My name is Zack Guild. My family owns a ranch in Southwest Wyoming where we run a cow/calf operation. My wife and I moved back to the ranch four years ago after living in Arizona and Utah. My brother, father, and grandfather are all full time on the ranch where we work together on a daily basis. I also have many siblings, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and extended family that stay involved with the ranch. 

Something I have been able to observe having been raised in this lifestyle and now coming back to it has been the unique relationships a family business puts on people. There is something about working together every day that can put a certain strain as well as a certain sweetness to those relationships. I’m sure we can all look back and find a memory, however recent, of hotheaded disputes, frustrations regarding a myriad of things, or personal grudges held quietly. Whatever it may be, the blended family and work relationship can be a challenge. It can also  offer the opportunity to nurture beautiful and lasting relationships with those people we hold closest. 

Some of my earliest memories are of loading up in the hay truck with dad and mom and trying my best to drive in a straight line and not take out too many fences in the process. I cherish the learning moments shared as I worked with my grandpa. The ties built with my siblings laid the groundwork for the closeness I share with each of them. While my family is far from perfect, something  I have never questioned is the love and loyalty I feel from each and every one of my family members. However, too many times we allow the frustrations, greed, and resentment to work its way into our relationships and slowly eat at the bedrock of those relationships. It saddens me to look around and see families torn apart when faced with the burdens placed on their relationships. 

I credit a large part of my family's ability to stay so close to my father’s foresight. Planning for the future can be quite scary for some people and having an open dialogue about what the future holds can be daunting. I believe that knowing what to expect from a young age helped all of my family adapt to change. Communication can be so vital for relationships, and we communicate in so many ways. Too many times our actions or words are communicating that we care more about a certain outcome than a certain individual. Prioritizing relationships that we value over objects or outcomes is key in preserving those cherished ties. I understand how hard it can be to apologize when you feel you are in the right, or allowing a certain project to be done a certain way when you feel it would be better done another way.  While at times it may be necessary to speak up and be firm, too many times we are immovable with things that are almost inconsequential. 

There is nothing more important to me than the relationship I share with, first and foremost my wife and child, but also all other familial relationships. This lifestyle can present such a sweet opportunity to nurture and grow those relationships into something beautiful. If we can keep a wider perspective and focus on the bigger picture rather than the small moment in front of us. 

Mathew 22 36-39 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” While it is definitely easier said than done, loving those around us like ourselves and striving to preserve those important relationships can make the work/family relationships so much sweeter, deeper, and lasting.