18 GERMINATION.CA NOVEMBER 2017 all four generations,” says the younger Ellis, who’s learned a few tricks for making the family business work. Need to Communicate However, the journey has not been without its challenges, which is why he says communication is the most impor- tant thing you can do to navigate working in a family business. “Express your concerns before they build into some- thing bigger, and continually express gratitude to your family members for supporting you and the business. They are working hard to support you, and if a mistake is made, it was a mistake and there are more important things in life.” Have Some Compassion Rick Stamp is the owner and patriarch of Stamp Seeds, a family-owned-and-operated pedigreed seed farm in Enchant, Alta., located approximately 77 km northeast of Lethbridge. “Working with family is the most envious position to be in, when each person and — in turn — the family as a group, can figure out how to make it click,” says Stamp. “On the other side of the coin, this can be the very worst position to be in as a family, as many family operations do not survive, and this can ultimately break families apart.” It was back in 1979 that Stamp decided he wanted a career in farming. Prior to this, he had gone to college and became a steam engineer, but realized that wasn’t what he wanted. “It was a great learning experience, but I then had a chance to purchase two quarters of land. I applied for a beginning farmers’ loan from AFSC, which I was able to secure,” he recalls. “In hindsight today, I was very ill-pre- pared, with a lack of business knowledge and no capital. But what I did have was a lot of ambition, the ability to dream, to learn every day and, at the same time, was not afraid to put in the hours to make it happen.” The Stamp Seeds clan from left: Greg, Nathan, Marian and Richard Stamp, Matthew Stamp, and Richard and Marian's daughter Aimee Klatt. “EXPRESSYOURCONCERNSBEFORETHEYBUILD INTOSOMETHINGBIGGER,ANDCONTINUALLY EXPRESSGRATITUDETOYOURFAMILYMEMBERS FORSUPPORTINGYOUANDTHEBUSINESS.” –SimonEllis Since 1980, Stamp and his wife Marian have worked together as partners. Their three sons, Greg, Matthew and Nathan also work full time in the business, plus two of Marian’s first cousins, who have worked at Stamp Seeds for more than a decade. Stamp says his company has been successful largely due to deep-down compassion the family has for one another. “We are concerned what is happening in everyone’s lives, what we are having to deal with, and what can we do to help each other be successful and satisfied in their work and personal lives. If we do this for each other as a family, this translates to all other individuals who work in