Painting, pizza, landscaping, autobody, and tex-mex make up the multitude of unique family businesses that students are involved in. Although many students have different feelings towards their families businesses, they also help out their families businesses in different ways and in the process, learn many skills.

• Kyler Zampiello: Zampiello Paint

Zampiello Paint is a home maintenance business that offers services from interior and exterior painting to carpentry and power washing. The business concentrates on residential areas and local business in Fairfax and Loudoun County. Senior Kyler Zampiello is the daughter of the owner, Dori Zampiello. She helps her father’s business by filing and bringing paint to different places. Although Zampiello loves her father’s business, she does not want to pursue managing the company; rather, leaving that responsibility to her brother, Nicholas Zampiello. Kyler Zampiello’s life is impacted by her father’s company because she is recognized in a lot of places she visits.

“Almost everywhere I go someone ends up knowing me and asks ‘Are you the daughter of the guy who has the painting company?,” Kyler Zampiello said. “Also, my friends will always see the vans that say ‘Zampiello Paint’ on the side and text me about seeing my dad working.”

• Karim Shoorbajee: Stone Hot Pizza

Stone Hot Pizza, owned by Faras Shoorbajee, serves a variety of food ranging from pizza and sandwiches to wings and salad. There are three locations in Fairfax, Alexandria, and Hayfield. Faras Shoorbajee’s son is sophomore Karim Shoorbajee, who supports his father’s business by taking orders and preparing food. He feels that it is a great experience because he learns about how businesses work; however, he does not wish to follow in his father’s footsteps and hopes to follow other interests. Nonetheless, Shoorbajee and his friends have several benefits from his father’s restaurant.

“I get to eat a lot of pizza, which is awesome. I tell all my friends about it so they can also buy from [Stone Hot Pizza],” Shoorbajee said. “I’ll also bring pizza into school for class parties.”

• Sean Palmer: Palmer’s Property Maintenance

Founded by senior Sean Palmer’s father, Patrick Palmer, Palmer’s Property Maintenance is a grounds maintenance and landscaping company. It focuses on commercial properties such as apartment complexes and business fronts in the DC Metro area. In the winter, the company focuses on plowing snow as well as salting and sanding roads. Although, Palmer does not directly play a part in his family’s business, it has still affected his life. During peak season, his father does not spend as much time at home because there is more business work. Although Sean does not wish to continue his father’s business he has still learned important skills related to the business.

“I’ve learned how to use a plow truck,” Sean Palmer said. “I’ve also learned how to mow grass and plant flowers.”

• Yousef Panjshiri: Z Auto Body & Chantilly Auto Repair

Z Auto Body and Chantilly Auto Repair are two businesses owned by Zia and Omar Panjshiri, respectively, the uncles of sophomore Yousef Panjshiri. Originally, the auto repair shops started as partnerships but then they both split. Ironically, the shops of each of the brothers are located right next to each other. Occasionally, the brothers do work together for some projects and they maintain a healthy relationship. Panjshiri has learned different techniques by helping his uncles during the summer. He feels these skills will help him in the future when he has his own car such as changing tires, washing cars and other small tasks. He also has learned about common problems in cars and gains knowledge in how to fix these problems. Although Panjshiri is not interested in physically fixing cars, he hopes to continue their business in different ways.

“I definitely want to keep it going; I would help [the business] financially and plan different things out, but I do not want to do the activities they do,” said Panjshiri. “They are family [and] you [have] to help family.”

• Raul Rincon: Guapo’s

Guapo’s, a Tex-Mex restaurant owned by the Rincon family, specializes in Texan food with a Mexican flare.There are a total of nine restaurants, all located in the DC metro area. Junior Raul Rincon is the son of the owners, and he supports his family’s business by working as a host in several locations. He is currently training to be a manager at the Manassas restaurant. Guapo’s has affected Rincon’s life in positive ways as it has given him a place to work which he feels teaches him responsibility. He also has gained friendships with both his co-workers and customers. He is dedicated to Guapo’s and hopes to continue his family’s work because of his passion toward the different aspects of the busines10

“It’s basically already set up for me,” Rincon said. “It’s something I know my family has put a lot of work into so I would like to continue what they have done.”