When Alberta Hipps formed her consulting firm in 2004, her daughter, Lara Hipps, was teaching in elementary school.
Hipps Group Inc. specializes in real estate development, transportation development and government relations.
Alberta Hipps knew she was prepared for the work. Her credentials included business training and government service.
She served for eight years on the Jacksonville City Council, from 1995 to 2003. For seven of those, she was on the Land Use and Zoning Committee and found the challenge of making all the pieces come together fascinating, she said.
Before that, she worked for a number of years as an administrator at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, now Ascension St. Vincent’s.
If anything was missing when she started the company, it was her daughter’s organizational skills.
Lara Hipps said, “I think you could use my help” when she first visited her mother at the office in West Jacksonville and put those skills to use right away.
She worked part-time at Hipps Group for two summers, doing a lot of paperwork.
In 2005, at the end of the second summer, her mother said, “‘I think I can afford to pay you full-time,’” Lara Hipps said.
“And I said, ‘Twist my arm.’”
The mother and daughter, president and vice president and ages 80 and 54 respectively, say they make a great team.
“If you go in Lara’s office, you’ll see meticulous files. If you go in my office, I’m the schmoozer,” Alberta Hipps said.
Her self-description translates to extensive community connections, along with networking and communication skills.
“Her name is part of our reputation,” Lara Hipps said.
In addition, “I knew about mobility fees and I knew about enterprise zones ... . I knew about helping people do due diligence on property. I felt like I had the experience to work through all that,” said Alberta Hipps.
Her daughter’s skills completed the partnership.
“I knew how organized she was, how goal-oriented she was. She is so good at looking at the desired outcome and working backward, and really doesn’t give up. I knew that she would be fabulous to work with,” Alberta Hipps said.
“I think in some ways, Lara and I have been surprised about how well we work together. I think it’s been the best of all worlds.”
Alberta Hipps leased an office at Cecil Airport in West Jacksonville when she launched the business, then bought a larger space and moved to Herlong Commons at 10250 Normandy Blvd. in 2007.
Hipps Group works throughout Northeast Florida. It doesn't advertise; work comes strictly through word-of-mouth.
Aug. 4 will mark the firm’s 19th year.
When they became business partners, they were “very formal” about the relationship, Lara Hipps said, right down to how much she would make per hour.
“Business is business. I think that’s where some people, if they leave it loosey-goosey, get into (trouble),” Alberta Hipps said.
Communication is key to making it work, and so is a sense of humor, they said.
They joked about the conversation they have when Alberta Hipps realizes she’s overlooked some detail and calls it to her daughter’s attention. Lara Hipps will respond good-naturedly.
“I say, ‘Oh, here we go.’ And then I have to fire her. Cause for termination. And then she comes back on payday every single time,” Lara Hipps said.
Mutual trust helps them operate with confidence.
That component should exist whenever family members go into business together, they said.
“I would say, if you (only) think you can trust them, then don’t do it. Only if you know you can trust them,” Lara Hipps said.
“Trust is the thing, especially if someone is going to be handling your money. You really don’t know someone until you let them control your money.”
They believe it is important to share the same work ethic as well.
“I know people that have their family members as part of the business, and the family members don’t think that they have to have the work ethic that the regular staff have because ‘I’m the family member.’ I think that can cause friction with others in the business,” Alberta Hipps said.
She turned 80 in January. She knows retirement will come eventually — but not any time soon, she said.
The job brings something different every day.
“My philosophy is that, as long as I enjoy what I’m doing, and am contributing in a meaningful way, I really don’t look to retire. But five years is probably what I’m looking at. I think that by the time I turn 85 (I may retire),” she said.
Alberta Hipps said she is not worried about succession at Hipps Group when that decision is made.
“If I retired tomorrow, because she’s so organized, Lara can do everything,” she said.