Co-founders

"Everybody has a journey. And in that journey, there has to be patience. Everybody wants the quick dollar NOW, everybody wants it to work NOW. but it doesn't work that way; you have to go through the journey." - Alex Mont-Ros

In this mano-a-mano episode, Alex gets the scoop on how real estate investor, developer, and influencer Thach Nguyen has grown his business to become the force of nature it is today. Hint: it has a lot more to do with his wife's hard work than most people know!

Thach Nguyen has been an inspirational thought leader on real estate for more than 27 years. His commitment to philanthropy in the greater Seattle area has earned him the CBS American Hero! And today, he and his wife Camie run a thriving business together, and he offers his wisdom to tens of thousands of followers online.

In this energizing episode, you'll hear:

• The story of how Thach's family fled Vietnam when he was 5 years old
• How his wife Camie got involved in the real estate business with Thatch (from the very beginning)
• How founders—especially men—can be too possessive with their company's operations, and how a manager helped Thatch release his need to "cook the fish" himself
• Now, he and his wife have to use much higher standards about the deals they choose to invest their time in. Sometimes, that means saying no to a potential client

Optimizer Tip: You have to think 10 or 20 years out. Stop going after short-term goals and things, and start creating a lifestyle. What does your ideal lifestyle look 10, 20 years from now? Get emotionally connected to that vision; start from far in the future and work into the present. *Actually sit down and do it.*

Connect with Thach on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or his company's website.

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

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

And remember! You can help others find the show:

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

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How do you start a meeting grounded in open-hearted honesty? Alex & Lisa walk through two concrete strategies you can use for your next group discussion—whether it be with your co-workers, your family, or even your friends!

Press Play for:

• The "Circle of Gratitude" exercise you can implement to start any meeting (for your company or family) from a grounded, supportive space
• How to take shared this shared gratitude method deeper; it's all about the person who sets the tone 
• The "Personal and Professional Check-in" exercise that can work as a helpful icebreaker at the beginning of a meeting or hangout (especially one-on-one)

Optimizer Tip: Alex shares best methods for using the Personal and Professional Check-in for a big team meeting

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

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"I didn't have time to slow down to BE broken."

The saga continues… we get an inside peek into what it was like for Alex and Lisa their second year in business together. Spoiler alert: it wasn't easy.

Press play for:

• The conversation that convinced Alex & Lisa they could choose daycare for their child
• When Lisa was taking conference calls while pumping breastmilk in the closet 
• They realized that, despite giving their clients tons of time back (to focus on the things that matter most), they were losing it themselves
• The next business Alex is going to start: kids' music with Jimmy Fallon (*wink wink*)

Optimizer Tip: Try Blinkist (https://www.blinkist.com/) for key-point summaries of the top nonfiction books.

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

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Jackie and Ryan Gibson are co-co-founders! Nope, that's not a typo. Together, they and another co-founding couple run their rapidly growing real estate development company, Spartan Investment Group.

Today, they open up about:

• How working together with your spouse is the best way to really get to know them
• What it's like running a business with another couple, and how that's strengthened their friendships
• With two go-getters, the challenge isn't inspiring each other to work harder; it's reminding each other to step away and enjoy family time 
• The challenges of hiring well for their rapidly growing company

Jackie's Optimizer Tip: When challenged or approaching something new, lean on experts (individuals and organizations) to establish a network and help with your optimization

Ryan's Optimizer Tip: Our current business growth would not be possible without a strategic plan in place. This means breaking down your high-level goal into daily actionable items, and making sure your leadership team knows what they're responsible for 

"Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat" - Sun Tzu

Connect with the Gibsons and Spartan Investment Group on Facebook, Twitter, IG, or LinkedIn. You can also find them on their website at www.spartan-investors.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

Production Credits

What is it like to give birth to a new child — and a new business — in the same year? Spoiler alert: it ain't sunshine and rainbows. But, the personal and professional growth that can come as a result are priceless.

In this honest and intriguing journey through Alex & Lisa's first year in business together, we'll hear about the argument that made Lisa get out of the car on the way to a Kenny Chesney concert… and she was the one driving!

Plus:

• The difficulty of serving customers who don't really know - or care - what you're going through 
• When you don't generally stop to rest, people assume you never will 
• We all have a max capacity that gets stretched over time; when it's almost to the point of snapping, that's when to take a breath and let it relax
• And, the sensitive event that added a whole other layer of confusion to Alex and Lisa's first year spent as partners in business

Optimizer Tip: Use a planner to plan your day the night before. Alex is a fan of the "Intelligent Change" planner.

Episode References:

Intelligent Change Productivity Planner

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

Production Credits

If you had asked Beth Johnson and Matt Flynn 5 years ago if they thought they'd own a business together, you would have gotten blanks stares or big laughs. But today, they're the happy owners of Flynn Family Lending, a private money lending firm that brings a personal touch to financing solutions. They sat down with Alex and Lisa for an open (and quite funny) conversation about working from home, where they're raising a family and growing their business together.

Tune in for:

• How to find a manageable pace when your business is growing 200% every year, and know when enough is enough 
• How Beth's background in the corporate world (at Microsoft) helped her bring a solid process to the business
• How do you decide which direction to go when you don't agree? (Bring it to the team!)

Optimizer Tip: As your business scales, make sure to stay in your lane; divide and conquer to accomplish what you envision together.And, if you're a co-founder couple, agree before you enter into business together to never use intimacy as a bargaining tool. Keep it sacred as a part of your personal relationship only.

Episode References: 

EO Accelerator

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

Connect with the Flynn family online:

They're @flynnfamilylending on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Or, check out their website at www.flynnfamilylending.com

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

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With a blended family of 5 kids, the Mont-Roses have learned what it takes to raise a big family (while running a business together at the same time!). It's all about recognizing what matters, and what doesn't.

Today's insights:

• What looks like "instant success" can be confusing for kids, because they don't see the hard work that went into it
• How Alex and Lisa navigate their kids always wanting more time with them
• When you're never "done" working, you have to decide when you're "done enough"
• Being able to work from anywhere is both a blessing and a curse, as a business owner and as a parent
• And, what is true success?

The Optimizer Tip: Your kids don't need a huge quantity of time with you; they need true quality time with you. Make that time intentional, and respond to your kids when they ask for it.

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

Comment and Subscribe on YouTube

...Or, wherever you listen!

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

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When your co-founder isn't just a partner in business, but also in life, how do you navigate both aspects of your relationship? When friends, family, or couples start a venture together, they don't often know what to expect— or, they think they do, until they're surprised by the reality of combining love and business. 

Today, you'll learn:

• The story of how Alex and Lisa met, joined families, and eventually began a business together
• How they lost a good friend in the process of building their business
• The defining moment for Lisa 3-4 months into starting the business that still brings tears to her eyes today
• What happened when some of the people around them tried to place limits on their initial growth

Today's Optimizer Tip: Leverage the gig economy. Delegate the administrative, transactional work your business (Alex gives the example of real estate transactions).

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

Connect with the Mont-Roses online on Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website.

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

Leave a comment and subscribe on YouTube

Or, wherever you listen!

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

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After combining businesses just a few months ago, Shea and Lindsay have been quickly learning how to renegotiate their roles, both personally and professionally. And since they're both ambitious, they have to set clear boundaries around when and where work ends. That way, they and their beautiful blended family can enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Today's funny and honest conversation includes:

• The unique aspects of parenting kids who have a big age gap between them
• How raising a business together is like raising a child together
• What Lindsay has had to learn as Shea's new boss, and Shea as her new team member
• Each couple has a mixed combo of one morning person and one night owl — so, how do they manage their combined energy levels?

Lindsay's Optimizer Tip: Your business is always growing, or dying; the key to growing it is keeping a student-like growth mindset.

Connect with Shea and Lindsay on LinkedIn, and through their website, N2pub.com

Check out their publications, especially if you're in any of the Medina, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point, Clyde Hill, or Mukilteo neighborhoods surrounding Seattle! 

The Points Living | Instagram @pointsliving

Mukilteo Monthly | Instagram @mukilteomonthly

Seattle Real Producers | Facebook @realproducersmag | Instagram @seattlerealproducers | Website

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

Connect with the Mont-Roses online on Facebook @moncord, Twitter @moncordRE, Instagram @moncordRE, or on their website.

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

Leave a comment and subscribe on YouTube

Or, wherever you listen!

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

Production Credits