Co-founders

Before Grace and Tarl came together as business partners, they were a couple who desperately wanted to spend more time together. Today, they've certainly gotten their wish! Together, the Yarbers run "Fixated On Real Estate," a real estate community created for investors, by investors. 

Get ready for a top-notch episode; Grace and Tarl Yarber have insights galore about how to navigate the blurred lines between love and business.

This charming episode includes:

• What it took for Grace and Tarl to join forces in business, including Grace quitting her job
• The mind-blowing perspective shift that changed the structure of their working lives
• Everyone on their team is allowed to openly disagree, even with Grace and Tarl
• How they let each other know if they're in business partner mode, or husband-and-wife mode

Optimizer Tip: Use "time blocks" to condense your time spent working, and help with procrastination tendencies! Try out the Pomodoro technique (also referenced in Ep16 of Co-founders).

Connect with Tarl and Grace Yarber on Instagram @tarlyarber + @yarbergrace, and with Fixated On Real Estate on Instagram @fixatedre, Facebook @FixatedRE, or their websites at www.fixatedonrealestate.com and www.pnwrealestateexpo.com

If you want to learn more about real estate investing, watch Tarl's videos on the Bigger Pockets Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BiggerPockets/videos

You can find the video version of every Co-founders episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

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...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

Production Credits

It's almost Thanksgiving in the U.S., and we're entering the beloved—and sometimes dreaded—holiday season. As a business owner, how do you carve out time for holidays and vacations? And for some of us, how do we convince ourselves we should?

Explore:

• How to set up your systems in advance, as the business owner, to really take time 100% OFF for your holiday or vacation
• The different types of freedom you have as an employee vs. an owner
• The problem with wearing our "grind, hustle, 50-hour workDAY" as a badge of honor—especially if it's done all year round
• The addiction to checking email on vacation; Alex challenges Lisa to not check her email at all on their upcoming company getaway

Optimizer Tip: Structure your pre-vacation prep so that you can relax, knowing your work is covered, with a truly free mindspace when you're away.

You can find the video version of every episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

Listen and Review on Stitcher

Subscribe and Comment on Castbox

Subscribe on Google Play

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...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

Production Credits

Episode Resources:

Check out the Business.Com article, "Can Small Business Owners Take Vacation?"

Could you implement a 5-hour workday in your company? It's a radical idea that's recently made waves in the business world. But it doesn't just mean limiting your work hours to 5/day; it involves specific strategies to get even more bang for your buck in those hours. Alex and Lisa break down what this method can look like, and what to consider if you're curious about implementing it yourself.

Hear about:

• The German company that's serving as a case study for a 5-hour workday
• The interruptions that naturally happen throughout any given day at work need to be acknowledged; some benefit company culture, while others are just pure distraction
• What are the pros and cons of a 5-hour workday? 
• Would a 5-hour workday work for YOUR business or industry? What to consider

Optimizer Tip: Try implementing those same focus techniques you would use AS IF you're going for a 5-hour workday. This means locking up your phone so you don't waste time browsing social media, etc.

Episode References:

The Pomodoro Technique

Forbes article about the German company testing a five-hour workday

Original WSJ article about the same company (Lasse Rheingans)

James Clear's book, Atomic Habits

You can find the video version of every episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

Listen and Review on Stitcher

Subscribe and Comment on Castbox

Subscribe on Google Play

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Comment and Subscribe on YouTube

...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

Production Credits

Kirill Zubovsky is the founder of Smash Notes, host of the Rad Dad podcast, and a former co-founder with his wife. That's right: former. In this candid conversation, we hear about why Kirill and his wife went into business together… and why they got out.

In this mano-a-mano episode:

• Kirill and Alex talk about their experiences raising kids as actively engaged fathers 
• When Kirill and his wife were approaching VCs (venture capitalists) together, being a married couple actually turned away potential investors 
• Since Kirill and his wife are already focused on channeling their efforts into parenting, it felt like splitting their energy and focus in too many directions to focus on another project together 
• You can support your partner's business venture without being in business WITH them 

Optimizer Tip: The important thing is to respect your partner and realize that you're in this together. There's no point in hurting each other, or viewing your relationship as a competition. Truly winning is winning together.

Connect with Kirill on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @KirillZubovsky, or on his website at https://kirillzubovsky.com/

If you want a down-to-earth show for fathers, check out Rad Dad at https://www.raddadshow.com/ — or if sampling various podcasts is more your jam, check out the Smash Notes Podcast at https://plnk.to/smashnotes?to=page

If you love podcasts AND saving time, check out www.SmashNotes.com, where you can get the key insights from podcasts in 10 minutes!

You can find the video version of every episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

Listen and Review on Stitcher

Subscribe and Comment on Castbox

Subscribe on Google Play

Follow on Spotify

Comment and Subscribe on YouTube

...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

80% of businesses that spouses start together, end... in divorce. How have Troy and Karen successfully taken the leap more than 8 years ago, and stayed in love—and in business—with each other?

Today we meet the hilarious and insightful Troy and Karen Thiel, known as "The Thiel Team" in their work as real estate industry community leaders and advocates with Windermere Yarrow Bay.

This charming episode covers:

• The Thiels' commitment to making "missing middle" housing accessible to those who can't afford the outlandish housing costs in the Seattle, Washington area
• Are you a "platter" or a "buffet" in your work style?
• Recognizing the household roles you own can help ease guilt around not taking on as many, or the same type of, work responsibilities as your partner
• The importance of carving out just a little time to schedule your weekly goals and plan for execution
• It all starts with your identity, and aligning your habits to the identity you want to step into 
• How to decide who'll take the lead role in managing a client (your differences are your strengths)

Optimizer Tip: Set aside a time to schedule the work you're doing the following week, and the work you're delegating to others

Episode References: 

"KW" is Keller Williams

Connect with The Thiel Team on Facebook @ThielTeam, Instagram @troy.thiel, Linkedin (Troy Thiel) (Karen Thiel), or on their website at https://www.ThielTeam.com.

For their work with affordable housing: Facebook @CommunityForAffordableHousing and "Livin' Small"

You can find the video version of every episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

Listen and Review on Stitcher

Subscribe and Comment on Castbox

Subscribe on Google Play

Follow on Spotify

Comment and Subscribe on YouTube

...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

Production Credits

When you've been in business together for over 10 years, you learn what is—and isn't—a sustainable way of running things. This entertaining episode with David and Christi Pittiglio will have you laughing along between a-ha! Moments. 

(And, leave you with practical tips on managing your business and personal finances. It's not always fun to address, but it always matters!)

Press Play for:

• What David wishes he knew when he first started their bookkeeping business
• The biggest challenges David and Christi faced as parents—and as a couple—when they went into business together 
• What's working: they present a united front (for the most part), and keep debates to themselves. That way, their team and their kids aren't confused by the direction things are going
• Having the same end goals is the simplest way to help your work flow together—and, staying in your own lane
• Having a business coach as a 3rd-party mediator has been instrumental to their partnership

David's Optimizer Tip: Once you know the numbers for your household expenses, you can more clearly determine what income you need to make with your business.

(Plus, he gives several great expensing tips!)

Connect with David and Christi on Instagram and Facebook @streamlinedSBS. And, check out Streamlined Business Solutions at www.streamlinedbusinesssolutions.com. They help service-based businesses and individuals with accounting, taxes and payroll services!

You can find the video version of every episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

Listen and Review on Stitcher

Subscribe and Comment on Castbox

Subscribe on Google Play

Follow on Spotify

Comment and Subscribe on YouTube

...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

Production Credits

The trilogy is completed. Hear about the biggest challenges—and lessons—Alex and Lisa experienced their third year running a business together.

In Year 3, Alex and Lisa learned:

• How to separate their personal relationships with their team members from their professional relationships 
• You can't expect your team members to work as hard as you when you're the business owners—it's important to remember that, for them, in many ways it is "just a job"
• A common frustration for business owners: when employees think you don't care, despite clearly demonstrating that you do
• When they were pushed to the brink, Alex & Lisa found their resilience. As long as there's an end in sight, you can find your inner power to move through an intense season 

Optimizer Tip: Have a regular, structured family meeting, just like you do with your team at work.

Episode References:

Gary Vee on: realistic expectations for your employees

You can find the video version of every episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

Listen and Review on Stitcher

Subscribe and Comment on Castbox

Subscribe on Google Play

Follow on Spotify

Comment and Subscribe on YouTube

...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

Production Credits

Having a family and running a business together has its challenges, but this couple has found that connecting their work and family life actually has some key advantages. As partners in business and in parenting, Chad and Suria have insights to share about what's allowed them to stay successful—and sane.

In this episode:

• How did Chad and Suria know they'd work well together?
• Why you must take time to realign yourselves and check in with each other when working with loved ones - make sure you're both following the same north star
• Lisa talks about her very first job... at only 8 years old!
• How living in a digitally connected world is contributing to major generational changes with the way we communicate; even within the digital space.
• The couples discuss real-life, practical optimization tips (or "survival tips," as Chad calls them!)

"Honesty, with a respectful delivery … often times will lead you towards success—even when it's the most stressful." - Suria

Optimizer Tips:

Suria: You never know what will pop up out of left field; be willing to honestly and openly ask for the help you need to cover what you're both responsible for 

Chad: You can actually invite your team/partners/clients into your home for a weekend of work; it's often the BEST way to get to know really know them, and for them to connect with you (and see your work ethic). 

Connect with Chad on LinkedIn or Twitter @ChadGleasonCCIM, and with Suria on LinkedIn

Connect with Pentavirate on Twitter @The_Pentavirate, on LinkedIn, or on their website at https://pentavirate.com/

You can find the video version of every episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

Listen and Review on Stitcher

Subscribe and Comment on Castbox

Subscribe on Google Play

Follow on Spotify

Comment and Subscribe on YouTube

...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

Production Credits

He's the serial entrepreneur; she keeps getting roped in to make those ventures come to life through creative implementation. Despite the challenges of working together as siblings, today they wouldn't have it any other way.

Tune in for:

• The surprising first venture they worked on together: the medical—then recreational—marijuana business
• As young 20-somethings when they first entered business together, they both had to develop mature communication skills from challenges they faced together (and the challenges in facing each other)
• Lisa reveals Alex's surprise birthday present in the middle of the show!
• Focus on competing on the same team; not opposing ones

Justin's Optimizer Tip: Start with clarity about your roles from the beginning. The idea of the business can be exciting, but when it comes to execution it can get too easy to step on each other's toes.

Connect with Justin Sult on Facebook @justinsult, Instagram @nine2five.space, or Linkedin. You can also check out the website for Nicole and Justin's current co-working space at www.nine2five.space.

You can find the video version of every episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

Listen and Review on Stitcher

Subscribe and Comment on Castbox

Subscribe on Google Play

Follow on Spotify

Comment and Subscribe on YouTube

...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

Production Credits

He's the serial entrepreneur; she keeps getting roped in to make those ventures come to life through creative implementation. Despite the challenges of working together as siblings, today they wouldn't have it any other way.

Tune in for:

• The surprising first venture they worked on together: the medical—then recreational—marijuana business
• As young 20-somethings when they first entered business together, they both had to develop mature communication skills from challenges they faced together (and the challenges in facing each other)
• Lisa reveals Alex's surprise birthday present in the middle of the show!
• Focus on competing on the same team; not opposing ones

Justin's Optimizer Tip: Start with clarity about your roles from the beginning. The idea of the business can be exciting, but when it comes to execution it can get too easy to step on each other's toes.

Connect with Justin Sult on Facebook @justinsult, Instagram @nine2five.space, or Linkedin. You can also check out the website for Nichole and Justin's current co-working space at www.nine2five.space.

You can find the video version of every episode here on YouTube!

Connect with the Mont-Roses online:

Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website at http://moncord.com/about

And remember! You can help others find the show:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes

Listen and Review on Stitcher

Subscribe and Comment on Castbox

Subscribe on Google Play

Follow on Spotify

Comment and Subscribe on YouTube

...Or, wherever you listen!

Alex & Lisa's business: Moncord Real Estate Professional Services

Find the full show notes for every episode at www.CofoundersCast.com.

Production Credits