They always say, “Never go into business with family.” I didn’t listen.

This post is for anyone considering teaming up with a family member or close friend—or for the nosy types who just love a good story. Either way, welcome. Let me vent (thanks in advance), and hopefully offer something you can learn from.

At the time, it seemed like a great idea. My mum and I teamed up to launch a mobile foot care business during the pandemic. Things started off strong, but over time, our different work styles clashed, tensions grew, and eventually, we had to shut it down. This is the story of Sweet Feet Mobile Foot Care—and the ups and downs of going into business with someone you love.

Sweet Feet Mobile Foot Care - our business

Yes, that was our real business name. And yes, we had all kinds of AI bots spamming our Facebook page with offers for… let’s call them unrelated “services.” You can imagine.

My mum and I launched Sweet Feet during COVID, offering mobile foot care services—everything from hangnails to advanced diabetic foot care. Our branding? Think turquoise-blue website with flowers, a business card that screamed 2005, and a logo my mum adored (but made me cringe a little). Still, we started gaining traction.

By year three, we’d already doubled profits two years in a row and were on track to beat that again. At one point, our main competitor got arrested for fraud after being unlicensed for ten years—massive missed marketing opportunity. We were one of only two providers in the province offering private advanced diabetic foot care. The demand was real.

Here’s what we did:

• In-home foot care for all ages (with a focus on seniors).

• Insurance-friendly billing thanks to Blue Cross and other certifications.

• B2B services for retirement homes and clinics—referrals, no ad spend.

• Premium pricing for remote clients—PEI is spread out.

My mum was the nurse. I did… everything else.

My Role

I built the website, registered the business, designed materials, managed communications, handled finances, set appointments, and dealt with clients. Oh, and I was also finishing university, working part-time, keeping up with my relationship, and trying to have some kind of social life. It was a lot.

What Worked

Working with someone I love made me really invested. Like 110% effort level. I was studying business and majoring in entrepreneurship, so this wasn’t just a favour—it was my passion. Plus, it felt great to help my mum work for herself after years in hospitals and retirement homes.

There were also personal wins. We grew closer, had regular “business lunches,” and I got to apply what I was learning in class in the real world. She trusted me with decisions and money. I trusted her to show up for our clients. It was refreshing—especially compared to uni group projects where no one replies to anything and I end up doing all the work.

What Didn’t

OH BOY, so here’s where it went sideways:

• Opposite work styles. I’m punctual and like things done ASAP. My mum is always late and loves last-minute decisions. This was fine… until we had accountants waiting and deadlines looming.

• Overload. I was juggling school, work, a relationship, and this business. The cracks started to show. I was burned out.

• Shifting priorities. My mum wanted faster results. She wanted income now, not years from now. But she also didn’t want to do the work required to get there. I couldn’t carry both of us.

• Seniors are frugal. Many of our clients lived on fixed incomes. Even with insurance, they hesitated to pay the small remainder for care. It made growth tough.

• Typical new biz stress. Everything takes longer and costs more than you think. And no podcast or YouTube video prepares you for the chaos.

• Resentment. I started feeling taken for granted. I’d stay up late logging finances because my mum wouldn’t track expenses or receipts. I was constantly chasing her down for details. Eventually, I started to question if she was being honest with me about money. She used business funds for personal stuff without telling me, and when I asked for my 20% share (what we’d agreed on), she got defensive. It hurt.

What Didn’t (continued)

Ageism Is Real

One thing I didn’t expect? How hard it would be to get taken seriously as a young entrepreneur.

I faced a lot of ageism, especially here in PEI. I still remember walking into the Credit Union to open our business account and being told, “Come back with your mother, sweetie.” Not exactly a confidence boost. Even with a university education, solid business knowledge, and what I like to think is a smart-sounding British accent, people still looked at me and saw a kid.

Our B2B clients were the same. I'd walk into meetings and immediately feel the energy shift—like I had to prove myself twice as hard just to be taken seriously. I thought business was business. I had the knowledge. I was prepared. So why was my age a problem?

It was frustrating, but it taught me something valuable: professionalism doesn’t always guarantee respect, especially when you're young. You have to earn it—and sometimes fight for it.

The End of Sweet Feet

Things unraveled quickly. My mum got a travel nursing contract in Newfoundland and wanted to “pause” the business. I knew that meant starting over from scratch. Our momentum, our client trust—gone.

I told her it was time to shut it down. It wasn’t worth the stress or what it was doing to our relationship. She moved on to a great opportunity. And I used the time to focus on this—my own project, on my terms.

Final Thoughts

Doing business with family? You’ll learn a lot. Sometimes the hard way.

You’ll find out things about each other you never expected. There’ll be wins, and there’ll be moments that make you want to scream into a pillow. The key is to make rock-solid agreements up front, especially around money. Set boundaries. Communicate.

For me, it was a priceless experience. I gained skills, stories, and a closer bond with my mum—even if she drove me a little crazy.

I wouldn’t trade the experience. But I also wouldn’t do it again.

Cheers for reading. And good luck if you decide to give it a go. My book recommendation to you this time around would be “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries, I found it very informative and helped provide perspective on where my business was, and methods to get it to where I wanted it to be. Enjoy!

~ Alex