for it.'' Speaking with all the firmness of the executive of a major company, rather than the owner of her own, three-woman real-estate firm, Joy Lusher is keen to emphasise the point.

"I came to Bermuda when I was 24 years old and was a secretary in a real estate company in Hamilton. In the first week I had sold a house and my boss was delighted. He hadn't sold anything for six months.

"I married and had three children but so many of my clients had become friends, because I always dealt with them honestly and fairly. My philosophy was find out what they want and zero in on it.'' But, even if these are lean times in real estate, at least some people have followed her into the profession -- her daughters. It was after Sue Plathe approached her mother that mum decided to expand and take her daughter on.

Later Liz Lusher joined, and the three of them now work well together.

But are there any problems with having family members in a small business? "Not if I'm fair with them. If I give one a client then I try to balance that by making sure that the other one gets the next client. But I'm afraid that we do talk business a lot when we are together,'' she said.

"We have to obey one rule: No shop-talk while Sue's husband or my son are around.'' Mrs. Joy Lusher, centre, with daughters Sue Plathe, left, and Liz Lusher.