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Comment by obiefernandez | Hacker News Reader

I'm quite interested in how many of you (self-employed types) have parents that were self-employed. My great grandad owned a tabacco factory in Cuba and my grandfather was an entertainer and writer. My dad had a variety of businesses from schlepping Encyclopedia Brittanica to real estate broker and my mom owned/operated a bridal gown shop. None of my parent's ventures were particularly succesful but they definitely had the drive.

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Self-employed: mother, father, both sisters, two uncles, aunt

Employed: aunt

Wow. I never tallied it up before! None of these I would consider especially entrepreneurial, but rather they make a living doing things they're interested in: photographer, horse trainer, marriage counselor, graphic artist, automated machinery manufacturer owner (builds big robots). I like to design and build software and that's what I employ myself doing. In my family, self-reliance and keeping yourself happy/engaged in your work are the guiding principles.

In his teens, my grandfather moved to the city and started as a delivery guy for a bakery. He was soon leading a team of delivery guys--kinda like a union leader. When the owner of a bakery was doing a poor job managing his bakery, he asked my grandfather to become the manager. Later my grandfather would end up buying that bakery along with buncha others.

There is a widespread feeling in our larger family that you can never make enough to feed your family by holding a regular job.

My father started a software company in 1990 and it just celebrated its 19th anniversary. Made it through some tough times, but he's doing very well. He's also not a programmer/technologist whatsoever, which I think really helped.

Now I've started my own software company. Having a successful parent definitely helps.

Mother attempted to start a business twice / failed.

Aunt attempted to start a magazine / failed.

Grandmother ran her own hair salon / sold it.

Grandfather started and sold 2 gas stations, owns an auto-repair shop currently.

Neither of my parents was self-employed but my grandmother ran a successful business in London for many years. My grandfather on the other side ran a pub his entire life.

Grandfather was a pretty successful tailor.

The generation after that one son another tailor.

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