CoupleCo: Working With Your Spouse For Fun & Profit: Recent Episodes
Blaine & Honey Parker
Is building a business with your spouse the best thing ever--or the craziest? Or both? How do other couples do it? We interview successful couples who are crushing it and ask them everything from how they met to how they do it to how they argue. Whether you're working with your significant other, just thinking about it, or just like modeling other successful business owners, welcome to CoupleCo: Working With Your Spouse For Fun & Profit.
This is a special edition of CoupleCo. We’ve engineered this show for shameless self-promotion! Blaine helped write a satirical business book created by Dan Hill. Dan is a very smart guy who has consulted to over 100 of the world’s biggest brands on the topic of reading emotions through facial coding. He also collaborates with his wife, Karen Bernthal, who’s an artist and a designer. That's where the CoupleCo angle comes in. So, how potent is Dan’s advertising prowess? Honey has had a career working in big ad agencies, and Dan had her wondering if everything she knows is wrong. This conversation is also about Dan’s book, aimed at corporate-speak BS: “Blah, Blah, Blah: A Snarky Guide to Office Lingo.” Honey has worked in corporate America and is a tough audience—and this book made even her laugh. And finally, this convo is peek at what we're calling “the collegial CoupleCo.” Dan and Karen are not exactly business partners, but they’re always collaborators.
Today, we are back with Part 2 of reaching for the moon. Specifically, craft brewer Crazy in Cholula Puebla, Mexico. When we were invited there, we replied using one of Honey’s favorite travel philosophies: Por qué no?“Why not” is a great phrase to know in any language. It has served us well around the world, including in Mexico. Craft brewers John Lord and his wife Alma Aguilar are lovely people who introduced us to more lovely people and we had an excellent time.They are also serial entrepreneurs. When they decided to open a brewery, they thought, “How hard could it be?”But nobody can count on their business being beset by a global pandemic. To their credit, John and Alma kept everything up and running and kept everyone on the payroll. Crazy Moon brews excellent beer.They have confronted the challenges of the pandemic, and they’ve just closed their first round of funding, exceeding their goal by almost 20%. Did keeping the brewery open during COVID help fuel the investor enthusiasm? Who knows? But they’re on their way to the ultimate goal of building a newer, bigger brewery and exporting to the US.
In this episode, CoupleCo leaves the country for the moon—specifically, the Crazy Moon brewery in Cholula Puebla, Mexico. This business is run by an old, Connecticut friend of Blaine’s and his Mexican wife. John and Alma are serial entrepreneurs who started this craft brewery in time for a global pandemic—which they have survived as they enter into a new funding series for taking their brewery to the next level. They make excellent beer. They confronted the challenges of the pandemic by keeping everyone on their staff employed and doing the pivots required to keep the revenue coming. They’re raising funding with the ultimate goal of building a newer, bigger brewery and exporting their beer to the US. They’re also great company, and provide excellent insight into the trials and tribulations of running a business together with the added bonus of cultural duality.
Opportunities, priorities, profit—all kinds of greatness is afoot. But that also means: something’s gotta give. Will it be this show? Nope. Well, not really. But we are taking a dose of our own advice and attenuating everyone’s favorite show about couples in business together. And honestly, it’s not just because we’re feeling queasy from being stuck in the hot, humid freak show that is South Jersey…
Why are a pair of married capitalists talking about Marxism, and what does that have to do with the price of CoupleCo-ism anyway? In this episode, we avoid the adolescent jokes surrounding the great question, “How big is big enough, anyway?” In your business, is it OK to want to remain small? We ask ourselves this question as we hang out with friends who’ve started really big companies. The answer has a lot to do with your priorities in life, and another, more important question you need to answer for yourself…
How did this happen?! On the 20th Anniversary of our wedding, Blaine Parker and the Fabulous Honey Parker turn the tables on themselves and reveal the answer to the Single Most Important Question of their CoupleCo interviews: “How did you two meet?” The reason it’s so important is without the answer to that question, there’d be no CoupleCo to follow. And since our answer includes dueling hangovers, a clever ruse involving a used car, and a famous comedy club, it might just be worth listening to…
Should you do the dangerous deed of becoming a CoupleCo? Maybe your answer is here: it’s the 2021 Independence Edition of CoupleCo Uncorked! There are upsides to being in business with your spouse. Besides the fun! You’re your own boss! You can take risks! Set your own hours! But, there are also downsides. Hear our take on CoupleCo Independence after 15 years of doing this. Maybe it’ll sway you one way or the other. Maybe it’ll make you close the doors and go back to your 9-to-5. Who knows? Listen in and take a chance…
Innovative, paradigm-shifting, champion-inspired cult camper moving and shaking! Jen and Chris Hudak have moved Escapod travel trailers, shaken up their own world, they’re changing world of teardrop campers, and they’ve built a collaborative business model in a burgeoning CoupleCo effort that began in a garage, expanded to an antique gas station with one employee, and now occupies an enormous space filled with employees in what was once a Ford dealership. In two years, they’ve expanded production exponentially, moving from selling dozens of units to hundreds. And they still can’t meet the overwhelming demand. In short: the Hudaks are crushing it. In this episode, we discuss the realities of success, what it really means, and the emotional preparedness it requires. And what happens when, despite your desire to remain totally independent, you really do need to consider using OPM (Other People’s Money)?
All hail the scrappy underdog! In the two years since we first spoke to them, Chris and Jen Hudak have exploded. They’ve instigated an exponential increase in production of their cult-favorite travel trailer, survived a pandemic, and brought a baby to be in the world. What more could they want? How about a groundbreaking evolution in their already excellent product? These two are champions, they are unstoppable, and they bring new perspective to what it means to be successful collaborators…
Comprehensive CoupleCo convo some award-winning expert travelers? How does that even happen? What is award-winning expert travel, anyway? Therese Iknoian and Michael Hodgson are epic travel bloggers as well as award-winning entrepreneurial journalists. (Therese was even part of a Pulitzer-winning reportage team.) These two have segued from traditional news professions into profitable nex-gen careers spanning the globe and discoursing on all things travel…
With summer travel exploding nationwide, how about a conversation with some expert, career travelers? Therese Iknoian and Michael Hodgson run the epic travel blog HI Travel Tales. But these two are not your run-of-the-mill travel bloggers. They’re both award-winning journalists, and they’ve parlayed their news professions into a profitable next-act career as globetrotting authorities on all things travel. They offer some unique insights into working and traveling together, and it even involves stuffed animals…
Once you’ve made it, it all get easier, right? Mmm…nope. This is the episode that’s equally for the aspiring CoupleCo that thinks success is a panacea, and for the veteran CoupleCo who believe that once they’re crushing it, they’ll be coasting on the gravy train (to mix a metaphor). The truth is, success is good. It just doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to kick back and print money. But it does mean that you’re likely to enjoy life more…
“Whatever I can do, she can do better... She is equally responsible with me for everything that goes on here.” And with that, we begin gushing about another collaborator CoupleCo, this one responsible for so much of the design that we are used to in our lives today. Charles and Ray Eames were iconic designers, responsible for the Eames chair (among many, many other things). He was always banging the drum for her part in the Eames equation. But really, their collaboration is something that is an object lesson for anyone in business. Everyone in their organization and even their clients were part of the collaboration equation. The result is genius, and enormously useful…
Crushing it by modeling other successful businesses is a time-honored tradition. Having vision. Taking chances. Being bold. Sticking to your guns. Knowing each other’s strengths. Presenting a united front. All great qualities, and all part of the package created by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, founders of Desilu Productions. A groundbreaking juggernaut of television and film production success in their time, Desilu shows the power of committing to simple ideas and crushing it as a CoupleCo.
This is the credit where credit is due episode. Do you need to take credit for everything? Do you dismiss the contributions of others? Do the ideas of the other players get short shrift because they aren’t yours? Why are we even asking these questions? If the answer to all of the above is yes, you probably don’t have enough self-awareness to listen to this show, and that’s too bad. You need it, especially if you’re in a CoupleCo because your marriage is probably in trouble…
In a time when so-called word-of-mouth advertising is more powerful than ever, one must consider always entertaining the enthusiastic fan. Dismissing the fan can be dismissing a vast number of sales. And when you’re a CoupleCo working together, you have the opportunity to help steer the other who might be behaving badly. But you also have to be careful that you don’t go down a rabbit hole together…
Get out! Get immersed! Get into green! This is the working-vacation edition of CoupleCo Uncorked in which we discuss semi-wild places, birdlife galore, and why it’s important to change your mind by changing your place—even if right near home and only for a little while. And as a bonus: the crazy wild birdsong that is part of the daily routine here along the Mississippi Gulf Coast…
So, so many questions that defy sensible answers. Like, what can a CoupleCo learn from a) New Orleans, b) one of the legends of Madison Avenue, and c) working your hobbies instead of your business? That doesn’t actually sound like a recipe for success, does it? Well, it might surprise you. And frankly, this is an episode full of surprises and very little keen insight. Or so it seems. You’ll probably hate it. Or will you? Well, here’s something you can do: sit back, crack a beer, and revel in the first ever CoupleCo Uncorked Saturday Afternoon Beercast…
What have we learned after last week’s stress-fest? It pays to be in business with someone to whom you can vent and then strategize. Also, Honey invents a category of noises, we talk about hand puppets, and the added CoupleCo bonus of having your own food taster. In other words, about 10 minutes of insight and nonsense.
This is just one of those things. You do everything in a business deal in good faith, and someone tries to work an angle when they don’t have to. And it’s going to cost money. But isn’t handling all this together just part of being a coupleco? In fact, being a coupleco is about being gung ho. We have a story about couple so gung ho, not even an emergency C-section would stand in the way of their interview. (Of course, we decided another time would be better.) But in the end, it’s all about one important question…
We’re back with Sena and Rich Wheeler, the couple who’s crushing it in the seafood business by not only catching the famed Copper River Salmon, but by selling it direct to consumers like you and me. In this episode, they talk about the demands of this job they choose to do, there’s the challenges of being apart during COVID, and the story about giving an iPad the old heave ho and splash! And by the way, all their young kids are in the business and workin’ it…
Here’s a couple who turned the business model of their profession upside down to have more leverage, a better life, and bigger money. Sena and Rich Wheeler were just a run-of-the-mill professional fishing family until Sena had a brainstorm. They came up with a business model on a car ride, a smart lawyer said she should be the CEO, and the rest is history. Sena Sea Seafood sells fish direct to consumer—and the prize in their lineup is the famed Copper River Salmon that Rich fishes in Alaska. (We had some. It was incredible.) These two are crushing it despite COVID, which presented some serious challenges. And oh, by the way, they have some challenges in this relationship that are a little unusual…
Insanity abounds: customers losing their minds; how handling that is the measure of your business; how garnishing a martini with a cherry pepper becomes a cherry bomb; the hazards of hiring a coder in Romania; a surprise drop-in guest; and the interiors of recreational vehicles if you want to live the the life in Nomadland. These are the uncharted waters of this edition of Uncorked, which all begins with being fed up. And not necessarily for fun and profit. But hey, it’s all what you make it…
This starts with sourdough and a casual fuming about fatigue, and unravels into a surprising debate about why fear begets failure. And it all happens because of one simple sentence about one of the easiest things on the planet: making a sourdough starter. Someone says, “Scared, but inspired.” We talk about being creative, being afraid of not measuring up, winning huge awards, struggling through the night with billboard ideas, and how a great idea is often the result of pushing the execution the extra 10%. And surprise: no alcohol!
Simple fact: Most businesses fail. And if you pursue your startup the way we pursued our first business, it’s no surprise. So today’s message or mirth is minimalist and pithy: Don’t suffer the blind ignorance of uninformed arrogance. Learn what you think you know. Do the due diligence. And understand what the market expects. Are you suffering from the blindness of “How hard could it be?” Are you mistaking your friends for a focus group? Do you believe the research predicts success? You need this. Bonuses include drinking a 21-year old beer and (yes) arguing!
We are overwhelmed. How about you? In this episode, we share three practical tips for overcoming overwhelm. They all involve varying degrees of The F-Word: Focus! Yes, that might sound simple. And it is—if you understand what it really means and how to do it. We also talk about working as screenwriters, creative visualization in both Olympic sports and office tasks, and the boneheadedly simple solution to accomplishing one big-ass task. And we barely fight!
Is there a silver bullet for your business and/or your relationship? As Valentine’s Day passes by yet again, we face the challenges of how to make it all work. Here’s a hint: there’s no such thing as a tool that does the work for you. But people keep seeking them out. But, whether we’re talking about couples or commerce, the only way to make it work is to do the work. Buying tools is great, but tools don’t do the work for you. So, where do pizza and extramarital affairs fit in all this?
You have a reset button on your relationship, and you may not even know it. This is the episode where we bare all in sharing three simple tips to making bad times better. In an effort to avoid the impression that this show should be called the Argument Hour, we get down to the easy-out of interpersonal weirdness with regrouping, relating and resetting. In the process, we tell stories about mayhem with furniture assembly and not dying while at sea on small boats. Come for the tips, stay for the fun!
It all begins a grand advertising lie that “Nobody reads long copy,” and snowballs into getting all geeky on legendary marketing, and approaching copywriting and Tootsie Pops with a Zen koan. (Really? How did this happen? Insanity!) Bonus material includes: Volkswagen “Lemon,” a Rolls Royce at 80 miles an hour, and the “No blather!” directive. Come for the answer to the question: “How long should my ad copy be,” and stay for the ridiculousness. Alcohol was involved.
Do not shave the cat. It is a metaphor. No, it’s not dirty. It’s a mistake we’ve made ourselves, and it costs a lot of money. We’ve wasted the money, and it’s possible you have as well. It’s a metaphor about hiring someone who’s a specialist to do the specialized tasks you’re not good at. But…what does this have to do with shaving a cat? Honey and Blaine have a story that involves shaving a cat. There was no blood as far as you know. Join us for another tale from living the dream, and stick around for some valuable free stuff…
Yes, we are going to be insulting your marketing. Sorry in advance. This is an episode based on one of the worst marketing copy transgressions of our time: “Passion.” It’s a word that doesn’t belong anywhere near your copy. And this is something about which we are impassioned. (See what we did there?) We talk about how the word passion is used, and what is much, much stronger than that. Yes, it takes a little original thinking. But in the end, it’s totally worth it. Plus, MORE VALUABLE FREE STUFF!
Is insurrection making it hard to accomplish anything in your business? We get it. It’s difficult to run a business and make things happen when it seems like the capitol is burning. But times of high weirdness and constitutional crisis are understandably distracting. In this episode of CoupleCo Uncorked, we pretend to drink a fine wine from Napa while we offer Three Big Tips For Mentally Surviving The Latest Crisis—and two bonus tips we never considered. Oh, and we laugh.
Is it the skiing or the day drinking? People say they want to be us—which is a really bad idea. They see outward manifestations of some ideal, and want to jump right on our bandwagon. We’ve also heard other couplepreneurs say the same thing: people want to be them. Whether it’s having a business with a spouse, living in an RV, doing a podcast, living at a ski resort, day drinking, doing creative work together, no matter what it is: it’s not just about the fun stuff. See a photo of us skiing at 10am? You don’t see us working at 10pm. Instead of aspiring to someone else’s apparent lifestyle, aspire to your own. And here are Three Simple Things that go into being able to do what we do, which is this: living it on our own terms and the money be damned.
Yet again, we have been fighting with each other, so we’re uncorking a bottle of wine, and giving stuff away. This Uncorked edition offers valuable tips based on real-life examples. And there’s a FREE gift to kick up your marketing (and it’s worth 200 bucks--FREE). Yes, we’ve just been giving away the farm and it seems to keep happening. We discuss a common mistake small businesses make with their brand, what to do about it, and how to think about it in 2021. We talk about successful small brands you’ve never heard of, why their brands help them crush it, and the one simple ingredient that you can use, too.
This Christmas, CoupleCo has two gifts for you—one is an insanely simple piece of advice, and the other is worth 200 bucks. And yes, it’s a gift. Free. No strings, just a bow. This is CoupleCo Uncorked #3, the Christmas Eve Edition. We uncork a bottle of modest Italian wine, talk about the overcommitment problem some entrepreneurs face, use examples from clients of our own, and offer up what has been a very popular DIY course amongst our entrepreneur friends and clients. (Hint: it’s exactly what we do for our big-money clients in an easy-to-digest do-it-yourself package. And did we mention it’s free?) And yes, a few laughs and a ridiculous new business model.
Gambling for Hanukkah gelt, the neuroscience of decision making, copywriting and voiceover by Hal Riney—what do we NOT discuss in this new holiday edition of CoupleCo Uncorked? We have a few laughs, drink a little wine, and give away another valuable prize for the first couple of listeners to respond. And while we do this, we also manage to talk about advertising, branding, and other things vaguely related to working together. Come and laugh and drink along!
This episode is the product of conflict! One of us got annoyed, so we threw out the business topic we had planned on discussing. Instead, we are popping a cork, and talking about couples during COVID lockdown, Italian wine, Dolce & Gabbana, our “blockbuster” books, our secret relationships with celebrities, and hey--a free offer worth almost 200 bucks!
We are back with the rule breakers of Asbury Park, NJ. Or are they rule makers? One thing’s for sure: they would not trade the couplepreneur lifestyle for any other. Denis Randal and Jerry Miller’s pandemic-perfect business model is a mobile optician service. They bring their eyeglasses showroom to you in the Asbury Park area. The business was born of Jerry’s dissatisfaction with his corporate gig, where his employer was treating the patient as a number and limiting the amount of time Jerry had to do his job well. He thought the patient deserved better, and proposed a new business model to Denis over dinner. They’re both thrilled not to be in the 9-to-5 grind and working on their own terms…
This week, a couple who are breaking all kinds of rules. Or making their own, depending on how you look at it. Denis Randal and Jerry Miller have a pandemic-perfect business model. They’re running a mobile optician service. They bring their showroom and optical service to wherever you are—as long as you are in the vicinity of Asbury Park, New Jersey. Yes, greetings from Asbury Park. It’s a business model that’s perfect for the pandemic lifestyle. It’s also a business model that was born of Jerry’s dissatisfaction with his corporate gig, as you hear at the top of the show. His employer was treating the patient as a number, and he thought the patient deserved better. What better reason to start your own business than dissatisfaction with the status quo?
What happens when a CoupleCo splits up for separate projects? Or vanity projects? Is it possible that it’s still a couplepreneur venture, even though only one of them is getting all the glory? It works that way with us. Honey and Blaine abandon the regular CoupleCo format for a whole new chat about crushing it with Honey's new novel, Careful-ish. This is about buying the big lottery ticket, doing what seems like a vanity thing when it’s still a covert joint venture, and being supportive. Or…too supportive? What happens when one partner pushes the other out of the comfort zone in pursuit of fame and fortune through art? Well, fame and fortune can be a slow build…
We’re back with part 2 of Annmarie and Kevin Gianni of Annmarie Skincare. We are revisiting their 2018 interview because these two are brave and brazen entrepreneurs. They do things on their own terms with a 21st century skincare company that pivots and profits. And long before CoupleCo was on the road recording interviews, they were doing it in a different business venture. They also learned some life lessons of couplepreneurism that are unique to living and working out of a motorhome. They’re fun, funny, and you’ll love them as much as we do…
These two have done it all on their own terms, they’ve evolved, adapted, survived and adapted some more. They’re smart, unafraid to pivot, and they’re committed to their cause. This is Annmarie and Kevin Gianni of Annmarie Skincare. We are revisiting their 2018 interview, which is one of our favorites ever. And not in the least because she’s not afraid to back up a big RV. These two went on the road with an RV long before we did it, and they conducted interviews all over the country. Hear about their choices, their pivots, and their organic health & beauty empire…
We’re back with Chuck and Coleen, the professional couple who are helping start a business that’s kind of a dream gig—and one in which they have no experience. It’s a high-end, nose-to-tail butcher shop with a limited menu and delivery. Didn’t anyone tell them that starting a food service operation during COVID-19 comes with a high degree of angst? Why have they found the pandemic so good for them? And despite the fact they’re experiencing setbacks in a business that has yet to launch, they remain optimistic and philosophical. That’s probably because, as a serial entrepreneur, he has some of the best business advice ever…
We’re talking to Chuck, a veteran real estate developer, and Colleen, who comes from PR and corporate sales. We’ve been talking to their partners in launching a high-end butcher shop with a limited menu and delivery. Of the three couples involved, only one has food experience. This is daunting, especially when COVID is in the mix. They’re counting on the culinary leadership of Paige and John Courtney (episodes 135 & 136). But none of these people are afraid of hard work—nor setbacks, and they’ve had a few. Their opening has been pushed back to December, so they’re missing some high season in a big-money tourist town. But everyone is pretty philosophical about this. How do you start a business in which you have no experience and not just lose it?
Welcome to the CoupleCo resentment episode. This is the one where we pretend to argue! But seriously, folks: How can you work with your significant other if you harbor resentments? We have no idea. We may not be a model couple, but we seem to have it nailed when it comes to cooperating with each, celebrating one another, and doing what it takes to make it all work for each other.
Suzanne has been quoted in the news stating a belief in miracles—and she has good reason. We’re back with one of our favorite Napa winery couples. Last week, we revisited a 2019 interview with Shane Pavitt and Suzanne Phifer-Pavitt of Phifer Pavitt Winery. Since the Napa fires, their family is fine, their winery is safe, but their home is damaged. They’ve also lost a vineyard of cabernet sauvignon--but two weeks before, it had given them the first harvest. Wine Spectator magazine reports that first harvest was 10 years in the making. They got the grapes, and we hope they get to make a wine that has a story. These two are an inspirational pairing...
We are revisiting these two winemakers because they’re an inspirational pairing. Shane Pavitt and Suzanne Phifer-Pavitt moved to Calistoga with some serious business chops and a fondness for libations. Their Phifer Pavitt Winery makes the nationally famous and hard to get Date Night wines. As CFO, Shane had to come to grips with the idea of pouring capital into a business with no product to sell for years. He was also influential in one of the brand’s most important marketing decisions--proving you never know where the brand thinking is going to come from. Unfortunately, as we are presenting this, fire is ravaging Napa Valley. At last word, Shane and Suzanne’s home had sustained significant fire damage, they’d lost their Estate Vineyard, but their winery was still intact. Our hearts are with Shane and Suzanne during this, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for them.
Want to start your own business together? These two left New York and Los Angeles behind, moved to the country, built a miniature empire, picked up national business, raised a family, and have avoided many of the stumbling blocks faced by a married couple in business together. Here in part two of our first CoupleCo convo, hard-charging A-types Robin and Jim Whitney of Whitney Advertising tell their story—including what it’s like running an all-consuming business while raising two kids...
They’ve built a little local empire of their own. They’ve picked up national business from a virtual cow town. In the middle of it all, they’ve raised a family. And in the process, they have vaulted over many of the hurdles faced by a married couple in business together. Would you consider moving your family and going into business with your spouse? It’s happening all over, so it seemed like a good time to revisit an important conversation. This the first-ever CoupleCo interview newly improved, and it is one of the most significant. Hard-charging A-types Robin & Jim Whitney of Whitney Advertising left the big city for rural living—and have lived to tel the story...
When should you push your partner out of the comfort zone? How do you tell the difference between basic nerves and real dread? Want to learn how to deal with fear and get past it? And where does improv comedy fit in all this? Especially today, in times like these, the conversation about fear is an important one. Dr. Rachna Jain is a listener favorite. We are revisiting dealing with fear and finding the courage for CoupleCos. For the married couple in business, fear can run amok. It can even prevent you from starting a business together. It can prevent you from taking necessary risks. But fear is also informative. Where are you flexible and what your deal-breakers?
What happens to your business if life gets in the way? Who owns the business? Who runs the business? Could you suddenly find yourself in business with an in-law you don’t like? What if you wanted to just take off six months to recover from the grief of losing a partner? There are all kinds of issues that CoupleCos might not think about because they’re deep in the day-to-day of running the business. But sometimes life smacks you in the face. And life-planning with legal insights is smart. Shreya and Colin Ley, the Lawyer Humans at Lay Roots in Seattle, talk to us about putting these things down on paper and getting them off your mind.
Chop Shop is a high-end butcher shop with table service. It’s also a passion project for the three couples doing it together. We’re talking to each couple separately about the journey. Dan and Courtnay have an unusual story. They knew they’d be getting married by the end of the first date. And Dan was part of a small military unit. He was often leaving home for months at a time, which created stress. But these two don’t mess around. They get down to business and call ‘em like they see ‘em. So, what’s it like plunging headlong into a new business during COVID 19? It could be a dangerous dream filled with fire and knives—but probably no live fire with automatic weapons. Life or death experience leads to perspective. It also makes complaints about the meal pale by comparison.
We are revisiting the danger of working around fire and knives—this time with people who have never before done it. But she trains enormous and potentially dangerous animals, and he is good with firearms. Daniel Ibach and Courtnay Scott Gray are part of the team of couples opening gourmet butcher business Chop Shop Park City. They’re working with Paige and John Courtney. John’s a Chopped Champion, and she’s been a front-of-house manager and sommelier for some amazing restaurants. Dan and Courtnay have no food service experience, and are launching a gourmet food business in a big-money resort town during COVID. Maybe we mark this down as crazy? Dunno. You’re going to find these two no-nonsense, quick-as-lightning decision makers…
You’d think it might be a battle of wills. Who sees this coming? But a Julliard-trained ballerina and pageant queen marries an MBA with entrepreneurial tendencies, and they start a family farm. This is the story of Hannah and Daniel Neeleman, who moved from New York to rural Utah. They now raise Angus cattle and Berkshire pigs, and send their pastured products to meat lovers nationwide. We start this episode where we left off last time, about to find out how having agricultural entrepreneur parents affects their five young kids (soon to be six).
She’s a Julliard-trained ballerina who has worn the crown of Miss New York City. He’s a history major with an MBA and an entrepreneur bent. Hannah and Daniel Neeleman are former inhabitants of New York and Connecticut, respectively. Now they live in rural Utah, where they raise Angus cattle and Berkshire pigs. If you like meat, this is a big deal. If you’re vegan, we’re sorry. At least you get to know that these are pastured animals who lead a lovely life until the day of reckoning. And they taste amazing. This is the episode with happy pigs and cows, the MBA and the Ballerina, and some seriously tasty meat. (It’s safe to say that after you hear this, you may want to sign up for their home meat delivery club.)
If you're a couple in business together, chances are good you haven’t done any of these things. They’re simple, useful, can cover your butt and save your bacon. What happens to the business if something happens to one of you? With luck, very little—if you have laid some simple groundwork. But, without paying attention to these simple tips, you could lose everything…
This is the conversation for anyone who’s ever fantasized about crushing it by opening a food business—and considered going into business with a spouse in a high-stress, all-consuming career. We’re back with Chop Shop “power couple” Paige and John Courtney. With careers spent in big restaurants, they’re now in the resort town of Park City, Utah, preparing to open a nose-to-tail butcher shop. Besides dry-aged beef and the meat of lovingly raised animals, they’re planning to sell and deliver prepared foods and serve a limited menu. They’re also launching during a pandemic, and they’re in business with two other couples who’ve never been in food service. Not awe inspiring enough? John is also a Chopped Champion. His career working with fire and knives has been crowned with the $10,000 grand prize of Food Network throwdown shows. Paige jokes that her fame is in being John Courtney’s wife. But she has had her own stellar career as a front-of-house manager and a sommelier for some amazing restaurants.
Ever fantasize about having a restaurant? Or starting a business in which you have no experience? Or wonder, “Are we just crazy?” Here's your show. Like food and cooking? Even better. Chop Shop Park City is not yet open. Bonus: launching during a pandemic. The Las Vegas Review Journal called Paige and John Courtney a “power couple.” With careers in big restaurants, they're now dancing with danger. John is a Chopped Champion. Paige has worked for famous names of the Las Vegas strip, and been a front-of-house manager and sommelier for some amazing restaurants. Now, they’re launching a gourmet food biz in a big-money resort town with partners inexperienced in restaurants. Fun ensues...
With US Independence Day just past, we thought we’d talk about the idea of independence as a couple in business together. We talk about how independence is often born of conflict, and how it lead to our own business. One couple we know chose independence from an oppressive industry business models for both themselves and their employees. Another couple chose independence for working mothers by hiring them whenever possible. A couple with a manufacturing business who decided to remain independent of outside financing—and are now crushing it. And a couple whose business is about gaining financial independence, both for themselves and their customers.
This week, we are back in Kamas, everyone’s favorite Utah cow town, to resume our conversation with Tera and Byron Ames of the law firm Ames & Ames. These two are one of the most dynamic couples we’ve spoken to in over 100 episodes. They are delightful, candid, fun, funny and revealing. In this episode, we get some of the most important advice ever for a couple considering being in business together. And we get some of the best and most revealing anecdotes about being a couple on this roller coaster journey of co-entrepreneurism. We get more laughs, a few tears, and even a little profanity…
This episode, we are in Kamas, Utah. Population 2,234. The cattle in Kamas may outnumber people. It's also a surprising and delightful rural hotspot. We are sitting down with Tera and Byron Ames, who unpack all kinds of great intel about being in business together. From learning how to understand each other’s moods and not take them personally, to dealing with the pay cut that comes from suddenly leaving a fat job and being in business for yourself, this was a great time with lots of laughs and pathos. But where does the Grateful Dead t-shirt collection come into this equation? And how does it affect three young kids to see their parents argue professionally over the dinner table? This is a conversation with lots of love, insight and business acumen.
If you’re in business with your significant other, does your business need a prenup? That’s not the legal name for it, but it is a legal document that could save your business should something happen to one of you. And the time to start planning for it is when things are good. If you wait until things go bad, it could be too late. Join us as we speak with the LawyerHumans at the law firm Lay Roots, CoupleCo partners Shreya and Colin Ley. They can help save your bacon…
How well do you and your spouse argue? (Hint: It’s not about winning.) This is an important conversation with clinical psychologist Dr. Rachna Jain about how to have a productive argument. We are revisiting this interview because Dr. Jain offers tips for making things better. And in a time of high stress like COVID-19, especially if you’re locked in the house with your significant other, this is a good one to listen to. You’ll get more than you ever imagined. And your arguments will be better than ever.
Lots of couples are starting businesses these days. If you are one of these couples, three mistakes are common. We know, because we’ve made them. Prof. Dan Horne, Associate Dean of Corporate Initiatives at Providence College sets us straight with good advice and a lifetime of insight. He grew up in a family that ran a business. He’s also a gifted researcher, analyst, and adviser. He lived the family entrepreneur dynamic firsthand—and has continued studying real-world CoupleCos during his career. He also has some highly salient advice for any CoupleCo anywhere. Professor Horne shares with us three important tips for any couple co that wants to avoid big trouble and possible ruin.
Is this the shortest and most potent episode of CoupleCo yet? We revisit an interview with Pennie & Roy Williams of Williams Marketing and Wizard Academy. Honey asks a question that leads Roy to wax poetic: calling on the landmark work of Spanish literature, "Don Quixote," Roy talks about the idealism and absurdity of commitment. Then, we talk about what it means to be a couple in business together--especially during the pandemic weirdness of COVID. Great things are going to happen...
So many couples are considering this right now. And this discussion also offers tools for any couple facing normal challenges of business together. So, why launch a business together, and why now? More freedom? More flexibility? Or is it like our own situation, where one gets laid off and the other says, “Let’s do it!” What are bad reasons to do it? And with workplace arguments, who ya gonna complain to? What are the red flags? Should you be in counseling? (No pancake counseling. Real counseling. And what IS pancake counseling, anyway?) And, three useful exercises for any couple in business together.
Back with our favorite expats living the dream, Anne Pound and Paul Speed of Mango Vacation Rentals in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua. Last week, we talked about everything from the realities of living the dream of a high-value, low-overhead lifestyle to adapting to the rhythm of life in a place where nobody is ever on your timetable. We continue by covering the craziest thing that has happened to them on the job in Nicaragua (Anne did wonder whether she was going to survive it), and an unusual CoupleCo survival tactic, which involves having a safe word.
Living the tropical dream: Anne Pound and Paul Speed left North America. They moved to a famous expat surfer beach destination of San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua and started a property management company, Mango Vacation Rentals. From the realities of living the low-overhead lifestyle, to adapting to a rhythm of life where nobody is on your timetable, how does this Canadian couple make it work? And what about when your dream job wakes you up at 3am? We answer burning questions, like which socio-economic vacation rental demographic misbehaves the most? You might be surprised. And yes, there are stories about toilet paper before hoarding began. Hear how these city slickers from north of the border cut their daily labor in half and enjoy their lives more.
Colin Ley and Shreya Ley of the law firm LayRoots are a dynamic, energetic pair had a lot to say about branding and marketing. Revealing themselves to their prospect has been an important part of that. In this episode, we hear about a new rule—called The Headphone Rule. They also have an interesting way of coming to terms with the problem of always talking about work: they choose hobbies where talking about work could cause a great deal of physical pain. Colin and Shreya are now living the life they want, and are designing their business around that. And what about having an exit strategy—or a no exit strategy?
Colin Ley and Shreya Ley operate the Seattle law firm Lay Roots LLC. This pair are young, dynamic, energetic, and are doing it for a lot of the same reasons other CoupleCos are doing it: they want to do what they do on their own terms. They both got their law degrees at Tulane in New Orleans, then left for Seattle, for which their livers probably thank them. Talking with LayRoots was fun. And that’s not just because they’re lawyers who are smart and funny. We spent a lot of time talking about marketing and making those decisions as a couple in business together. And Shreya and Colin have done a fine job of branding themselves as a law firm that’s approachable for humans.
Psychologist and entrepreneur Dr. Rachna Jain is back with insights into how these crazy times can be good for business and good for you. Ironically, social distancing is leading to all kinds of new ways to meet new prospects. And, there are more opportunities to put new skills into your tool box.
Is profiting in tough times pure luck? If you listen to Trish McMillen, it’s more like pure love. She’s back, sharing tips that she and her husband Jared used during the last recession, increasing their business by 40% per year for seven years. Together, they are fine-art photographers with a retail gallery. Additionally, Trish is a real estate agent. This bite-size interview covers a lot of territory. In 12 minutes, we cover the power of motion, inviting normalcy, maintaining routines, ignoring the chaos, tapping the Dalai Lama, influencing what we are capable of influencing, being open to opportunities, making the human connection, and the power of making everyone your customer.
This episode is a memorial tribute to Honey's mother, Ina Cohn. Back in episode 38, we interviewed her parents, Ina and Jerry, who spent 35 years in business together and lived to tell about it. These two may be the sitcom Jewish parents you never had—because they’re the sitcom Jewish parents who taught Honey everything she knows about a couple in business together. They had an extraordinary relationship through 35 years in business and 60 years of marriage. You’ll hear tips about being in business alone vs. with a spouse, about finances, about the right way to treat your vendors, and what happens when technology starts to change your livelihood. You’re going to hear anecdotes and, perhaps most importantly, love and laughs. RIP, Ina.
Today, we are back with Dr. Jain, talking about getting creative and flexing your money muscle. In some cases, this is about your side hustle. In other cases, this is about adapting your existing business for the moment. And, it could be as simple as being proactive, and talking to existing or dormant clients.
Do you know how to profit in tough times? Trish and Jared McMillen are a creative power couple. We first interviewed these two way back in episodes 5 and 6. They are photographers, and own a fine art photography gallery that sells their high-end landscape photography. Additionally, Trish is a real estate agent with Keller Williams, which is a very entrepreneurial-minded operation. Today, we are talking with Trish, who shares some of the simple secrets she and Jared used during the last recession to increase their business by 40% per year for seven years.
Psychologist Dr. Rachna Jain is one of our most popular guests. Episode #26, where she explains to couples in business how to argue, remains one of our top 5. This time, she's joining us to talk about the surviving the mayhem through mindset and (who saw this coming) adapting your marketing to the moment.
We asked entrepreneur attorneys Tera and Byron Ames what tip they would have for a business in this crazy, COVID-19 cultural climate. Their answers were about being flexible and adaptable, and bringing a fearlessness to redefining what success actually means in this age of staying apart.
Dave Lakhani is a marketing powerhouse and internationally known persuasion expert. He and his partner, Sarah Skeem, run Growth Foundry, a digital marketing agency based in Boise, Idaho. We asked Dave, "If you could provide a marketing tip for a business looking to survive the mayhem, what would it be?" His answer was in-depth and interesting, and is predicated on a theme of opportunity through service.
There's a time-honored tradition of doubling down during bad economic times. It goes back as far as World War II. And a client of ours did it during the last recession--and crushed it. And if you don't have paid advertising, it's still proactive wisdom for social media. How can you be proactive in your business, serve your customer and community, and keep your business going during high weirdness...?
There is a simple question to ask about your business in a time of mayhem: Am I being reactive—or proactive? Being reactive feels lousy, and could even be the end of your business. Being proactive feels better, serves your customer better, and helps you have legs for the long haul. So, how do you be proactive, and serve your customer better during pandemic pandemonium? In this short conversation, we talk about a simple way to think your way to the better reality.
Back with YouTube sensations, Dirt Farmer Jay and Dirt Farmer Maggie. Their central theme of authentic living leads to plenty of revenue from videos with millions of views each. We hear about the power of mutual respect. There’s an odd twist on the question, “How does having entrepreneurial parents affect the kids?” It’s also likely that the craziest thing ever to happen in your business did not involve a taser. They share a pitfall to avoid that comes from their corporate days—and is both important and scalable. We discuss getting beyond defining success to seeking significance. And there’s important advice for anyone who thinks they want to go into business with a spouse.
When you lose not just a job, but your career, how do you reinvent yourself? A career counselor will probably never say: Become a YouTube star! But that’s exactly what Dirt Farmer Jay and Dirt Farmer Maggie did. Finding themselves collateral victims in a hostile takeover could’ve led to early retirement. Instead, it has led to their accountant saying things like, “Stop making so much money!” But, after spending much of their careers together, they found they were facing new challenges. Like, the problems of doing a creative job together. And when you’re working in a creative capacity with the significant other, who are you actually talking to? Spouse? Business partner? Authority? And then, there are the hazards of trying to do everything yourselves. Not to mention there are the hazards of having your very own star-struck YouTube fans. Join us as we draw back curtain and step inside the YouTube empire of Dirt Farmer Jay and Dirt Farmer Maggie in Tooele, Utah.
This is an unfortunate first for Coupleco. The Pod Mill is a dynamic, aggressively optimistic podcast production studio in Salt Lake City. We sat down with CoupleCo Spencer Wright and Jill Hyde Wright last year. They were lovely, generous and open with their story. They'd risen to challenges that include their adopted, special-needs son, and Jill’s life with a transplanted heart. We’re sorry to report that half a year later, the world has lost Jill. Her obituary indicates her passing "was due to complications following a difficult yet successful surgery." In Jill's honor, we’re presenting highlights from our conversation together--a discussion that underscores the power of the love that can go into a CoupleCo.
Back with Angie and Davor Rostuhar, the Croatians who used their year-long honeymoon to shoot a documentary about love around the world. In this episode, we’re going to look at the vital capacity for members of a CoupleCo to endure, forgive and forget. And when we asked about the craziest thing that’s ever happened to them in circling the globe, we got the challenges of an entire African nation. Davor and Angie have an interesting rule about fighting. There’s also an unusual discussion about empathy. And what are the benefits of surviving the intensity of working together? Or breaking up because of the job—and continuing to work together? And how can the best date night possibly involve arguing? This is one couple with a lot of miles and stories to share.
Angie and Davor’s honeymoon is a year-long global journey, shooting a cross-cultural documentary about love. He’s a National geographic-seasoned photographer who interviewed her for a job. He also didn’t hire her, because he saw more there than just an employee. Eventually, he proposed, and they conceived of this project in an unusual place. And this movie is anything but an ode to romance. No hearts and flowers. This is love, warts and all. Even forbidden love. This was a new professional experience—learning how to become equal partners in a business relationship. And how do you tell the story of love in everyplace from Los Angeles to the Amazon? And what if you’re in a country of one and a half billion people, and nobody wants to talk to you? And where does the Yakuza for Christ fit into all this, anyway?
Purposeful and intentional communication is especially important for a couple in business together. The stakes are so much higher than just business. We’re talking with Belinda Pruyne, previously a global Executive Vice President at Grey Advertising, one of the world’s biggest advertising agencies. Today, she runs her own consulting firm, Business Innovation Group. One of the things Belinda specializes in is working with small business owners to become BIG Picture Leaders. We’re going to be talking communication tips, and how to have those difficult conversations. And no, this is not about winning an argument. It’s about having a productive discussion. This simple strategy makes it so much easier.
We are continuing our conversation with Vicky and Jim Fitlow of Re-Bath Utah and Re-Bath Colorado. This franchise CoupleCo is crushing it in bathroom remodel. It’s a choice they made not because they came for the construction trades, but as a business decision for the lifestyle it would provide. Vicky is a lawyer, and Jim was a ski racing coach. They were expanding the business, doing big things, and the recession hit—sending their big things into a tailspin. But, they went with the belief that they had become too big to fail, and they were obliged to move forward. As a result, they’ve flourished, unlike others who pulled in the oars and shortened sail. In this episode, we’re going to be talking about success, including an unusual definition of the word. And as a business owner, what about leaving town and making yourself unreachable? Is that fabulous—or dangerous? And the biggest question of all: Will they win the Ginsu knife?
This is a tale of two very different people, in a very different place, grappling with some very different challenges and overcoming enormous odds. He was a ski racer and ski coach. She’s a lawyer. Vicky and Jim Fitlow do not come from construction. Having a construction franchise was a quality-of-life decision. And the operation has become huge. They own and operate Re-Bath Utah and Re-Bath Colorado. And yes, this our second CoupleCo convo with a Re-Bath franchisee—but this one is very different. We discuss how they weathered the economic downturn by being “too big to fail.” There are keen insights on what happens when you’re going big—and the economy decides it’s going big in the other direction. And yes, Ultimate Frisbee plays a part...
Back with Olympic-caliber boxer Maryguenn Vellinga, and her big-mountain skier husband, Luke Hinz, recorded in the boxing ring at their gym, Rise Boxing. In part one, we established that getting into the ring, skiing big-mountain chutes, and starting your own business all take courage. We also talked about how these couple entrepreneurs were influenced by their own entrepreneur parents. Luke’s dad grew a hauling business from one truck to over 100. Maryguenn’s mom started a watermelon farm in arid, rural Utah. So how does being the offspring of entrepreneurial parents who became entrepreneurial parents impact raising their own kids in the business? That and more, as we talk to two of the mellowest, most likable people you can imagine…even though they can come out swingin’.
We recorded this interview in a real, live boxing ring with Luke Hinz and his wife, Olympic boxing hopeful Maryguenn Vellinga, of RISE Boxing. She’s a high-caliber boxer, which sounds intense. He’s a big mountain skier. Whether it’s facing off against a boxer in the ring, or against a deadly mountain, these are courageous people. It also takes courage to open a boxing gym in a town most noted for skiing, mountain biking and fly fishing. They wanted a franchise, but felt it limited them. They’ve embraced a hybrid business model that offers both fitness and contact boxing. It’s a career path left turn with satisfying results. She was working to help the underprivileged, but finds she’s more able to help people through boxing. And as a competitive big-mountain skier, Luke became a huge champion for this project. Is it stressful working with an Olympic hopeful wife? Or, being an Olympic hopeful with kids? And, what’s it like having a husband into the high-adrenaline adventure of skiing big mountain chutes? Also, when there’s a distinctive and specific company culture, you have to make sure that all your employees buy in…
We are back with two people who are strong in will, in stature, and in relationship. Plus, they throw axes. We’re picking up where we left off with muscular marketer Rachel Richardson, and her engineer/American Ninja Warrior husband, Duncan. They own and operate Bodies In Motion, a unique gym and family recreation facility. They train American Ninja hopefuls, offer fitness classes and martial arts, a preschool and more. Their teamwork and sense of seizing the moment are sincere. Here in part 2, we ask some burning questions, like How do people NOT work with their spouse? And how scary is ax throwing, anyway? And, Do you and your own business partner know how to ‘parking lot’ stuff? What does that even mean? And how does Leonidas fit in this picture, anyway? For that matter, who is Leonidas? Not up on the Battle of Thermopylae? Get your Greek history on, and join us for insight and inspiration from one of the strongest couples we’ve ever had the pleasure to sit down with.
These two are in seriously great shape, and they throw axes: We have a real, live American Ninja Warrior and his partner in muscle tone. Duncan and Rachel Richardson own a cool, one-of-a-kind gym called Bodies In Motion. You’re going to hear a lot about fitness—and teamwork. A hopeful for the TV show, American Ninja Warrior, Duncan never got a callback on his audition video. But then came the open-heart surgery. He and Rachel took a “vacation” at the Cleveland Clinic—and used the surgery as a video opportunity. Guess who finally got a callback from American Ninja Warrior. In their daily lives, they run a gym that trains other Ninja hopefuls, has cool stuff engineered for maximum workout and thrills and, yes, there’s axe throwing. Their dueling degrees in marketing and civil engineering have been useful. You’ll also hear about an all-in sense of partnership, and the entrepreneurial power that comes with listening to your kids. And where does a plush horse costume fit in all this?
For episode 100, we’re digging into the archives for choice clips from the first six couples we interviewed:
Ryan and Crystal Waugh of Waugh Cellars and Waugh Family Wines. They’re the first interview that made us think, Wow, we need to be a better couple. And during the interview, we swear we watched these two fall in love all over again.
Robin & Jim Whitney of Whitney Advertising in Park City, Utah. They met in big New York advertising, and for over 20 years, they’ve been running their ad agency in Park City, and do most of the creative work themselves. They work directly with small business owners—a job that has unimaginable impact on the client.
Sam and Mary Giveen of Dr. Sam's Eye Care had dated as teenagers, reconnected at middle age, and she became Director of Operations at his clinic, growing the brand. Mary’s an extravert, Sam is an introvert, and she spends a lot of time making him nervous.
Trish and Jared McMillen of McMillen Galleries are landscape photographers who share a brain. They literally spend days together in the wild, preparing to shoot the same photograph. Their gallery is filled with huge, fine-art landscapes that take your breath away.
Nile Zacherle and Whitney Fisher run Mad Fritz, the Napa Valley nanobrewery, infusing it with a winemaker sensibility. This is not your dad’s fizzy yellow beer.
Linda and Charlie Graves of Athletic Republic. It’s a unique training gym franchise, with over 120 training centers on three continents. They are dynamic and driven and probably in much better shape than you are.
We are back in Grass Valley, California with travel writer/photographers Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian and their globe-spanning blog, HI Travel Tales. These award-winning journalists have transformed their print careers into digital success and are loving life. In this episode, we discuss the importance of acknowledging who’s the boss—and how that can be less challenging than you might imagine. A couple in business also requires a certain level of trust, and must be able to call BS on each other. A sense of humor is key. We discuss a quality that creative pros are good at, and which might be good in your own relationship. Remember to never treat your spouse merely as a colleague. Working together is a dance. And, does everyone really end up, at some point, being intolerable?
We’re in Grass Valley, California with travel writer/photographers Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian of HI Travel Tales. They’ve been to all 50 states, and 45 countries on all 7 continents. Both are award-winning journalists—there’s even a Pulitzer—and they transformed their careers from print to digital and are loving life. He was once a consultant, but gave it up because he couldn’t hold back—an apt metaphor for their lives together: they can’t do anything just halfway. The challenge of loving your work, being good at it and driven to do it, is that it becomes hard to not work. We also talk about bad places to take phone calls. And what’s it like being “old farts with ethics?” (They’re not that old, frankly.)
Chad and Katie Babcock of JumpTime indoor trampoline parks, TumbleTime tumbling, and SoccerTime indoor soccer, have operations around Idaho and Montana. They are both exceptional athletes with teaching degrees, and this empire began when Chad, a freestyle skier and self-described carny, started a TumbleBus business. For them, everything is about education. We’re going to hear them discuss the importance of developing thick skin, learning how to separate business from married life, and motivating each other in ways that we might not expect. Get ready for everything from big air—to small-child bodily fluids day at one of the businesses. They also tell a tale of a terrifying first-day on the job. There’s the school bus fire, and the power of just turning off your damn cell phone.
This guy calls himself a former carny, so maybe the question is: What kind of a carny becomes a successful sporting business entrepreneur with his wife, and half a dozen operations and 80 employees around Idaho and Montana? These two are objects in motion. Chad and Katie Babcock’s businesses are JumpTime, TumbleTime and SoccerTime—indoor trampoline, tumbling and soccer. They went from being teachers to educating in a much different way. They’re doing a job that’s fun, but also gives both kids and parents confidence. They’re respecting developmental levels, helping kids discover their talents, and helping parents understand them. Their favorite thing to do is teach. They also have an interesting perspective on management: Really, it’s also education. They like giving their employees a sense of ownership, and are also learning from their employees. And like Katie says, a day without learning something is a day wasted. And to think this little empire began with a business in a used school bus. That caught on fire.
We are back in Golden, Colorado, where Amy Dannwolf and Jordan Jones are crushing it in ski retail. Their brick-and-mortar and online retail store Powder7 is huge, both in size and stature—11,000 square feet of warehouse space, and a local retail sales floor, all run by a staff that has helped them earn kudos from Outside Magazine as a great place to work. We hear about how and why they have such great team members. And how does a business launched in Mom’s basement have an easier time being principled than some other businesses might? Powder7 also has something in common with Southwest Airlines. It regards the single most important person in the business equation and—surprise—it’s not the customer. How have this pair, with no retail or ecommerce experience, done so well and developed a huge operation with a global fan base? Possibly because they had no reference standard for what’s possible. They just did it.
This is a retail story for the digital age, when local businesses are worried about competing with Amazon. Amy Dannwolf and Jordan Jones of Powder7 in Golden, Colorado started a business in his mom’s basement with some lightly used snow skis. Today, they have 11,000 square feet of warehouse, and a retail storefront that serves customers from around Denver—and even around the world. They made this business work probably because they didn’t know anything about running retail or building websites. They had no expectations or preconceptions. They’re both track stars who met at Boston University. Jordan’s a history major who became a Denver cop, and Amy is an economics major who joined him in the business. He taught himself how to code websites with books for Dummies, and the rest is history. Powder7 is a model for how a local business really can compete with online monsters. Instead of an online retail business with faceless, anonymous transactions, Powder 7 is a business with global reach, worldwide fans, and even personal relationships. Would you ever think about walking into Amazon? Plenty of online customers have walked into Powder7—which speaks to a company culture like you wouldn’t expect.
We are back in Los Angeles with the killer couple behind Surprise Hit Films. W. Bruce Cameron and Cathryn Michon are best known as co-screenwriters on the box-office busting movies from the film franchise that began with A Dog’s Purpose. They’ve been involved in studio pictures, independent film, TV, and bestselling novels. In this episode, we hear about how important is knowing who’s the boss—and handling staff complaints about the boss in a way that honors the partnership. This is especially important when the business is clearly not a democracy. There’s also a special warning for a couple considering collaboration—and why you might not want to do it. There’s an very, very VERY important question for any couple in business together: Ever wonder why your favorite scenes from your favorite movies are the scenes they are? (Who saw that coming?) And how Bruce and Cathryn support each other in business is instructive—and speaks to the power of a proper collaborative partnership. Hear some interesting and useful tips about the dynamics of working as a couple with staff—especially when it comes to having a conversation with contentious potential. You’ll hear a few references from Part 1, including “Amber on the slide.” She’s a capable and enthusiastic stunt dog. And there’s a reference to Ruddy McCann, who’s the hero of Bruce’s Repo Madness novels. We get more Hollywood moments from their real life together. They include romantic incredulity and projectile crying. And there’s maybe the best lightning round ever. (Will they win the Ginsu knife?)
Hit movies, TV series and bestselling novels: meet Hollywood creative power couple, Cathryn Michon and W. Bruce Cameron. They’re best known as screenwriters for the Dog’s Purpose film franchise. The first film, A Dog’s Purpose, starring Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid and Peggy Lipton, broke $200 million at the box office on a reported budget of $22 million. Cathryn is a writer/actor/director, known for her independent comedy films, Muffin Top and Cook Off, and the Grrrl Genius books. Bruce’s bestseller, 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter, became an ABC sitcom. At this writing, Bruce is touring to promote the third in the Dog’s Purpose novel series, A Dog’s Promise. All these separate projects. Isn’t this supposed to be about couples working together? Yes it is. And these two are dynamic business and creative partners. Everything that goes out the door, they've both worked on. She edits his books. He works on her movies. They’re funny, and share a potent creative and business dynamic. They also have a useful decision making structure that every CoupleCo should consider. And, that they’re both dog people is important. Without dogs, and without Bruce spontaneously telling Cathryn a story that eventually became a New York Times bestseller, we might not be here today. (And a lot of Hollywood dogs would be out of work.)