Family Brand: Take Back Your Family

Hey guys! Chris and Melissa here, as the end of October draws near, we are getting close to a yearly family tradition of ours. It's one that has taught our whole family about where we come from and now we get an opportunity to celebrate them every year!

If you are one of our OG listeners, you may remember this conversation from this time last year. If you are new around here, this may be a whole new concept for you! Either way, we hope you enjoy this episode and we hope it helps creatine lasting memories for years to come.

We were first introduced to this tradition by a good friend of ours back in Arizona, we were lucky enough to be invited and learn more about our friend's histories as well as our own. If you've been listening to Family Brand long you know that some of our biggest values are that our kids know they belong and have a strong identity in who they are. There have been countless studies on why it's important for people to know their ancestors and how the stories they left behind can only make us stronger.

Join us as we discuss how we like to celebrate our family through this day, the fun we have in researching our family history, and even how we keep honoring our ancestors the entire year. You'll get our best tips and practices on how you can dive into your family history and how to throw a Dia De Los Muertos party that will have your kids excited to learn about their heritage. This tradition has not only been great to learn about the far past but has created an amazing opportunity for us to hear the stories of our parents, and grandparents as well, only strengthening our sense of family.

We hope this episode inspires you to jump into your own history and share with your family the great pride that comes with knowing who you are. If you do decide to celebrate this tradition with your family tag us on Instagram @ourfamilybrand so we can celebrate with you!

More Of What's Inside:

• Why we started celebrating Dia De Los Muertos
• The importance of knowing your heritage
• Honoring our ancestors all year long
• The tradition of Dia De Los Muertos
• Finding identity through your ancestors
• Enrolling the whole family in the tradition
• How we get our kids excited about their ancestors
• Making dishes to honor our heritage
• Where you can look into your family history
• And much more!

LINKS:

• Article: NY Times - The Family Stories That Bind Us

• https://www.familysearch.org/en

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:42 What to expect today!
• 2:26 Why knowing your family heritage is important
• 4:33 The ancient history of Dia De Los Muertos
• 5:55 What we all can learn from Disney's CoCo
• 8:12 Why this is more than just another party
• 8:57 Party inspiration and tips you can replicate
• 11:10 A few recipes we made and why
• 13:13 The importance of keeping your family photos
• 14:05 How you can start learning more about your history today
• 15:09 Closing thoughts and tips

Welcome to the 100th episode of the Family Brand Podcast! That's crazy, right?

We are so excited to cross this milestone together. Honestly, we never thought we would keep going this long! It just goes to show that taking it one week at a time and staying consistent can help you reach any goal!

Over the past 100 episodes, we have had more fun than we ever thought possible. Maybe we would have talked with each other and recorded it, but what truly has made it so fun and life-giving is the fact that YOU join us every week!

We have been so humbled by your willingness to share the show with your friends, leave reviews, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode. Without you, none of this would be possible! Our commitment is to keep bringing value to you and your family and help you become a stronger family through each episode. Here is to 100 more!

Over the past few weeks, we have been discussing what topic we should cover for our big milestone episode. We got feedback from friends and family and brainstormed what could be the best thing to do for our 100th time together.

After our recent family vacation, it was obvious that friendships and surrounding yourself with the right people were the best thing we could bring to you today. Hit play to hear how you can start leveling up your family's relationships with people who bring the best out of each other.

Surrounding ourselves with powerful families like yours has been key for us living a more fulfilling and prosperous life. We can't stress the importance of rich relationships in 2022 and beyond. That's why we encourage you to listen to the end to hear your "homework" from this episode if you want to start surrounding yourself with the right people today.

PS:

If you want to create your own Family Brand and Values, head to: familybrand.com now!

More Of What's Inside:

• Happy 100th episode!!!
• Our last-minute trip to Texas
• Hilarious text from our mentor
• How the "right people" make you feel
• Why you need to take a friendship audit
• A quick recap of our fall family vacations
• Alternate topic ideas for episode 100
• Be intentional with your kids friendships too
• And much more!

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:42 Welcome back to the 100th episode of the Family Brand Podcast!
• 3:03 How we decided on our 100th topic
• 5:20 Why our most recent vacation was magical
• 8:59 You are who you hang out with! (Did your mom say that too? Lol)
• 11:33 Why we surround ourselves with people we vibe with
• 14:51 Be careful who you let speak into your life
• 17:22 The long-term benefits of relationships
• 19:12 Why you need to take a friendship audit today

There is nothing like getting a workout AND listening to a great podcast. It's like an exercise for your body and mind at the same time and it's one of our favorite ways to start the day.

The morning of this recording we hit the gym and listened to a powerful conversation with the one and only Jocko Willink. Obviously, that sparked up the conversation of discipline and what freedom really looks like.

If you don't know who Jocko Willink is, let us introduce him really fast. His given name is John Gretton and picked up the nickname "Jocko" during his time as a United States Navy officer where he served in the Navy SEALs and is a former member of SEAL Team 3.

Not only is he an American hero, but he is a master of discipline and doing what it takes to be free. His type of mentality is not reserved for the high performers or elite operatives of our time. It's a mindset we believe every family and parent could benefit from if they give it a try.

Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Hit play to hear our thoughts and personal journeys so far with discipline and staying in a highly-productive family schedule. This is one of those topics we could go back to over and over again and always have something new to say.

That's why we encourage you to listen with a pen and paper or open up a fresh notepad on your smartphone! Be listening for one action step you can take today. Also, If you want to create your own Family Brand and Values, head to: familybrand.com now!

More Of What's Inside:

• Discipline and feelings shouldn't
• A powerful lesson we love about our boys t-shirt business
• One of the most important areas to have discipline about
• The real ROI on investments
• Why anyone can learn the skill of discipline
• What creates freedom in your family life
• How to know when it's time to add more discipline in your life
• And much more!

Links For This Episode:

Podcast Mentioned:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4M6CY6QkqWEnGjtE43mLsu?si=AyPtaG_5RiOxNB6Md_yBVg&nd=1

Kids Book Mentioned:

https://www.amazon.com/Way-Warrior-Kid-Wimpy-Novel/

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 1:42 How our whole family can be more disabled
• 2:10 What's the story you tell yourself about
• 4:30 How to future pace yourself
• 6:53 What freedom really looks like
• 10:36 How Mellissa approaches scheduling
• 13:15 The importance of family agreements
• 16:14 You may be braver than you think
• 19:00 A huge goal Chris has hit this year

Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Recently, Melissa went on a personal development retreat with an incredible marriage and relationship expert. We don't want to give away too much just yet about the trip because we will soon have them as a guest on the show!

However, while Melissa was away it was just Chris and the kids left to brave for themselves….

How do you think it went? LOL!

It actually went better than great! Everyone not only survived but thrived all week. On both sides too! The kids had some serious Dad bonding time and good memories and Mellissa got some time to invest in herself and continue her personal development journey.

When was the last time you invested in yourself?

For the majority of our lives, we wouldn't be able to answer that question. We NEVER used to invest in ourselves or try to intentionally work on self-care or development. Looking back now, we wish we would have started sooner.

That's why we are so excited about today's conversation! Hit play to hear our thoughts on investing in yourself at every stage in life, why we think it's critical for unlocking your potential and so much more. Whether this is your first time listening or if you are a self-investment professional we hope you leave this conversation empowered and encouraged about your future!

If you want to create your own Family Brand and Values, head to: familybrand.com now!

More Of What's Inside:

• A look into Melissa's exciting recent trip
• Chris' first experience investing in himself
• Why do all parents need some time away
• The importance of doing check-ins with your
• The real ROI of investing in yourself
• Practical examples of what personal investment looks like
• If growth was easy everyone would be doing it
• Our family quote of the year
• And much more!

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:51 Chris and the kids week without Melissa (Everyone survived and thrived! Lol)
• 1:34 Why it's important to invest in yourself
• 6:00 Looking for opportunities in every moment
• 10:34 Misconceptions about investing in yourself
• 14:20 Growth can be uncomfortable (and why it's worth it)
• 17:49 Stop talking yourself out of your breakthrough
• 20:51 How to take the first step to your dreams

After we moved from Hawaii, we found our way back to small-town America on the mainland. Friday night nights, bike rides to our favorite spots, and every other Fall activity you can think of are in full swing for the Smith family, and it's wonderful!

As the seasons change outside your window, they change just as quickly inside our homes as parents. We are experiencing this first hand as we parent 5 kids between the ages of 5 and 15. It takes A LOT of emotional intelligence and awareness to parent kids at different ages in the ways they need.

This is the type of stuff we don't hear many parents and thought leaders talk about…

That's why in today's episode, we share a powerful parenting analogy we can all relate to. In the spirit of Fall, it's a football analogy, but even if you know nothing about football, this powerful concept of parenting and coaching in different seasons will still resonate with you.

Hit play to hear how Parenting is like a Football game and how you can write your family's "game-winning playbook" We share authentically what we have been learning in this season and what all the stages of parenting look like (even when they are out of the house), why this analogy can help you lead your family more powerfully and so much more.

This episode is short, but it's pretty powerful and packed, and you'll be ready to take action. Towards the end, we mention our Family Values and how we plan to use them more intentionally. If you want to create your own Family Brand and Values, head to: familybrand.com now!

More Of What's Inside:

• Happy Fall!
• When to play the role of a quarterback
• When to play the role of a coach
• When to play the role of a cheerleader
• When God comes into play
• How to design your offense strategy
• How to parent more authentically
• Your parenting skills can adapt over time
• Give yourself grace and know it's okay to be new at this
• And much more!

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:02 Audio warning and what's inside the show!
• 0:56 Melissa's football analogy
• 2:09 The different seasons of parenting
• 6:56 Kids have to learn their own lessons sometimes
• 9:06 When to move into the cheerleader position
• 10:10 How your family values are your offense playbook
• 13:54 Your kids don't dictate your happiness and fulfillment
• 15:15 How to be more honest with your kids about

Trigger warning: In this episode, we talk about mental health issues and experiences with raising a kid with thoughts of suicide. If you find any of these topics overwhelming or triggering, we encourage you to skip this episode for now and come back when you are ready.

September is Suicide awareness month. This episode originally was published in September of 2022. Whether you hear this episode around that time or in the future, take some time to be aware of the ones you love. It can be easy to get into your own routine and not pick up on the warning signs from those around you. If you see someone exhibiting signs of Suicidal thoughts or tendencies. It's time to speak up and do what you can to get them help. Dial 988 for immediate help or check out the resources below.

Welcome to episode 96 of the Family Brand Podcast! Today we are joined by two incredible people who we are excited to know and introduce you to. Hit play to meet Justin and Megan Martin! A few weeks ago, we got an Instagram notification that someone we didn't know (Megan) tagged us in a new post.

When we clicked through to see the picture…

Our hearts were overflowing with gratitude and honor. Megan shared a picture of their wall where their "Family Values" were hanging and the caption expressed her experience with our Family Brand Program. It was so humbling to hear how these total strangers heard the podcast and took action on creating a better future for their families.

Of course, they didn't stay strangers for long because we had to send them a DM and get to know them. We are so glad we did because this family and their story are nothing short of amazing. During this conversation, the Martins will authentically share all the ups and downs of helping their kid walk through a dark season of depression and other mental health issues.

After the pandemic, physical and mental health is a top priority for many of us. If you are growing in this area as a family, we hope this conversation will help you navigate whatever life throws at you and give you more tools you need to succeed! To connect with us and see the resources mentioned during this show, follow the links below!

More Of What's Inside:

• Raising Teens in 2022
• Life as an entrepreneurial family
• How we met Justin and Megan
• A few silver linings of the pandemic
• How to help your kid in the valley of depression
• Suicidal signs to look for
• The most helpless a parent can feel
• How The Martins created the Family Brand
• And much more!

Links From This Episode:

Website-Suicide Prevention Tools

https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/suicide-prevention

Website- Suicide Prevention Skills

https://intheforefront.org/learn-saves-lives

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:02 Why this conversation matters more than ever
• 2:51 Get to know Justin and Megan Martin
• 9:16 When you find out your kid is suicidal…
• 24:50 What it takes to turn your family around
• 30:00 The power of showing up as a community for those snuggling
• 42:41 Advice for parents worried about their kids' mental health
• 46:28 Asking for help doesn't mean you're weak

Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Melissa here, for a solo cast.

If I am being honest, I have put this episode off for a while...

I've known in the back of my mind that this conversation was going to be important for many of you listening but I knew it would make me a bit emotional. You see, we just closed an amazing chapter in the Smith house and are bravely stepping into uncharted territory.

Our baby girl is off to Kindergarten. That means, for the first time in 15 years I have no little ones in the house and my "mom life" looks COMPLETELY different.

Whether your kids are young or out of the house, getting married, going off to college, job hunting or learning how to walk, transition seasons can be hard for us parents. I've spent weeks journaling and thoughtfully reflecting on our time raising our littles.

The time of reflecting has really given me a new level of thankfulness and perspective. In this episode, I want to share with you the page out of my journal that perfectly encapsulates my thoughts and feelings about this season. It's raw and authentic and I am excited to let you in on the process.

I hope that this episode gives you language to the feelings you may be going through, remind you that the best is yet to come, and to be the first (or maybe only) person to say "GOOD JOB!" on finishing the last season strong.

For more free resources and to start creating your own Family Brand, follow the links below! Have thoughts or feedback on this episode? Swipe up to find our social media links too!

More Of What's Inside:

• How I used busy work to avoid my feelings
• The ups and downs of the last season
• What Mom's really need to hear
• Our time homeschooling
• Don't lose your identity
• Every season has its own beauty
• My advice for parents in transitions
• Why it's important to start dreaming about the future
• And much more!

Links From This Episode:

• Link to Instagram Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChnL9OiPNbd/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:52 Why I've been putting off this episode…
• 4:27 An honest page out of Mellissa's journal
• 6:34 Advice for when your baby goes to Kindergarten
• 9:08 Why it's important to be still and process
• 12:13 One book all moms should read during this season
• 15:14 A quote that will refresh your soul

Do you believe in yourself? Like, truly believe in yourself? It's something that most people struggle with…

There are typically 3 types of people when it comes to self-belief or self-confidence. There is one camp that doesn't believe in themselves at all and struggles to admit their life has any purpose or meaning so why dream big at all…

On the other side of the camp, there are people who believe too much in themselves and they bulldoze everyone in their path to see their dreams come true without another thought about the people they may have hurt…

Maybe you find yourself in one of those camps, or maybe you are somewhere in the middle. After having many conversations with friends, family, clients and organizations, and others I found that most people would say they are somewhere in the middle of both camps.

A lot of people struggle with the balance between believing in themselves and serving others. They often wonder and struggle with questions like:

is it okay to take a stand for myself?

Is it okay to believe in me?

Is it okay to take care of me first?

And then immediately followed with questions and thoughts like:

But where do I cross the line?

Am I being selfish?

Who do I think I am anyway?

I didn't reach my last goal anyway…

Can you relate? Welcome back to another episode! Just Chris here, flying solo for this week's show. Recently, I stumbled upon this quote from A Rabbi Philosopher, whose name was Hallel, The Elder.

"If I'm not for myself, Who will be for me? But if I'm only for me, what am I?"

This powerful quote is the perfect way to open up the conversation about self-doubt, and self-confidence. And winning the battle in our minds. Hit play to learn more!

More Of What's Inside:

• Is it selfish to love yourself?
• Where most people struggle with self-confidence
• When they win, you win: The power of serving others
• Chris' journey with both sides of this topic
• The person behind this powerful quote
• How to start trusting yourself
• Some of the best advice Chris got from his mentor
• And much more!

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 1:18 The quote that sparked this conversation
• 3:22 The balance of confidence and service to others
• 5:24 There are two sides to this coin
• 6:00 Make and keep small commitments
• 7:15 We have to win the war in your mind
• 9:14 One quote to carry into your day

In our house, we have a "high challenge, high support" culture.

You might be thinking "what do you mean by challenge? Isn't that a little negative?"

Simply put, in our family, we challenge each other to do hard things, be brave, and become a greater version of ourselves every day.

This type of intentional parenting is not always easy…

Holding your kids (and yourself) to a higher standard without breaking anyone's spirit is a serious balancing act and takes some hard conversations.

In today's episode, we want to let you in on a situation that recently happened in our family. One of our kids was having a hard time and started to act outside of their identity. (If you are a parent, you can fill in the blanks)

Instead of blowing up at our kid and using hard language like "I am so disappointed in you" or "you should haven't done XYZ…" we decided to pivot the tough conversation in alignment with our "Family Brand."

If you have listened to the show for a while, you know that we have been developing our personal Family Brand with a shared family vision and values for years. Now we help families all over the world do the same!

However, this situation has taken our passion for this concept of a "Family Brand" to a whole new level. While having a tough conversation with our kid, we were able to have a shared language and a conversation with them (not just talking at them) about values and goals instead of shame and expectations.

We can't say this issue would have gone this smoothly without our Family Brand…

It's one thing to take notes or write down a family vision in a Google doc…it's another thing to live it out and shape your kids' culture around it…Hit play to learn more!

More Of What's Inside:

• The challenge/support scale: Where do you fall?
• The power of having shared values
• What conversations should be happening?
• What do you stand for as a family?
• How to create more of what you want
• How to start creating your own Family Family Brand
• Special guest appearance from Indy!
• And much more!

Links From This Episode:

Podcast: Family Brand - 68. An Essential Ingredient for Family Culture - The High Challenge and High Support Matrix:

• https://familybrand.com/an-essential-ingredient-for-family-culture-the-high-challenge-and-high-support-matrix

High Challenge High Support Matrix

• https://aaronlee.co/support-or-challenge

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:44 How to create a high-support and high-challenge
• 2:10 How this plays out in organizations
• 4:23 Challenge with parenting a teenager
• 7:35 Why creating a Family Brand is so important
• 13:40 This could have ended WAY worse
• 15:22 The worst type of conversations
• 17:44 One of our favorite Family Brand stories
• 19:03 Create more of the reality you want

You've heard it said, "there are no guarantees in life…" The truth is that there is at least ONE thing you can count on.

At some point, you can guarantee that things will not go according to plan.

Despite your best efforts, your consistent practicing or organizing, or planning, sometimes "the universe" has other plans.

Can you relate to the feeling: It's safe to say that we have all been there at one time or another. Recently, we had a pretty big disappointment in our family that got us thinking about when things go wrong and how to respond.

Don't get us wrong nones loved ones or pets passed away, but it was a sad time nonetheless. (Especially for our kids.) Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves and wallowing in our emotions, we decided to intentionally change our perspective and respond instead of react.

How we respond to negative circumstances as parents is how our children are learning how they should behave/respond in times of pressure or sadness. That's why even when bad things happen or don't go as planned…we still try to respond and model what healthy emotions look like for our kids. We aren't perfect at it, but we understand this principle in life is key to raising and leading a resilient Family.

In this episode, we will share a practical example of how we are handling disappointment in the Smith House, what Chris has been learning about Stoicism and Leadership, how to teach your kids gratitude despite their circumstances and more!

We hope these powerful concepts and conversations will help you and your family handle any speed bump, pebble, or mountain that comes your way on the road of life. Follow the links below to connect with us and for more free resources!

More Of What's Inside:

• Leadership lessons from WWII
• There is always an opportunity
• Tips for raising resilient kids
• Our Family Vacation Summer Bummer
• Being grateful in every situation
• The FOMO was real
• Being negative will never positively affect you
• A brief lesson in Stoicism
• And much more!

Links From This Episode:

Book- "Man's Search For Meaning" by Viktor Franklr: https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Young-Adult/dp/0807067997

Meditations: A New Translation: https://www.amazon.com/Meditations-New-Translation-Marcus-Aurelius/dp/0812968255

Podcast- The Daily Stoic: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4aka7yo0qyVKhMmwipALfP?si=PwNd-M5aRXqy0R-UISIbrw&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A7fY99FB3bNyn7nEdXCoBeB&nd=1

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

Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:42 Opportunity or disaster…you decide.
• 2:26 Can you be this type of leader?
• 4:00 When our dream vacation didn't go according to plan
• 7:20 How you respond is how your kids respond
• 10:39 Finding opportunity in any situation
• 14:19 What the data say about resident families
• 16:00 What Chris has learned about Stoicism
• 18:54 One leadership quality we should all aspire to have