In this episode of The Puzzle, Isaak and Bruno tackle the tricky, loaded question of whether a company really is like a family.

It really isn’t, and the analogy makes absolutely no sense.

They begin by acknowledging that, for some people, a company can provide a sense of belonging and connection, especially for those who don’t have a strong family experience or come from dysfunctional families. However, they argue that this bonding is fundamentally different from the authentic relationships found within actual families. Bruno posits that this “family” narrative is often used to manipulate people’s expectations and emotions, creating an illusion of harmony and love.

Isaak concurs, suggesting that even in functional families, the difficulties of navigating business roles and responsibilities render the comparison between a company and family nonsensical. They both lament the fact that cults and multi-level marketing schemes often use this “we’re like a family” rhetoric to prey on vulnerable individuals. In essence, they believe that this concept is nothing more than a manipulation tactic designed to fill emotional voids or exploit people’s desires for connection and community.