Brandy Rayana Norwood, the R& B singer and actress known as "Brandy" celebrates her 31st birthday today. Brandy has certainly come a long way from those days in the late '90s when she starred in the UPN sitcom 'Moesha.' But now it's 2010, and Brandy is taking another stab at TV land -- this time by starring with her brother in the upcoming reality TV series entitled 'Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business.'

These talented siblings have already teamed up on Ray J's show, 'For the Love of Ray J.' But the debut of this new reality series -- scheduled to premiere Sunday April 11 on VH1 -- promises to offer a deeper "unscripted" peek into the duo's personal and professional lives, perhaps in ways we've never before seen. In particular, the title of the series alone raises the prospect that Brandy and Ray J will show viewers some behind-the-scenes drama and the tough issues that naturally emerge from family members working together. In their case, mom and dad are also involved in their production business, dubbed Rn'B Productions. Brandy and Ray J's mom, Sonja, is an entertainment manager; while their father, Willie, is the vocal coach for their business.

It's hard enough to launch and sustain a business on your own. But many people think it's tougher to do it with family members. With family-run enterprises, there's a near endless list of potential pitfalls that can crop up. What should you do, for example, when one family member feels unappreciated (and maybe even underpaid) for their contributions? And what about cases where a family member is clearly slacking off on the job, or doing something that's just plain wrong? Should you call that person on the carpet, even though it might hurt his or her feelings or jeopardize the personal relationship you share?


If you add the "celebrity" factor to the mix, family businesses can get even dicier. When you have two "stars" or maybe two "superstars" involved in a business venture, who gets top billing and who has final say over issues when there is a dispute or disagreement? Is it the person pulling in most of the income? Is it one who is most "popular" or "well-known?" Or does something else drive these issues? When you reflect on the celebrities who have struggled with work-family issues in their careers (think Beyonce and her dad; Usher and his mom; Jill Scott and her ex-husband; and even the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus), it's pretty clear that it's not always easy to have a family business and keep the peace with loved ones too.

I guess that's one reason a lot of people say that you should never mix business with pleasure -- or ever go into business with family.

But I personally don't agree with that. I happen to be a successful entrepreneur in a high profile business, and my husband, Earl Cox, is my literary agent and business manager. Earl has done everything from landing me corporate spokesperson gigs to getting me on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show,' to negotiating a six-figure book deal for me. Are there challenges to him being both hubby and manager? Absolutely. But the positive aspects of us working together as a team far outweigh any "negatives" or obstacles we might face in confronting various business issues. At the end of the day, I know I have someone in my corner who loves me, who's constantly looking out for my best interests in a way that an outsider never would (or could), and who is genuinely happy for my success. When I do well, Earl takes pride in my accomplishments, and vice versa. Most importantly, Earl and I have found that by mixing the business and personal realms, both areas of our relationship have been enhanced.

In addition to working closely with my better half, I've also worked -- with great enjoyment and tremendous success -- with one of my sisters, Deborah Darell, who is a New York City-based media strategist and consultant. In 2003, when I launched my own business and wrote my first book, Investing Success, my big sister Deborah actually quit her six-figure job as a publicist to go on the road with me, touring around the country, and helping me to promote the book. Deborah is an entrepreneur too, and I'm proud to say that I was her first client. (Yes, I paid her for her services; she's a professional who deserves to get paid just like anyone else I would've hired). Deborah's insights and help over the years have been invaluable. And, as sisters, we've been very fortunate that our business dealings have never harmed our personal relationship. In fact, they've helped solidify our bond.

That's just a synopsis of my story. I'm hoping it works out for Brandy and Ray J. But what about you? Do you think they should mix family and business? Have you ever worked with a family member or loved one? If so, how did it turn out? And what would you recommend to a friend who was contemplating going into business with a relative?

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Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, an award-winning financial news journalist and former Wall Street Journal reporter for CNBC, has also been featured in top newspapers including the Washington Post, USA Today, and the New York Times, as well as magazines ranging from Essence and Redbook to Black Enterprise and Smart Money. Check out her New York Times bestseller, 'Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom.'