Mixing Family and Business Podcast

Ever wondered if you truly have years of experience or if you’ve just lived the same year over and over again? In this episode of Mixing Family and Business, I dig into that question alongside Shirley, Tom, and Kim. We explore the real value of experience versus time, sharing stories from our own businesses about how lessons learned only come from actually doing the work. From catching huge mistakes because of past experience to le...

Ever wonder what it really takes to run multiple businesses while keeping your family life intact? In this episode, I’m joined by Kim, Tom, and Shirley as we get real about the pressures all business owners face, no matter their age or experience! We talk honestly about the stress points that have stayed the same over the decades, from “I have to do it all myself” to the challenge of understanding cash flow and navigating mountains...

In this episode we to break down what really matters when running multiple businesses, and it’s not your title. We share memorable stories from our early years: facing tough banks, balancing time with our kids, and learning the hard way why being a good listener is a superpower. The conversation gets real about why teaching technical tasks is so much easier than helping someone grow strong people skills, and what reliability truly ...

In this episode, I dive deep into the realities of running multiple businesses with my family. We share the lessons that caught us off guard, like discovering the importance of formal leadership after decades on the job, and the eye-opening impact of revamping our cash flow thanks to the "Profit First" approach. We talk about adapting to new roles, learning what real respect looks like across generations, and figuring out where the...

Ready to discover what really happens when you transition from running a family business to truly owning it? We dig into the moments no one talks about, the emotional shift, the struggles with cash flow, underestimating just how much your role (and your responsibilities) change, and what it’s like to realize you can’t go to the "old owners" for backup anymore. Whether you’re thinking about succession, preparing to buy a business, o...

Ready to discover what it really takes to run multiple businesses with your family? In this episode we share unfiltered stories about the true meaning of a "long day" in our family businesses, from sunrise starts and midnight finishes to juggling side hustles alongside our main operations. You'll hear how our routines evolved across generations and the key lessons we picked up along the way about prioritizing, letting go, and build...

Ready to take a look behind the curtain at what it really takes to mix family and business? In this episode we talk about unforgettable coworkers, the challenges and rewards of running multiple businesses, and how we prepared the next generation for leadership. We discuss the early days, lessons learned from mentors who shaped us, and why giving your family exposure to the business, without forcing them to follow in your footsteps,...

Ever wondered what it really takes to make big decisions in family business, sometimes with zero information at all? In this week’s episode, I sit down with Kim, Shirley, and Tom to unpack our most memorable leap-of-faith moments, from choosing the site of our highest-volume Dairy Queen practically on a whim, to starting careers and buying motorhomes with little more than gut feeling and determination. I’ll share how those snap dec...

Ever wondered what it really takes to run multiple businesses with your family? In this episode, I sit down with Kim, Shirley, and Tom to get raw and honest about the disagreements we’ve had, the times we realized someone else was right, and all those “almost” moments, the partnerships and businesses we nearly started (but didn’t). From scrutinizing P&Ls to dodging disaster (like that Dairy Queen with the flooded basement), we ...

On this episode of Mixing Family and Business, I’m joined by Tom, Kim, and Shirley as we bring you right back to those unforgettable moments from the distinct stench of rotten potatoes to the surprisingly powerful nostalgia of an old grocery store. We kick things off with laughs and memories, but quickly dive deep into how those experiences shaped our approach to business and family alike.

I open up about the real myths and challen...

In this episode, we dive deep into what it really takes to run multiple businesses in a changing world. From the first skills that sparked their confidence, to memorable stories around ice cream scoops and grocery store routines, you’ll get the inside scoop (pun intended!) on how this family built, grew, and adapted their systems for success.

You’ll hear us break down the cost of houses from the 60s to the 80s, and today,  compare ...

On this week’s episode of Mixing Family and Business Podcast we chat about the old-school business habits and tools we just can’t quit, stuff like paper notebooks, showing up on time, and honestly, cash registers still do the job! There’s something about jotting down a list with pen and paper that keeps my day on track, even with all the tech out there. You’ll hear some funny throwbacks and real talk on why some habits just work, n...

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes from the jobs I dreaded in the early days to the moments that made it all worthwhile. Whether it’s cleaning bathrooms, facing shelves, or wrestling with pop nozzles, we all have our “I can’t wait to hand this off!” stories.

But business isn’t just about hard work; it’s about building memories, too. I talk with Shirley, Kim, and Tom about the creative ways we found time for vacations...

Ever wonder what it was really like to run a business back in the ’50s and ’60s and what’s actually changed (and stayed the same) today? In this week’s episode of Mixing Family and Business, I’m taking you behind the curtain with my amazing guests Tom, Shirley, and Shirley as we compare everything from unloading trucks by hand to customers actually enjoying a good visit in the checkout line. From the days when you knew every custom...

In this episode I sit down with Shirley, Tom, and Kim to reminisce about the hands-on processes we used to do, from handwritten ledgers to managing schedules with pen and paper. Trust me, some of these will shock you!

I’m sharing our real-world lessons in hiring, firing, and promoting and why putting the right person in the right seat (not just the most experienced one) changed everything for us.

You’ll hear how making (and learnin...

Ready to crush the family business game?

Hear how Shirley, Tim, Tom, and Kim share the real stories behind running multiple businesses across generations, from hayfields and grocery stores to fast-changing tech and POS systems.

We dive into:

• Childhood lessons that shaped powerhouse work ethics 💪 • The wild evolution of learning, from handwritten ledgers to instant YouTube tutorials 📚 • How to survive (and thrive!) when change ...

What can YOU learn from your team? Join me, as I sit down with Joe Moy, Kim, and Shirley to explore the real-life wisdom that employees of all ages bring to the workplace. We’re sharing stories of energy boosts, from morning routines to heavy metal, sunshine to quality time and talking about those surprising “aha” moments when younger team members introduced us to game-changing ideas like using cell phones and YouTube to solve prob...

Ever wondered what truly happens behind the scenes when you mix family and business? In this episode, I sit down with Shirley and Tom to share the real-life moments that have shaped our journey across multiple businesses. From heartwarming stories about customer kindness, like someone snapping a pre-internet photo of a decorated cake so special it had to be displayed in the store, to the surprising ways people stepped up with trust...

In this episode of Mixing Family and Business, I sit down with Tom, Shirley, and Kim to dig into the real heart of what it takes to run multiple businesses as a family. We share the lessons we learned watching our parents work, whether it was growing up on the farm, keeping the grocery store afloat, or pitching in at Dairy Queen. Along the way, we talk about how those early days instilled a powerful work ethic and shaped our approa...