It's time for another episode of the Family Brand podcast! Today we continue our series where we explore the different strengths that make up strong families. This week, we're talking about the importance of talking in families. According to research from the University of Nebraska, strong families are ones that talk often, about anything and everything, as well as about challenging and difficult topics. This is a crucial aspect of family life and can make a huge difference in building strong relationships and fostering trust.

At the Family Brand, we believe that having open communication is one of the most important family values. Talking about anything, without judgment, creates a safe space where family members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. This type of communication also helps to build a culture where family members are more likely to reach out to each other when they are struggling, instead of feeling isolated and alone.

One of our Family Brand stories is a powerful example of the impact that open communication can have on a family. A member of our beta testing group shared a story about growing up in a family where they had a rule to share when they were struggling. This rule was instilled by the mother, who wanted to make sure that no one had to struggle alone.

Years later, this individual found themselves struggling with drug addiction and at their lowest point. The thought of the family's rule popped into their head and they reached out to their mother for help. The mother's response was one of love and support, rather than judgment. She immediately offered to help and flew out to rescue her son, ultimately saving his life.

This story highlights the power of open communication and the impact that it can have, not just in the moment, but for years to come. It also shows the importance of reinforcing the message that family members can talk about anything, without judgment, and that they can share when they are struggling.

By modeling this behavior, parents and other family members can create a culture of trust, where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. This type of communication can lead to stronger relationships, greater understanding, and a more supportive family dynamic.

So, this week, we encourage you to take a step back and think about the communication dynamic in your own family. Are there any areas where you can improve and encourage more open and honest communication? By making this a priority, you can help to build a stronger, more supportive family unit, where everyone feels comfortable talking about anything, without fear of judgment.

LINKS:

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial

• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

NEW: What Culture are You Creating In Your Family?

• Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

Episode 2: Your Words Create the Culture in Your Home: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2-your-words-create-the-culture-in-your-home/id1536495798?i=1000496641969

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:00 Show Introduction

• 0:42 Strong families talk

• 5:13 We don’t struggle alone

• 8:54 No one is worth of my judgment, everyone is worth of my love

• 11:32 Who can I be for this child right now?

• 13:55 It’s harder with family because you are invested in the outcome

• 16:57 Talking takeaways for your family

• 19:06 How to spark conversation: Best, worst, weirdest

• 22:01 Takeaways recap plus a bonus takeaway!

Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast!

Melissa here, I'm so excited to share with you all about this amazing guest we had on the Family Band podcast, Katie Wells, also known as Wellness Mama! She's a mom of six with a background in journalism, who took her health struggles into her own hands and started researching to find answers.

After years of faithful work, her research turned into a blog and podcast, and she’s now written over 1,500 blog posts, three books, and was named one of the 100 most influential people in health and wellness! 

During our chat, Katie shared how she got started on her wellness journey and gave great advice on how to become your own primary healthcare provider. She emphasizes the importance of small, daily foundational habits that can make a huge difference in your overall health in the long term. And as a mom, she believes that moms have an incredible ability to change the course of society and that women are a force of nature, especially moms.

We also talked about balancing work and family life, and how to raise kids to become independent and self-sufficient adults. I loved how Katie shared her own experiences and tips on parenting and creating a household culture that involves everyone in contributing to the family.

Katie's story and advice were so inspiring and encouraging. If you're looking to improve your own health and wellness or your family's, I highly recommend checking out Wellness Mama's blog and podcast. You won't regret it!

LINKS:

Wellness Mama Website: https://wellnessmama.com/

Wellness Mama Podcast: id886538772

Wellness Mama Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WellnessMama

Wellness Mama Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellnessmama/

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial

• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

NEW: What Culture are You Creating In Your Family?

• Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:00 Show Introduction

• 0:42 How Katie became the “Wellness Mama”

• 5:42 Katie’s take on work/life balance

• 10:03 Looking for where to start to improve your health? Start here!

• 22:04 The importance of hydration for everyone in the family

• 24:16 You can’t outsource your health 

• 25:33 Educating your kids and ways to learn outside of the school system 

• 33:49 Helping your children develop a healthy pride in themselves 

• 38:29 Katie’s new company and how she is helping families eliminate toxins

• 40:39 Advice from Katie on how to balance everything as a mom

• 42:27 What it can look like to involve your family in the creation of family culture

• 49:33 To be a present mom is better than being a perfect mom

Hey there, friends! It's Chris and Melissa, and we are so excited to be back with you for another episode of the family brand podcast. You know, let's be real, marriage can be tricky, and ours is no exception.

One thing we've been discussing lately is the importance of being true to our word. It's about doing what we say we're going to do, and it's a lesson that can really benefit our families. Sometimes, keeping our word can be a challenge, especially when life gets busy, but it's so important to make the effort.

Take our recent experience, for example. Our son, Trip, really wanted a new basketball hoop to practice with at home. We agreed to get one this week, but as the days flew by, we found ourselves at the end of the week with no hoop. Instead of brushing it off and delaying the purchase, we decided to honor our word and buy the hoop that day.

Putting it together tested our patience (and nearly our marriage! haha), but in the end, we're glad we followed through. It's essential to practice being true to our word, not only for ourselves but also to set an example for our kids.

So, what about you? How do you ensure you keep your word and teach your family the value of integrity? Remember, it's not about being perfect; it's about making an effort and learning from our experiences. Let's keep the conversation going and support each other in our journey to build strong, happy families. Reach out to us  or join the Family Brand Program today - links below! 

LINKS:

Links for this episode:

https://familybrand.com/agreements-vs-expectations-why-every-parent-needs-to-understand-this/

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial

• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

NEW: What Culture are You Creating In Your Family?

• Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:42 Marriage isn’t always perfect! 

• 3:13 Why strong families talk and the idea of “being your word”

• 7:00 Here’s how we are currently trying to put this into practice in our family

• 14:11 The definition of integrity and why it’s important

• 18:49 There’s an element of integrity and keeping your word in being on time

• 28:22 What are you giving your word to this week?

Hey everyone, Melissa here from the Family Brand Podcast. In our latest episode, I had the pleasure of talking to Eric Knoff, a lifelong entrepreneur and co-founder and co-CEO of Webconnex, a software company that powers event registration, ticketing, and fundraising for some of the biggest brands in the world.

Eric is that he believes most entrepreneurs became entrepreneurs because of a transformational experience in their childhood. And as someone who had a unique and amazing upbringing that led him and his siblings to become entrepreneurs, Eric wrote a book called "Raising Entrepreneurs" to guide parents on how they can apply the same principles with their own kids.

During our conversation, Eric shared how he was raised to be an entrepreneur and how his parents played a pivotal role in shaping his childhood experiences. He talked about how they fanned the flame of his dreams and interests, whether it was wanting to work at a road construction site or becoming a fighter jet pilot. And as he got older, he started his own ventures, including selling corn from the family farm at the age of 10.

What we loved about Eric's story is that he believes anyone can learn entrepreneurship as an adult, but having a leg up by being raised to be an entrepreneur gives you a different perspective on the world. And that's what he hopes to impart to parents through his book – the principles and experiences that can shape their kids to become entrepreneurs or just have an entrepreneurial spirit that's valuable across all fields and industries.

As someone who's always been interested in entrepreneurship and innovation, I found Eric's insights to be fascinating and inspiring. I'm sure you will too!

Hit play and let us know your thoughts! Reach out to us via the links below and don't forget to check out Eric's book "Raising Entrepreneurs" for more guidance on how you can raise entrepreneurial kids. Thanks for listening!

LINKS:

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial

• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

NEW: What Culture are You Creating In Your Family?

• Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

Links For This Episode: 

Raising Entrepreneurs Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Entrepreneurs-Practical-Principles-Become-ebook/dp/B0BRVSRDLL?crid=1H8VMHDKPY6NG&keywords=eric+knopf&qid=1680641977&sprefix=eric+kn,aps,165&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=familybrand16-20&linkId=88e47b013113e47155f16d1af268a1e5&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Eric on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericknopf/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:42 Welcome to the show Eric Knopf

• 2:16 How Eric’s parents accidentally raised an entrepreneur

• 5:56 Why would someone want to raise an entrepreneur anyway?

• 7:45 The inspiration for Eric’s book and how it ties into our jobs as parents

• 14:36 Encouraging entrepreneurship is not saying your identity is what you do

• 16:47 Do we develop a fear of what people think or are some people more inclined to that?

• 19:27 What do you then tell them to do with the money?

• 23:18 The things Eric’s parents did on accident we can do with our kids on purpose

• 26:15 But what if an entrepreneurial venture is unsuccessful for your kids?

• 30:39 One of the major takeaway from Eric’s book

• 35:34 How to get a copy of Eric’s book

Hey everyone! Welcome back to the Family Brand Podcast, it's Chris and Melissa here. We're excited to be back and chatting with you today. Melissa's been killing it on the podcast, we've got some amazing interviews coming up, and even a summer series in the works that we can't wait to share with you all.

Today, we're diving into two of the strengths of strong families that we've been discussing over the past few months. These strengths are based on the most comprehensive research ever done on what makes families strong, and we're excited to share them with you all.

First up is the strength of belonging, which we both believe is at the heart and center of everything. Creating a culture of belonging in our homes is essential to everything else we do as a family, and we've seen firsthand the incredible impact it can have.

We recently heard a story about a family whose 14-year-old son felt like he didn't have a voice in the family, and as a result, didn't feel like he belonged. His parents were devastated to hear this, but instead of punishing him or trying to force him to change, they decided to love him unconditionally and accept him for who he was.

Over time, they noticed a significant change in their relationship with their son. He started talking to them more, hugging them, and opening up about his feelings. It just goes to show that when we help someone feel like they belong, it can work wonders for our relationships.

As parents, we need to ask ourselves what we can do to create more of a culture of belonging in our homes. It's not just about having a mission statement or values, it's about making sure everyone in our family feels loved and accepted unconditionally. If we can do that, we can raise children who know who they are, love who they are, and believe in themselves.

We hope this episode has given you some food for thought and some actionable steps you can take to create more belonging in your family. And don't forget to check out our website for more resources on this topic and all of the strengths of strong families.

Thanks for listening, and we'll catch you next time on the Family Brand Podcast!

LINKS:

Links for this episode:

• https://familybrand.com/culture

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/family-brand/id1536495798?i=1000526711691

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial

• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

NEW: What Culture are You Creating In Your Family?

• Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

Episode Minute By Minute:

• :00 Introduction, 7 critical categories

• 1:01 What’s coming up on the Family Brand Podcast

• 1:47 What makes a Strong Family - Part 2

• 2:55 The research and idea behind belonging

• 4:23 Why we believe “belonging” 

• 7:24 What a culture of belonging looks lile

• 9:16 Do all family members feel like they belong in your family?

• 16:01 How to grow in appreciation for others: Pick the flowers but leave the weeds

• 21:11 The power of the 10 second hug and showing affection

• 26:23 A beautiful review from our friend, Melissa

Hey everyone! Chris and Melissa here from the Family Brand Podcast. Today on the show, we dive deep into the incredible impact books have on our lives, shaping various aspects from parenting and personal growth to business and relationships.

We share our experience of starting a family book club as an exciting way to bond and learn together. By involving our children in the process of selecting books, we encourage them to explore new topics and discover the joy of reading.

Creating a culture of reading within the family is essential. We discuss the importance of having books readily available at home and being intentional about setting an example by reading ourselves. This helps our children see reading as a natural and enjoyable activity.

We also talk about the power of library visits in fostering a love for reading. Regular trips to the library not only provide access to a wealth of resources but also create a sense of excitement and adventure for children who may not be as naturally inclined to pick up a book.

During our conversation, we emphasize the importance of finding the right type of books for each person, both children and adults. Everyone has different interests, and it's crucial to find books that cater to those interests. This helps make reading enjoyable and engaging, increasing the likelihood of developing a lifelong love for books.

We share some of our favorite books and the ways in which they've impacted our lives. From inspiring personal growth to offering practical advice for business and relationships, these books have played a significant role in our development.

Additionally, we touch on the historical significance of books and the incredible privilege we have today with easy access to a wealth of knowledge thanks to the internet and platforms like this. 

How can you encourage your family to read more? Maybe a trip to the library or picking a book off the shelf and reading to each other at night could help. Hit play then go put your nose in a book! 

Let’s connect! Reach out to us on instagram. Links below! 

LINKS:

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial

• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

NEW: What Culture are You Creating In Your Family?

• Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:45 Welcome to our new episode and new studio!

• 4:28 How do you get your kids to read books though?

• 9:04 Fear of regret can be a great motivator for reading

• 11:00 Why we don’t want to take the information age for granted 

• 13:00 Does it matter what you’re reading or that you’re reading?

• 16:59 Advice for parents who have kids that struggle with reading

• 20:09 The battle we all face with our devices

• 23:41 Books we’re currently reading and the new family book club!

• 27:00 Why audiobooks are a great investment

Hey everyone, it's Chris here, and I can't wait to tell you about my recent chat on the Family Brand podcast with the awesome Shelli Baltman and Fiona Stevenson. These two amazing ladies are all about helping people tap into their creativity and reach their full potential. They started their own boutique innovation agency called The Idea Suite back in 2015, and they've been making waves in the world of creativity and innovation ever since!

Shelli and Fiona are part of this fantastic mastermind group I'm in, and they were some of the first to try out the very first version of Family Brand. During our talk, they emphasized the importance of teaching our kids to be adaptable, creative, and full of ideas in today's fast-paced world. They're also really passionate about helping underserved groups, including kids, by teaching them creative problem-solving skills they'll need to thrive in life.

Their passion led them to co-write an amazing book called "The Greatest Helmet of All Time: Using our Heads for Creative Problem Solving." They share the same six-step process they use with their clients to help kids (and grown-ups) come up with innovative ideas and solutions.

One of the main points from our conversation was the importance of teaching our kids that they're not just creative, but that they're creators.

Shelli and Fiona explained that it's about embracing the identity of being a creator and knowing you can create anything. This powerful mindset can help our kids face challenges with confidence and resilience.

Shelli and Fiona also talked about the importance of finding a balance between consuming and creating. They encouraged parents to teach their kids to create more than they consume, so they're active participants in the world rather than just passively taking things in.

My chat with Shelli Baltman and Fiona Stevenson was seriously inspiring and full of great insights. I'm so thankful for their friendship and the amazing work they do to help unlock people's creative potential, both young and old. Definitely check out their book, "The Greatest Helmet of All Time," and keep an eye out for more from these two fantastic women!

Links For This Episode: 

Link to Buy Book: https://amzn.to/3LtL5wq

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial

• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

NEW: What Culture are You Creating In Your Family?

• Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:44 What’s inside today’s show

• 1:32 Get to know Shelli Baltman and Fiona Stevenson

• 3:12 How limiting stories can start to take away our creativity 

• 3:58 Some of the ideas behind the book, “The Greatest Helmet of All Time”

• 6:56 Teaching our kids they can be creators and contributors 

• 13:25 Why it’s so important to teach kids that they can be innovative and solve problems

• 16:38 How to find this life changing book

• 17:37 Why Chris endorses The Idea Suite

In this episode, we chat with the one and only Michael Hyatt, the founder and chairman of Full Focus. You may know him from one of his many life changing books or coaching programs! Today we talk about his new book, Mind Your Mindset, and how it can help parents like us take control of our thinking to achieve success in all areas of life, family and business. 

As parents, we are often juggling so many things, from work and household duties to our children's needs and activities. It can be overwhelming and stressful, and sometimes it feels like we're not making any progress towards our goals. Michael Hyatt believes that by taking control of our thinking and mindset, we can achieve bigger, better, and extraordinary results.

Michael talks about the concept of the narrator, the voice inside our heads that interprets the facts of our existence. He explains how we can learn to distinguish between the facts and the stories we build based on them. He also shares how our thoughts inspire our actions, and our actions determine our results. By tinkering with our thinking, we can create a positive and productive mindset that will help us achieve our goals as parents.

We also talk about how our lives are made up of the stories we choose to believe. As parents, we often tell ourselves negative stories about our parenting abilities, our children's behavior, or our work-life balance. Michael encourages us to reframe these stories and choose to believe positive and empowering ones instead.

As parents, we know how important it is to set a good example for our children. By taking control of our thinking and mindset, we can teach our children the value of a positive attitude and a growth mindset. We can show them that anything is possible if we believe in ourselves and work towards our goals.

Be sure to listen to the end to hear some of Michael’s incredible tips and insights on parenting, staying connected as a family, how to love your kids as they leave the house and so much more. His advice is something all parents and entrepreneurs can learn from! 

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did. Michael's insights and advice on taking control of our thinking are truly inspiring and applicable to all aspects of our lives as parents. Don't forget to check out his new book, Mind Your Mindset, for even more tips and strategies on achieving success.

Links For This Episode: 

• Get The Book: https://mindyourmindsetbook.com

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

•  Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

NEW:

What Culture are You Creating In Your Family? Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:44 Welcome Michael Hyatt to the Family Brand Podcast
• 1:06 How we met Michael 
• 2:21 A look into Michael’s new book 
• 6:16 The key to taking control of your mind
• 11:30 The power of taking personal responsibility 
• 16:30 Teaching your kids to say sorry
• 18:22 The difference between a story and the truth 
• 23:11 One of Michael Hyatt’s #1 leadership tip
• 27:20 Parenting advice from Michael Hyatt
• 31:25 Creating a great place for your family to come
• 37:40 What drives your kids away as they get older
• 43:30 How Michael raised daughters that believe in themselves 

Every year, our family chooses a word, a scripture, and a quote that serves as a guide for our decisions and actions. We have hinted at this process on the podcast over the years but we have never made a full episode breaking down the full process until today! This fun and easy experience has been one of the most transformative things we have done in our family. 

It all started when Melissa and I realized that setting individual goals every year wasn't working for us. We would always fall off the wagon by January 15th. So instead, we started picking a word or a phrase to live by for the year. This idea evolved into choosing a family theme and it's been a game-changer for us. 

Our family theme for this year is "Simplify and Expand," and our scripture is Matthew 6:33: "But seek first the Kingdom of God and all his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

Our quote for the year is: "Fill your life with lots of experiences, not lots of things. Have incredible stories to tell, not incredible clutter in your closets."

The process of choosing our family theme is a collaborative one. At the end of each year, we reflect on what worked for us and what didn't, and we have conversations with our children about the year we've had as a family. This year, our goal is to simplify our lives, starting with decluttering our home, so we can have more space for meaningful experiences.

They come prepared with their own scriptures and quotes that align with the theme, and we all vote on the one that embodies the theme the most. It's a fun and meaningful way for our family to come together and focus on what's important to us. This simple progress has brought so much joy and connection to our home that we will never go without it!

If you want to start creating your own Family Brand or if you don't know where to start when it comes to setting goals or intentions as a family, start with our Family Brand Course! Get 20% off now when you use the promo code "PODCAST" at: https://familybrand.com/program

LINKS:

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

NEW: What Culture are You Creating In Your Family?

• Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:54 This topic has been a long time coming!
• 1:43 Why we have a theme, a scripture and a quote for every year 
• 4:29  Our theme, scripture and quote for 2023
• 5:36 Why we are simplifying our lives this year
• 9:44 How this progress can help you live more intentionally 
• 14:00 A look inside our Family Brand Program
• 15:12 Why we won’t leave our family's future to chance 
• 17:00 How we define a strong family 
• 19:17 It may be hard work, but it’s always worth it.
• 20:15 How to start creating your Family Brand (20% off discount with promo code: PODCAST)

Have you ever stopped to think about what makes a family or a company truly successful in the long run? I mean, sure, you can have a great message, a compelling story, a solid strategy, and strong values, but what if I told you that the number one thing that can drive growth, foster meaningful relationships, and create a positive environment is actually culture?

We know you've probably heard the word "culture" thrown around a lot, but do you really know what it means? To us, culture is simply the environment that surrounds us and how we treat each other. It can be within a company, within a family, or even as customers or clients in a business.

Recently Chris worked with a branding agency that was doing amazing things, and he was blown away by their culture. People loved working there, they supported each other, and they got stuff done. And the crazy thing was, they didn't even have any stated values or mission statement. It was all just part of their culture, the way they treated each other, and how they showed up.

And that's the thing about culture, you can't not have one. Every family, every company, every group of people has a culture, whether it's by design or just by default. So, wouldn't it be amazing if we could create a culture that inspired us to be better, where we could be our authentic selves, and where we felt good just being there?

That's why we are so excited to tell you about our new Family Culture Quiz on our website! It's a 10-question quiz that will give you a score and show you the one essential ingredient to having an amazing family culture!

Take the Quiz Now! https://familybrand.com/quiz

And the best part is, no matter where you rank, there are practical things you can do to improve your family's culture.

So, don't just take our word for it, go check out the quiz for yourself and see what the research says about the power of culture in a family or a company. Trust us, it will be worth your time!

>CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE QUIZ