Running a family business brings a unique blend of personal and professional challenges. Balancing relationships while making key business decisions can be both rewarding and complex. How do family-run businesses successfully navigate leadership, growth, and succession planning while maintaining strong family ties? As part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ray Titus.

Ray Titus is the founder and CEO of United Franchise Group, home to an affiliated family of brands and consultants with over 1,800 locations in over 80 countries. He has elevated franchising from a career to a calling. His philosophies on growth, positive attitude, and family, influence the core values that have driven success within the brands he has developed from conception to international expansion.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Myfather, Roy Titus, was the founder of Minuteman Press, a well-known printing franchise and it was through him that my entrepreneurial spirit was nurtured. In fact, I wrote a paper in eighth grade on how to start a franchise business. My dad instilled in me a deep appreciation for innovation and resourcefulness. Combined with my own determination, this became the foundation for what has since grown into an established and respected company in the franchising industry, starting with Signarama in 1986 to now United Franchise Group with 10 brands, and 1,800 franchisees in 80 countries.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

We needed more space for our training center, so we found 1,000 square feet about a mile away and rented it. After our buildout we had our first training school and taught the students how to use the panel saw. We never realized that our next-door neighbor was a dentist and everyone in their waiting room heard the panel saw and thought it was the dentist drill. The lesson learned from that experience was to do better research before you move, as our landlord then made us only use the saw on Saturdays when the dentist office was closed.

How do you set boundaries between business decisions and family dynamics to maintain both healthy relationships and a thriving company?

Business is always separate from personal. We also try to not bring up business during holidays. I say TRY because it’s inevitable as we are all so deeply involved in the business.

What’s the most unexpected challenge you’ve faced while working with family, and how did you navigate it?

The biggest challenges I’ve seen is that we have six young men, my three Titus sons and three Lee nephews (my sister’s sons) and they all have a history together. So, the older ones look at the younger ones as if they are still 16 years old and the younger ones look at the older ones differently as well. The way we have gotten over this is through training and communication. I meet with each of them monthly for an hour and we work on it. I also once had to fire my brother-in-law, which didn’t go over well with my wife and her sister.

How do you handle disagreements when business and personal interests collide?

When it happens, we sit down and deal with it face-to-face as a group.

What strategies have helped you successfully transition leadership across generations without causing conflict?

We are fortunate to have six leaders in the next generation. Planning for succession in business needs to be done over years and years. It’s not something you just decide and then leave. You must train your successors and really work with them while you’re still there. They need to understand not only the who, but the why in it all. They need to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

What are the “5 Things You Need to Know To Successfully Balance Relationships and Business Success in a Family Business”? Please share a specific experience or challenge that shaped each lesson

1. Be open and honest and make it fun for them all. I get together every month individually with my three sons and three nephews. We also get together as a group a couple of times a year for a nice dinner and discussion. Last year, I brought Matt Doherty who played and coached basketball at Notre Dame and North Carolina. They loved the old stories.
2. Family emergencies come first, other than that it’s the business which pays for everything. Like everyone, we have had our share of family emergencies, the worst happened to my middle son Austin. He fell 20 feet through his attic floor and was unconscious. After we dropped everything and he was helicoptered to the hospital, he came to and has made a full recovery.
3. Know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. My oldest son A.J. is President of United Franchise Group which means that the Brand Presidents all report to him, which also means that both of his brothers now report to him. He has learned their strengths and weaknesses in order to help them.
4. We pay them for the role they are in, not the relationship. Because I am the founder and owner of the company, I choose to have family receive bonus distributions just as other employees do. They receive them solely based on the job they do, not because they are family.
5. Respect is key, don’t be overly critical of another family member in front of others. In the early years, the boys had a hard time separating personal and business. The oldest boys didn’t show the younger ones the respect they should, and the younger ones reciprocated. Today, they understand and respect each other much better.

Can you share a defining moment when your family’s bond directly impacted the success or survival of the business?

There isn’t just one defining moment, it’s an everyday event. Whether it’s expenses or someone needing help, the family members step up.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

My movement would be to help those suffering from mental illness which dominates the homeless issue. Many are veterans, so by first resolving one major issue, mental illness, it would also support the end of two other serious issues, homelessness and veterans living on the street.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

UFG Website: United Franchise Group | Global Leaders in Franchising

Ray Titus LinkedIn: (26) Ray Titus | LinkedIn

UFG LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-franchise-group/

Facebook: (18) Facebook

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

About The Interviewer: Dr. Bharat Sangani is a cardiologist and entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience, practicing in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Dallas, Texas. Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, he specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and hypertension. In 1999, Dr. Sangani founded Encore Enterprises, a national real estate investment firm. Under his leadership, the company has executed transactions exceeding $2 billion, with a portfolio spanning residential, retail, hotel, and office developments. Known for his emphasis on integrity and fairness, Dr. Sangani has built Encore into a major player in the commercial real estate sector. Blending his medical and business expertise, Dr. Sangani created the Life is a Business mentorship program. The initiative offers guidance on achieving balance in health, wealth, and relationships, helping participants align personal and professional goals. Now based in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Sangani continues to practice cardiology while leading Encore Enterprises and mentoring others. His career reflects a unique blend of medical expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to helping others thrive.

This article was originally published by Medium