The Hidden Trap of Hiring Friends and Family (and What It Has to Do with Living an Easy Life)
Growing up, many of us were taught to be loyal. To stick by our people. To help family no matter what. Maybe you were told, “Don’t forget where you came from” or “Blood is thicker than water.” And in so many ways, these values shaped who we are—for better and for more complicated.
So when we start a business, that same programming kicks in. We feel responsible for others. We want to lift people up. We tell ourselves things like:
“She needs the money—I’ll just give her a role.”
“I trust him, and at least I know he won’t screw me over.”
“It’s just temporary until I can afford to hire someone ‘real.’”
I get it. I’ve been there.
But here’s the truth: Hiring friends and family is often where ease goes to die.
Why We Do It (Even When We Know Better)
If you were raised in a home where your worth was tied to being the responsible one, the helper, the fixer, or the bridge between chaos and calm—you may carry that role into adulthood without realizing it.
And when that role meets your business? It creates a perfect storm of blurred lines, emotional labor, and burnout.
We think we’re creating a supportive environment. But what we’re really doing is making ourselves the emotional hub for everyone else’s needs. Instead of building a business that works for us, we end up trapped in a mess of tiptoeing around feelings, resentment, and misaligned expectations.
What Actually Happens
Here’s what hiring based on personal loyalty often leads to:
Lack of boundaries. It’s hard to fire someone you see at Thanksgiving.
No accountability. Friends and family may feel entitled—or assume the rules don’t apply to them.
Avoidance of hard conversations. You might delay important feedback or overlook poor performance because you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
Emotional exhaustion. You’re now managing relationships and roles, and neither feels easeful.
That’s not a business. That’s emotional babysitting.
Living an Easy Life Requires Hard Choices
If you’re on the Path to Easy Living, one of the most radical, self-honoring things you can do is choose alignment over obligation.
You weren’t put on this planet to carry everyone. You were born to thrive.
And thriving requires clarity.
It means asking:
Is this decision aligned with my values or just my conditioning?
Am I hiring from a place of ease and strategy—or guilt and emotion?
What’s the long-term impact of this choice on my peace, freedom, and business flow?
Let’s be real—ease isn’t always soft and gentle. Sometimes it’s bold. Sometimes it says, “I love you, but I won’t hire you.”
Sometimes it sets boundaries that future-you will be so grateful for.
What to Do Instead
If you're currently feeling tangled in this dynamic, here’s what I suggest:
Pause before you hire. Ask yourself: Would I hire this person if they were a stranger?
Create job descriptions and contracts—even for loved ones. Clear expectations protect both of you.
Prioritize fit over familiarity. Loyalty is beautiful, but competence, alignment, and professionalism are essential.
Build systems that don’t rely on emotional labor. Let your business structure, not your heartstrings, guide your team decisions.
Your Business Should Support Your Life—Not the Other Way Around
At Path to Easy Living, we’re not about hustle for hustle’s sake. We’re about strategic simplicity.
And you can’t build simplicity on the shaky foundation of guilt, resentment, and blurred boundaries.
This doesn’t mean you stop loving your people. It means you start loving yourself, your vision, and your future enough to make the hard call when necessary.
You can still be generous. You can still lift people up.
But not at the expense of your peace.
That’s not selfish. That’s sovereignty.
And that, my friend, is the real path to easy living.
