Embracing a joint venture with family can be an adventure filled with uncertainties, blending personal and professional ties into a complex mix. Martin Ricketts and Michelle Ricketts share their experiences of working closely as twins. Despite the conventional warnings against mixing business with family, the twins see their collaboration as an opportunity for growth and strengthening their relationship. Their journey together has taught them how to overcome obstacles and leverage each other’s strengths, resulting in a fruitful and fulfilling partnership between their individual businesses.
Shared Traits and Initial Challenges:
Martin opened up about the initial challenges he faced while working side by side with his twin sister. Being cut from the same cloth, they naturally possess similar personality traits, such as a keen eye for detail and a structured work approach. At first, these shared characteristics caused friction, as Martin found himself at odds with Michelle’s methods. However, as time went on, he learned to embrace their commonalities, realizing that these traits could be both a hurdle and an advantage.
Strengths and Complementary Skills:
The siblings shared traits, once perceived as obstacles, have become the pillars of their joint success. Michelle’s exceptional talent in managing timelines, dependencies, processes, systems, and calendars, seamlessly complements Martin’s strategic thinking and technical expertise. Together, their diverse skill sets allow them to cover a broad spectrum of tasks, ensuring the smooth functioning of their business.
It takes time to get to this type of collaboration and the path is not without its initial ups and downs and a few abruptly ended Zoom meetings.
Learning from Each Other:
If you’re open to it and you surpass the initial hurdles there are invaluable lessons to learn from each other. Working so closely with her twin brother has granted Michelle insights into different work styles and approaches of entrepreneurs, which is someone different from those seen in her over 35-year corporate career.
By embracing their distinct viewpoints and skill sets, the twins have grown both individually and as a team. Learning to appreciate and harness each other’s strengths can enable you to explore new possibilities and make well-informed decisions when working with family. Through continuous mutual support and feedback, these partnerships can flourish.
Overcoming Challenges and Thriving:
Admittedly, working with family comes with its fair share of challenges, from navigating personal dynamics to managing diverse opinions. However, Martin and Michelle firmly believe that once these hurdles are surmounted, a powerful synergy emerges. Drawing upon their shared experiences, trust, and profound understanding of each other, they have cultivated resilience that has proven immensely beneficial for both their business and personal growth.
Fostering the Relationship for the Future
Collaborating with family may seem like a daunting prospect, but Martin and Michelle’s journey demonstrates the potential for remarkable growth and triumph when approached with openness and dedication.
In the summer of 2023, the twins presented together for the first time at the African Canadian Business Summit in Vancouver, Canada. They once again discovered practicing and training for the presentation they had very different styles, but at the end of the day collaborated on a successful and well-received presentation
Despite initial clashes and difficulties, the twins have learned to embrace, appreciate, and build upon each other’s strengths. By capitalizing on their shared traits and leveraging their unique skill sets, they have forged a symbiotic working relationship that enriches their business and personal lives. With open communication, an appetite for learning, and a shared vision, working with family has blossomed into a rewarding and advantageous experience for Martin and Michelle.
To see them in action, check out the twin’s “Cohesion Connect” Live Stream episodes on Michelle’s LinkedIn profile on activity under events https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellemricketts/
