Could you work with your mum or daughter? The women who do reveal things can get very spiky!

• e-mail

There's nothing like the bond between a mother and daughter — but it’s no secret that this relationship can also be one of the most emotionally fraught.

So what happens when you see your mum every single day — and have to take orders from her, too?

Many women would shudder at the thought, but these five mothers and daughters insist working together has helped their businesses to thrive — despite a few tense moments along the way.

Studies support the idea that relatives working together can be a route to success, with 93 per cent of family-owned businesses expecting to grow, according to research by PwC. Another survey found bosses see employing younger family members as a good way to get a millennial’s point of view — without the risk their younger workers will quit in search of pastures new after a year or two.

So, what’s it like to work as a mother-and-daughter team? As Mother’s Day approaches, JILL FOSTER speaks to ten women about the ups and downs of keeping business in the family . . .

SHE PLAYS ME OFF AGAINST HER FATHER

Debbie Keeble, 52, founded Heck sausages with her husband Andrew, also 52. They live in North Yorkshire and have four children — Jamie, 27, Guy, 26, Roddy, 24, and 22-year-old Ellie, who works in HR at Heck.

Jill Foster spoke to mothers and daughters that work together in their family business. Debbie (pictured left with her daughter Ellie) revealed her daughter plays her off against her father

Debbie says: As the daughter of a farmer, I’m used to living and working with family. But I’m not sure Ellie is quite so keen. She’s looking for a new place to live, and I’ll miss her.

She started in our finance department after studying at college. But, frankly, she was a bit of a skiver. The head of finance would say: ‘I can’t find Ellie, she’s disappeared,’ and she’d have gone to the gym because she was bored. I tried telling her off, but I knew she wasn’t happy there.

Since joining the HR team nine months ago, she’s really blossomed.

We get on well generally, but sometimes things get explosive. She’s like her father and speaks her mind. I’m not a volatile person, but if I do blow, it’s big. I’ll take myself out of the room to let things calm down.

The only time she gets on my nerves is when she plays me off against her father. It’s led to a few good rows. Not long ago, we decided we needed a pool car for several workers to share and he let her choose. She turned up in a white Volkswagen 4x4, which was impractical. I said: ‘I can’t believe you let her get something like this.’

But I’m really impressed with Ellie now. Most mums never get to see how brilliant their daughters are at work, but I see first-hand how she’s matured. When she started working here nearly four years ago, she was very shy. But now, she’s happy to give presentations to our 100 employees.

Ellie says: I admit, I am a bit of a daddy’s girl. Mum is stricter. She can stress me out, particularly if she’s asking me to do something when I’m already busy. I hate that pressure and have quite a fiery temper. There have been a few tears and tantrums.

I’ve matured a lot in the past four years and much of that is thanks to Mum. But I wouldn’t say I’m any less feisty. Sometimes, Dad will intervene if we row, but he knows which battles to pick and when to leave us to it.

Sophie (pictured right with her mother Julie) revealed she aspires to be like her mother

WHEN DAD DIED, WE KEPT GOING TOGETHER

Laura King, 58, from Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, employs daughter Holly, 24, as director of sales at King’s Fine Food, which specialises in caviar. She also has a son, Harry, 19, and two stepchildren.

Laura says: When my husband John and I asked Holly if she’d like to work for us four years ago, we wanted to help her out with a first job. It turned out she was the greatest help we could have hoped for.

Soon after, in June 2014, John was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. It was devastating, but Holly was incredible — doing things a daughter really shouldn’t have to do for her dad, such as feeding him and taking him to the bathroom.

We shared our responsibilities at work and she never complained. Had she not been around, I would have had to quit, which would have been catastrophic for the business.

Since John died in 2015, I feel so lucky to see Holly every day. I’ve joked she can never leave home — I’m not sure how she feels about that.

I’ve worked throughout my life, even when the children were small. Now, I feel I’m making up for lost time with Holly, in a way.

But we do have our differences. She can be stroppy in the mornings, but at least I can tell her to shut up. A normal boss wouldn’t be so frank.

There have even been occasions when she’s stormed off and says she’s leaving the business. But we always make up. She has such a strong work ethic — she puts in more hours because she doesn’t want to be ‘the boss’s daughter’.

I’m so proud of her. John adored her and would be so proud, too.

Laura (pictured left with her daughter Holly) says she feels lucky to see her daughter daily at work since the death of her husband

Holly says: I feel so lucky I was around to help when Dad got ill. That experience brought me and Mum closer. At first, I thought there was no way I could work for her without us killing one another. I said ‘yes’ as I thought I’d only be there for a couple of months, but then, slowly, I realised how much I enjoyed it.

At first, calling her ‘Mum’ in the office felt strange, but calling her ‘Laura’ felt wrong, too. Now, I mostly use ‘Laura’ — but if we’re not in work, people think I’m being rude.

Likewise, there are times in the office when she slips up and calls me ‘Bubs’ — her pet name for me — and I have to say: ‘Don’t do that!’

At 7am, she’ll fling open my door and say ‘Get up, Holly,’ like she did when I was at school. Sometimes, when she offers me a lift, I say ‘No chance’ and drive off myself, hoping she gets stuck in traffic so I can have some time alone.

You can never take a sickie working for your mum. But, all in all, I love it. Being in the family business means I still feel close to my dad, too.

MUM SAID I’D GET NO PAY IF I HAD A MESSY ROOM

Shelley Sofier, 61, founded PR agency Red Kite and lives with her husband Nathan, 73, a retired judge, in North-West London. She employs daughter Jessica, 26, as a senior account manager.

Shelley says: Even as a nine-year-old, Jessica often came into the office when I had problems with childcare. It seemed natural she’d end up working here once she graduated from the University of York.

Still, it’s not been without its challenges. I’m a details freak, whereas Jessica is a freewheeler, which can drive me mad. We have been known to snap at each other across our desks over work problems, which I’d never do with other staff.

She’s forever stealing my make-up, too — I can never find my lipstick, and it’s always in her desk drawer.

I’ve realised that I should listen to her more because she’s working at the coalface. If she thinks an idea won’t work, she’s probably right.

Shelley (pictured right with her daughter Jessica) revealed her daughter is more forceful about voicing her opinion than other members of staff

All my employees feel comfortable about offering their opinions, but Jessica uses a bit more force.

I think I switch easily from mum mode into boss mode, but perhaps Jessica would disagree. Yes, I buy her lunch occasionally, tidy her desk and give cuddles, but I cuddle all my team — we’re a tactile bunch.

Jessica says: My friends can’t believe I work for my mother. There are times when she drives me mad. I glare at her in meetings if she talks over me and I can’t stand it when she tidies my desk.

Once, when I was still living at home, she told me that she wouldn’t pay me unless I tidied my room. And she was serious!

At first, I thought I’d move on after a year. I know joining the ‘family firm’ may look like the easy option. But I love what I do and I wouldn’t want to leave Mum.

We’re so close now that we can finish each other’s sentences in meetings. She doesn’t show me favouritism — I found the first couple of appraisals awkward, but Mum uses the same procedure with all her staff. In my last one, I had to write a speech stating why I thought I deserved a pay rise.

Thankfully, she agreed — I’m not sure how I’d feel if she hadn’t.

I HAD TO LEARN TO BACK OFF

Julie Phillipson, 60, is a co-founder of the website HelloGrads with her daughter Sophie, 26. She has two other children, Elena, 28, and Tom, 20, and lives with husband Peter, 64, in Ascot, Berkshire.

Julie says: Starting a business when I should have been looking to retire was not really in my plans. But when Sophie graduated, she and her friends were panicking about finding jobs. There was nothing out there to help them navigate the next step — so we started something.

Julie (pictured with her daughter Sophie) claims opening a business with her daughter was a welcomed distraction from having an empty home

I had taken a long career break to have children, but had marketing experience. With all three children gone, it was a welcome distraction from the empty nest.

At first, I was very cautious about working with Sophie. I was worried I’d lead all the meetings and be too dominant.

I made a conscious effort to back off, to encourage Sophie to believe in herself.

Thankfully, we agree on most issues. When there’s a big decision to make, if it’s anything to do with communicating to our target market, it’s Sophie’s choice, as she’s that age. If it’s to do with spending our money, it’s my say.

We don’t live together, but often drift into ‘work talk’ when we’re together, which can irritate the family. We are careful to have mother and daughter time, such as shopping or gallery visits.

Sophie says: Everyone says I’m a ‘mini-Julie’, not just in my looks, but in my mannerisms. But that’s great. I look up to her and hope I’ll be like her.

At first, I admit, I worried about whether anyone would take a mother-daughter team seriously. I’m proud to work with Mum, but I hear interesting reactions from others. Lots say: ‘I could never work with my mother.’

I feel so lucky that we work well as a team. We can be really honest with each other.

While neither of us is particularly volatile, there have been moments when we’ve snapped. It’s usually over doing something we both dislike, such as doing tax returns or checking the terms and conditions.

When one of us is feeling ratty, there’s no barrier like there would be with another colleague.

WE’VE DRAWN UP GROUND RULES

Rosalind Miller, 59, is the founder of Rosalind Miller Cakes. Her business partner is her only daughter, Yasmine Ziadlourad, 30. They live separately in South-East London.

Rosalind (pictured right with her daughter Yasmine) revealed they set up ground rules to adjust with working together

Rosalind says: Some friends are envious that I spend so much time with my daughter, but others admit they could never work with theirs. Yasmine and I work so well as a team, but there were teething problems.

I’d worked by myself for years, so getting used to another person was a huge adjustment.

We realised early on that we had to set some ground rules, so we drew up a written manifesto saying things such as: ‘Respect each other, no arguing and keep the workplace tidy’, but also more specific rules such as ‘not treating Yasmine like a PA’.

If we reach an impasse, we consult with my sister, Julie, to work things out.

Thankfully, it works brilliantly and I’m incredibly proud to have her as my partner.

She’s very organised and methodical, whereas I tend to be more creative and do things on the spur of the moment.

Yasmine says: One worry about working for Mum was how I was going to break out of the ‘daughter’ role. It was difficult at the start because I’d moved back home, so I was seeing her 24/7.

One day, I accidentally smashed a bouquet of sugar flowers just before they were due to be delivered and Mum was really annoyed. Shortly after that, we decided to draw up the manifesto and things improved.

One of the main benefits of working with Mum is that I can be very frank. If she shows me a design and I think the colour is weird, I can tell her.

She takes my advice on board because, while she is the creative one, I’m tapped into what a younger generation of clients wants. For example, I recently pushed for us to launch a new ready-to-order range, Confection, as well as our custom-made cakes. I’ve worked really hard to make that a success.

While we have very different personalities, we complement each other.

For more details - Hellograds.com, confectionbyrosalindmiller.com, heckfood.co.uk. kingsfinefood.co.uk and redkitepr.com