Katie Luemmen, junior: KC Restoration — metal, stone and wood restoration business

Q: What is your role at the family business?

A: “I go on sales calls with my dad. We get to go to downtown Kansas City because he has a lot of work at the Plaza.”

Q: How did your family start the business?

A: “We started when we moved here from California, and restoration was my dad’s hobby that he picked up from his brother.”

Q: What is your favorite part about working for your family?

A: “[My dad] is doing work for a new restaurant opening, so I get to see new places before opening to the public.”

Q: What is the most difficult part about working for your family?

A: “I don’t have a set schedule, and it’s really flexible. It’s difficult to make time to actually work.”

Q: Are you going to continue working for the family business after high school?

A: “[Yes.] I plan to go to college for marketing and business and run [the business] one day.”

Ally Smith, senior: Garage Door Guys — garage door business

Q: What is your role at the family business?

A: “I work with filing all the paperwork and keying in information about certain job sites.”
Q: How did your family start the business?

A: “It was originally our cousin’s [business] in Colorado, and we mutually decided to expand the business to the Kansas City area.”
Q: What is your favorite part about working for your family?

A: “When I’m sick or really busy with school, there is plenty of forgiveness on my days off. But we run our business from home, so in reality, there is no staying home from work.”

Q: What is the most difficult part about working for your family?

A: “They are my family, so it can be hard to say, ‘No,’ to picking up extra work because it’s clear when they really need the help outside of what I would regularly do for them.”

Q: Are you going to continue working for the family business after high school?

A: “[No.] I am going to nursing school after high school.”