Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the Mixing Family and Business Podcast. The podcast and the next few weeks lined up are such that we're not gonna be able to. So we're gonna take a hiatus from the Make Me Family Business Podcast for a few weeks. Uh, look for us back in the fall, and if you're getting this episode after we've started republishing, just skip it. It's gonna be a short one.

In this episode of the Mixing Family and Business podcast, I, alongside Shirley, Tom, and Kim, take you behind the scenes—sharing REAL stories from our journey growing and sustaining family businesses.

Hear candid memories: how our families marked Labor Day (or didn’t!), with everything from small-town celebrations in McCausland, Iowa to quiet days spent prepping for back-to-school.

Then, buckle up as we dive into some of the toughest business challenges we’ve weathered: the ‘80s interest rate spikes, the 2008 financial crisis, and the wild ride of COVID-19. We reveal the mindset shifts, vendor negotiations, and tough decisions that kept us afloat and thriving—plus some clever, old-school tricks when cash flow got tight.

Learn how communication, adaptability, and creative problem-solving can help you steer your business through uncertainty—no matter how big the obstacles.

Tune in for real talk, some good laughs, and practical advice on bridging generations in your business and family.

Got a story to share or a question you'd like answered in a future episode? Email Brian at brian@mixingfamilyandbusiness.com.

In this episode of the Mixing Family and Business Podcast, I’m joining Kim, Shirley, and Tom as we head way back into childhood memories. We swap stories about our favorite birthday meals (spoiler: homemade noodles, chicken, and a legendary lemon cake), those classic small-town surprises, and the simple joys of old bikes and “sloppy” chocolate cupcakes at school.

I open up about what birthdays were like when you shared them with Christmas (and siblings!), and why sometimes, birthdays just meant new jeans or a flannel shirt—and that was enough.

But business lessons are never far away. We get real about the toughest customer service moments we’ve faced—like the time an ice cream cake ended up flying, or when a “brown swagger” mix-up at the meat counter left us both laughing and learning. I share the hard-won wisdom of listening, keeping your cool, and knowing when to have a memory like a goldfish (shoutout to Ted Lasso for that one!).

If you’ve ever found yourself dealing with difficult customers, juggling family dynamics in your business, or just wanted a reminder that even the pros make mistakes (and survive to tell the tale!), you’ll relate to every minute.

Tune in for real talk, some good laughs, and practical advice on bridging generations in your business and family.

Got a story to share or a question you'd like answered in a future episode? Email Brian at brian@mixingfamilyandbusiness.com.