I am a 24 year old woman with a master’s degree in English literature. I’m currently managing a bookstore and contemplating going for my Ph.D. and teaching. My father owns a publishing and marketing company with about $15 million in revenues. My younger brother is 19 and a freshman in college. He says he has no idea what he wants to major in, except maybe partying. Our father is in his late 50’s and had a heart attack last year. Two weeks ago he asked me to come into the business and eventually run it. He feels confident I could do it with the help of management training and a mentoring program over the next 3 or 4 years. I know a great deal about the business having worked in it throughout my adolescence. I’m engaged to be married in six months to someone who is in the publishing industry. I haven’t mentioned it to him yet since I think he might see it as a good opportunity for us but I’m not sure that’s what I want to do. I feel selfish and scared. How should I be thinking about this? (more…)