This study investigates the importance of co-ethnic employment for second-generation immigrants using data on the total population of Sweden. The analyses show that employment by parents comprises a substantial part of co-ethnic employment among young people. However, youth of Swedish origin in the small business sector are employed by parents to the same extent as second-generation immigrants. Furthermore, youth of Swedish origin are much more often employed by Swedish-born employers. Therefore, we argue that mobilization of family resources and social networks is not specific to immigrants in 'ethnic economies' but is rather part of a general small-business class strategy.