In 2009, Ben Weiss founded Bai Brands, the producer of antioxidant, low-calorie drinks from coffeefruit. By 2011, the company’s annual revenue reached $1.7 million and distribution expanded from his New Jersey basement, to all over the Northeast.
In Weiss’s recent Inc. video he discusses why he almost quit four years before he grew the company’s sales to $120 million. He says difficulty in preserving family relationships, especially with his son, is what almost pushed him to quit.
On balancing work and life
“I was a dad that coached little league but now I was a dad in the stands and I was a dad that at times couldn’t even be in the stands because work was becoming a little bit more demanding of my time as the business grew,” says Weiss.
“I remember there was a double-header one day and my son was pitching and I just noticed he wasn’t there, he wasn’t in the game. He was telling me in no uncertain terms ‘Hey dad I kinda miss you, I kinda resent what this business has done because it’s taken you away from me.’ It rattled my world.”
“I realized that I needed permission to do this and I needed it to come from my 10-year-old who needed me as a dad,” continues Weiss. “We had a very real talk and he gave me permission. If he hadn’t I would have quit Bai in a second.”
Weiss knows that an entrepreneur and his families must make great sacrifices in order to manage a business. He is thankful for his son’s understanding and commitment.
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