In this episode, Stephanie and I discuss a personal retreat I'm about to embark upon. We share stories of past solo getaways that have helped each of us reset and find clarity. As I prepare for my upcoming retreat, I feel drawn to seek fresh inspiration and creative energy. The mountains and my parents' lake house in Tennessee have always been a source of renewal for me, and I'm looking forward to spending an extended period in that environment.

As we dive into the logistics, I share my plans to focus heavily on content creation during this 3-week retreat, while also allowing myself time to relax and recharge. Fitness is also a key consideration, as I want to maintain my morning workout routine in some capacity. Drawing from her own retreat experiences, Stephanie is fully supportive of this getaway. Overall, I'm incredibly excited about the potential of this retreat and the insights and inspiration I know I'll uncover during my time away.

In this week’s episode of Building a Life and Business Together, Stephanie and I dive into an open and unfiltered conversation about what’s been happening in our lives, our reflections on identity, and the reality of evolving roles in marriage and family.

We discuss:

This episode is packed with heartfelt insights, humor, and thought-provoking reflections on life, identity, and the joy of creating a shared vision as a couple. We hope it inspires you to build your own life and business together!

In this episode, Stephanie and I invite you to listen in as we provide an example of one of our "Dream Together Sessions." For many years, we have maintained a tradition of setting personal goals annually and sharing them with each other. During these sessions, we make a point to highlight the desires we both share.

Sometimes, one person's goals seem to conflict with the other's desires. We thought you'd find it insightful to hear how we communicate when discussing these potentially opposing goals.

Overall, we hope this episode encourages you and your spouse to become intentional about finding clarity in your individual life desires. We want to inspire you to share these desires with one another and build commitment around the dreams you share together.

In this episode, Stephanie and I discuss the importance of shared vision and personal dreams in a relationship. We explore how our journey to help others rediscover their ability to dream big dreams began and evolved over time.

We share the "50 Things I Want" exercise—a powerful tool that can transform your life. We provide step-by-step instructions for completing this exercise, along with personal success stories and practical implementation tips.

I'm offering free access to the "Free the Dream" online course to anyone who emails me to request it. This course provides a structured approach to turning your dreams into reality. To get access, email [email protected] with "Free The Dream Course" in the subject line.

In this heartfelt conversation with my wife Stephanie, we explore the dynamics of building a business together while maintaining a strong marriage. Stephanie shares her evolving perspective on self-care throughout our entrepreneurial journey and offers valuable insights for maintaining emotional well-being.

We delve into our personal definition of success and Stephanie reflects on the achievements that make her most proud in our shared business journey. She also shares how we navigate setbacks and missed goals as a couple, emphasizing the importance of resilience and mutual support.

Join us for practical insights on balancing entrepreneurship and partnership.

In this episode, Stephanie and I share how two unexpected events this week—selling my Classic Beetle and Stephanie fracturing her arm—completely disrupted our routines. We dive into the importance of having routines in the first place, outlining some of our own, and explore how self-employment provides the flexibility to handle life’s surprises, like doctor visits and last-minute adjustments. We also reflect on the challenges and silver linings of navigating these disruptions together as a couple. Tune in to hear the lessons we’ve learned about resilience, teamwork, and adapting when life throws us off course.

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In this deeply personal episode, Cliff steps aside and allows his wife Stephanie to take center stage. For once, the tables are turned, and we get an intimate glimpse into Stephanie's perspective on their incredible entrepreneurial journey.

Through Stephanie's eyes, we discover the unwavering faith and determination that has propelled them forward, even in the face of uncertainty. She reveals how her sense of security comes not from the financial details, but from the unshakable belief that things will work out, no matter what.

Stephanie's candor is refreshing as she shares how their business and personal lives have become seamlessly intertwined over the past 20 years. There is no separation - their family is their business, and their business is their family. This integration has not come without its challenges, but Stephanie eloquently describes how they have learned to communicate, compromise, and even occasionally "agree to disagree" in a way that strengthens their partnership.

Most poignantly, Stephanie reminds us that the path forward is rarely clear, but that by staying open to new opportunities and solutions, the end result can exceed our wildest dreams. Her story is a testament to the power of faith, resilience, and the magic that can happen when you build a life and business together.

Listeners will walk away inspired to approach their own entrepreneurial journeys with Stephanie's same unwavering spirit - one focused not on the risks, but on the possibilities that lie ahead. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to create a fulfilling life and business in tandem with their life partner.

In this episode of Building a Life and Business Together, Stephanie and I explore the pivotal moments that have shaped our business and personal lives. We go deep into the moments that required us to make significant changes, each adding a new layer to our journey. Our conversation covers some of the challenges, decisions, and breakthroughs that propelled us forward, as well as moments that redirected us in unexpected ways.

One of the key themes in this episode is the power of adaptation and resilience. We discuss how embracing growth and challenging our beliefs allowed us to shift both in business and personal life. From my near-death hospital experience to embracing personal development literature that initially seemed at odds with my beliefs, each story illustrates the importance of open-mindedness and the willingness to expand one’s perspective.

We also reflect on our first major sponsorship and how it alleviated financial pressures during a challenging period, reminding us of the role that timing and trust play in building a sustainable business. Another significant milestone we discuss is our transition away from entertainment-focused content after the end of the show Lost, a decision that paved the way for us to focus on empowering entrepreneurial clients.

For listeners, this episode offers insights into navigating life’s unexpected turns, the importance of aligning your work with your core values, and the profound impact of relationships and community support. Whether you’re building a business, balancing family with work, or simply seeking inspiration for your own pivotal moments, this episode offers valuable lessons that demonstrate the power of faith, persistence, and flexibility in shaping a fulfilling life and career.

In this episode of Building A Life And Business Together, Stephanie and I dive deep into the crucial topic of effective communication in marriage and its impact on running a business together. We explore:

We share personal anecdotes and lessons learned, offering insights that can help you navigate the complexities of building a life and business together.

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If you're an early-stage entrepreneur or aspire to elevate your business and life, I'd like to personally invite you to take the next step towards building a thriving, sustainable business.

Many people falter not due to a lack of passion or effort, but because they overlook the crucial foundational steps in creating a solid business. I've developed a proven 11-Step Formula for Building an Online Business and packaged it into an online course that has already transformed the lives and businesses of numerous entrepreneurs.

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Yes, you read that right! You can access the same strategies that have helped other entrepreneurs transition from merely surviving to thriving in their online businesses.

To get free access to this transformative course, simply email me at [email protected] with the subject line "Free Building an Online Business Course".

In your email, briefly share how you discovered me, your entrepreneurial aspirations, and where you currently stand in your journey. Keep it concise—two or three paragraphs—and I'll provide you with free access to the course.

Don't pass up this chance to unlock the strategies and insights that will propel your business from survival to success. I'm eager to hear from you—and even more excited to learn about your transformation after you dive into the first module!

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In this episode, we begin by discussing how we're refining our message to address married couples where both partners are involved in building a business together, but not necessarily only those who are building the same business. We provide examples of couples we have in mind when creating new episodes.

Next up, we respond to several questions that asked for strategies for maintaining a healthy work-life balance when you and your spouse are business partners. However, as we discussed, we don't actually think in terms of work-life balance, but more along the lines of alignment between our business and personal lives.

Knowing that some would like specific strategies to test out, we asked AI to generate a list of ideas. Stephanie and I then went through the list, sharing our thoughts about implementing them in our own scenario.

Here is the complete list of suggestions that AI provided as strategies for entrepreneurial married couples to separate business from the bedroom. Test some of these out and see what works for you.

The key theme we want to convey is that Stephanie and I have gone the route of aligning our business and personal lives, rather than trying to strictly separate the two. As an entrepreneurial couple, our business is so deeply intertwined with who we are as individuals and as partners. Rather than viewing work and personal time as competing priorities, we strive to find harmony and integration between the two.

Our goal is not perfect "work-life balance," but rather a sense of alignment where our business pursuits flow naturally from our shared passions and values. By engaging in hobbies and activities together outside of work, we're able to maintain a strong personal connection that supports our professional collaboration.

There will always be seasons where the business demands more of our time and attention. But the overarching aim is to create a lifestyle where our work fuels our personal fulfillment, and vice versa. For us, it's about recognizing that you and your spouse are a team, building something greater than the sum of its parts. With that mindset of alignment, the boundaries between business and personal life become more fluid and supportive, rather than restrictive.