. Sometimes it's messy, like a pumpkin pie made from scratch without the recipe. But if you embrace both tradition and change, you might just find your sweet spot.

Thanks for reading, make sure to check out our full podcast episode here! And go check out our other blogs on https://mixingfamilyandbusiness.com/blog.