Give Characters Job: Mandy as Business Owner

I'm a big fan of characters having jobs. From a writing perspective, jobs give the characters things to talk about, care about, focus on (as opposed to the "problem of the week"). How they handle jobs exhibits their personalities, and if the jobs can connect to the plot, even better!

The three sisters in Last Man Standing all have jobs. Mandy's is especially intelligent. Eve is focused on figuring herself out. The oldest sister, Kristin, is more focused on the job of being a wife and mother--though some of the best episodes do deal with her job as the restaurant manager at the Outdoor Man Grill. 

But Mandy's job is truly inspired. She starts out as the entertainment-oriented, not-so-great-at-school, popular sister, and in the early episodes, when Mandy and Eve are still in high school, that "job" works. But after she enters college, the writers have her start her own business. The daughter who seems the least like her father turns out to be the most like him.  

She and Mike have opportunities to discuss stock, advertising, taxes, trial-and-error, not giving up on a plan, retail versus online sales, pricing...

Mandy also develops and learns. Although she initially walks away from college to start her business, she decides that taking classes on "businessing" is a good idea. 

And Mandy's business gives other characters a chance to reveal aspects of herself. Vanessa wants Mike to help Mandy and convince her to continue because she sees herself as a negative reflection: she didn't realize that she wanted to teach geology until she already spent years in corporations being less than satisfied. I actually find this approach to Vanessa quite satisfying--I think that people can undergo quite a "crooked" road (as Joe versus the Volcano would say) that eventually takes them to what they truly want.

Mandy's job leads to more ideas and more insights. Incredibly smart writing!