Business Memoir Exposes Emotional Complexities of Family-Run Firms

Rock LaManna’s memoir “They Named You Right” shares painful lessons about buying and selling a family-run business during the dawn of the digital transformation of print. West Palm Beach, Florida, USA., November 29, 2022 - Behind every multi-generational family business is a story of entrepreneurship, hard work, personal sacrifice, and inter-family squabbles. Most family business owners hesitate to share these stories. Not Rock LaManna, The Deal Flow Guy. In his new memoir “They Named You Right,” Rock LaManna shares hard lessons he learned when he bought, grew and sold his family-owned business. Although, the process made him a multi-millionaire before he turned 40, that milestone was more costly to his personal and family life than he ever imagined. The LaManna family business story explores the delicate balance between the “family” and the “business” elements of a family business. It’s a cautionary tale about what happens when those areas conflict, and the consequences of prioritizing business over people. Told as a first-person narrative, “They Named You Right” reveals two distinct Rocks. The first Rock is a source of stability and strength. He was heir to a thriving family business that, at its peak, had profit margins that made its leader as wealthy as the top executives of America’s most prestigious companies. But the second Rock smashed apart family relationships and in the process nearly crushed himself. “They Named You Right” will appeal to family business owners and employees as well as hard-working young entrepreneurs who are struggling to achieve work-life balance. “I’ve seen firsthand what happens when your work and home lives are out of balance,” says Rock. “Listen to a workaholic: Working too much will implode your personal life, which in turn can hurt your career. You might call this a lose-lose-scenario: you lose, your family and friends lose, and in the end your business will probably lose, too.” Additional wisdom is featured in a section at the end of the book called “Rock’s Diamonds.” The company Rock grew, bought and sold in his 20s and 30s was the Vomela Specialty Company, which has grown through mergers and acquisitions into The Vomela Companies, a nationwide network of 20 wide-format graphics production facilities that serve many of the top brands and retailers in the U.S. Rock’s father Carlo worked as a letterpress operator in Vomela’s early days when the company specialized in producing Christmas seals and tags. Carlo printed and die-cut the tags and labels and applied the embellishments, using a special glitter and flock crafting process. To order a copy of Rock’s business memoir, visit www.theynamedyouright.com. All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to The Rock LaManna Foundation, which financially contributes to organizations that support the underprivileged and children with special needs, specifically the South St. Paul Education Fund and Clinics Can Help. About Rock LaManna Rock LaManna is The Deal Flow Guy. He helps qualified buyers and investors find businesses that are ready for acquisition or transition. On the sell side, he helps owners improve their businesses, increase value, and position strategically in anticipation of sale, exit or succession. To learn more about the book or how The Deal Flow Guy can help your company find deals or plan business ownership transitions, sign up for Rock’s newsletter at TheDealFlowGuy.com