How do I coach a family member on running my gelato shop’s late summer nights?

Late summer evenings are hard on a gelato shop. Lines run long, staff tire, and product runs low at the worst moment. Begin by writing down what you do without thinking: when you call in extra help, how you decide to stop making a flavour, when you close the doors and how the cash is counted. A family member cannot copy habits you have never said aloud.

Then change roles. On a few busy nights, let them run the floor while you stay in the back. Keep notes on the moments they hesitated and talk those through the next morning. Avoid taking over in front of the staff, because the team needs to see who is in charge.

Finish with the parts that go beyond one night. Introduce them to suppliers, show them how the numbers look on a slow week and a busy one, and agree who they call when something breaks. If the plan is a sale or a formal handover, involve your accountant and lawyer early, since family transitions raise questions about ownership and pay that a handshake does not settle.

Key takeaways

• Write down your closing routine and busy-night judgement calls before the coaching starts.
• Switch roles on real busy nights and review them the next day.
• Settle ownership and pay with professionals, not with a handshake.
• Introduce them to suppliers and agree who they call when equipment breaks, so they never feel alone on a late shift.