1. 14

2. 0n the cover
FAMILY BUSINESS
ttWe nevet leqve work
of 5 p.m. ond we're done.
Being o business owner,
you're never done working."
Justin Bellos
FAMILY
FROM PAGE I I
frequently is the personality of the owner.
The easiest customer to get is one that you
already have, especially if there is continuity
and family warmth j' Hoyt said.
For Ad and ]ustin Bellas, twin broth-ers
who own Bellas Landscaping in Bloom-ington,
it was natural to go into business
together. They started mowing lawns for
friends and when they were in high
school. The started the company in 2O03
while they attended Heartland Commu-nity
College.
"We were always entrepreneursj' Adam
Bellas said.
Each brother has a different role in the
business, 2405 Fox Creek Road, Blooming-ton,
whichhelps make things run smoothly.
Adam Bellas manages the office and daily
operations and fustin Bellas manages the
various projects.
"It is definitely a gloup effort. If one per-son
is gone, it throws a wrench in things,"
said fustin Bellas , , adding that their mother,
Connie Bellas, a retired teacher, answers the
phones at the office.
uI didn't plan to work here. When I first
started I was still being mom. It did not
work. When I quit being mom it worked
perfectlyj' said Connie Bellas,who started
working for her sons in 2008. "It's nice to
understand and see what they go thoughl'
Work is often hard to leave behind at the
end of the day, the brothers said. They both
agree that's OK, though.
"We never leave work at 5 p.m. and we're
done. Being abusiness owner, you're never
done working," said |ustin Bellas, adding
SEE FAMITY / PAGE I3
DAVID PROEBER, The Pantagraph
Justin, left, and Adam Bellas, owners of Bellas Landscaping, talk about the advantages of
having a family-owned business.
ITAVID Pf,OEBER, The Pantagraph
Employees Steve Wills,
Vince Elizanara and Calvin
Myers plan their day early
in tfie morning at Bellas
|:ndscaping.
12 inc. December

3. 0n the cover
FAMILY BUSINESS
DAVID PROEBER, The Pantagraph
Adam Bellas looks over a new pavement salter at Bellas Landscaping. Snow removal has become an increasing part of the family-owned
business as it tries to keep more employees over the winter.
FAMITY
FROM PAGE I2
they have about 30 employees.
"Our wives will get on us when we're at a
birthday party and we end up talking about
workj' Adam Bellas added.
The two live next door to each other and
drive to and from work together every day.
"Sometimes you're in business 24,/7
and it's hard to separate business from
non-business," Hoyt said. "That's one of
the hazards of family-owned business."
Succession planning is another
SEE FAMITY / PAGE 14
www.pantagraph.com/bninc
Adam Bellas'
mom, Connie,
right, keeps
the business
on track by
routing phone
calls and
keeping track
of billing for
her sons'busi-ness,
Bellas
Landscaping.
December 13 inc

4. 0n the cover
FAMILY BUSINESS
FAMITY
FROM PAGE I3
challenge, Hoyt said. It can be difficult
for family members to decide who to hand
the business over to when the time comes.
Making that decision, he said, can be
done fairly quickly.
"One of the advantages of a fami-ly-
owned business is that you don't
have to go through 35 committees to do
something. It isn't a process of 15 years of
studies," Hoyt said.
Another benefit, Hoyt said, is that "the
family's name is on the doori'
Douglas Nord is an example of one of
those businesses.
Nord, president of Nord Outdoor
Power, 1716 E. Hamilton Road, Bloom-ington,
said family businesses seem to be
on the decline.
"It is an important part of the back-bone
of America. It seems a lot of times
people see what their parents had to go
through to run a business and decide to
work somewhere else,t'Nord said.
Nord owns the company. His wife, Deb-orahNord,
is the accounts receivable man-ager.
Their son, Seth Nord, and his wife,
Hollie, also work there full time.
"If you like everyone, which you should
if they're family, it is a huge benefit. I think
family members are more understanding if
you were running late j' Douglas Nord said.
Employee Vince Elizarraras works on a lawn mower at Bellas Landscaping. Landscaping
work and maintenance remain the cornerstone of the family-owned business, but snow
removal contracts are growing.
"There's a pride and a loyalty. Our
son looks to be the next generation to do
thisj' Deborah Nord said. Their daughter,
Erika, also helps out when she is home
from college.
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY I Snvder ReaI Estate
HomeSewiceE
Valerie Curry
BROKER/REAITOR@
Snyder Real Estate
#l Brickyard Drive
Bloomington, lL6lTOl
Mobile: 309-319-0565
Fax 309-663-1380
wcurry@aol.com
G A membq of the franchise system of BttrI Afrlats, LLC
http://panta graph.com/bni nc
The key to running a successful family
business, Douglas Nord said, is having one
person as the main decision maker.
Nord Outdoor Power started in 2004.
The companyhas 14 employees.
"This is a business that I don't see any-body
getting rich off of. I see it as abusiness
my family can work together in, feed our
tamilies and do wellj' Dou$as Nord said.
"Tleat your tamily like family. The things
you say can have family impacts for a life-timej'he
said.
DAVID PROEBER, The Pantagraph
Willow Gromm
Broker
309.824.5703
wi llowgromm@remox. nel
www,willowgr0mm.remoxogenl,com
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14 rnc. December