We're back! Sort of. After 9 episodes in a row to launch the podcast we decided to take a short break to recuperate. But in between recording interviews for "Season 2", Josh got inspired to write something while watching our beloved Iowa State Cyclones during March Madness.

These shorter episodes are something we'll be doing from time to time in the future. Sometimes they'll be essays and other times they'll just be a quick chat between Stasia and I.

Don't worry though, our interviews aren't going anywhere. We've got some great ones already in the can! 

Did you know that you can listen to podcasts on Spotify? Are you listening to us on Spotify right now? Well you could be because we're now on Spotify! Just open the app and search for "Our First Drink"!

Best,

Josh and Stasia

p.s. If you liked the show will you help us create an awesome community of couples by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?

ourfirstdrink.com/episode10 | Rate us on iTunes | Use "firstdrink" for 20% at shoppaperantler.com

As we’ve mentioned before Stasia is a CPA so this is a busy travel time of the year for her and that means I’m flying solo again in the intro while she is...literally...in the air flying home.

And I am so happy for her to be coming home because frankly...I really miss her when she’s gone. She is my best friend in the world and my evening just aren’t the same....or as funny without her.

That same kind of friendship is what immediately comes to mind as I look back on our interview with our guests for Ep. 9 of The Our First Drink Podcast, Jonny and Michelle Hoffner of Paper Antler.

They are a super talented husband and wife photography duo who since 2008 have been traveling the world capturing gorgeous images for numerous weddings in addition to Pixar, The Huffington Post, Satchel & Page, and Doomtree Records to name a few.

But most importantly they are unabashedly best friends and doting parents to their daughter, Dottie.

It was such a pleasure to meet these two in person a couple of months ago because they are one of those couples you meet and can instantly tell that they really, REALLY like each other. And that is why we are so happy to have them as our guests this week.

If you follow these two on Instagram @paperantler...and you totally should...it is crystal clear how much fun they have with each other and now with their daughter.

So we were really curious to learn about what the secret to their relationship is.

Lovers of: Dottie, pressing onward and a nice afternoon of Chipotle + Settlers.

Haters of: the game.

Since 2008 we've been your friendly husband + wife photography duo, traveling the world to capture the beauty and endurance of transient moments. From Argentina to New Zealand, and every corner of the United States, we thrive on being present, intentional and relational in the environments we inhabit.

Also, sometimes we rhyme slow. Sometimes we rhyme quick.

You can see their work on Instagram @paperantler, the Paper Antler website, and you buy their beautiful prints with...

To get this special deal for Our First Drink listeners:

Thanks again for listening!

Best,

Josh and Stasia

p.s. If you liked the show will you help us create an awesome community of couples by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?

ourfirstdrink.com/episode9 | Rate us on iTunes | Use "firstdrink" for 20% at shoppaperantler.com

A lot of couples these days have a period of time in their lives where they’re dating long distance or someone is traveling for work (like Stasia is this week) and so they have the task of trying to maintain their relationship over things like the phone, texts, and skype. And it's definitely not always easy.

Fortunately, most couples don’t start their relationship that way. Usually there’s a fair amount of in-person time before you deal with anything long distance.

However, without giving too much away our guests for Episode 8 of the Our First Drink Podcast, Bryan and Ashley Minear, had a lot of ground to cover before they could finally share their first drink in person after meeting on eHarmony.

This interview went way over our normal interview time, but we had so much fun with their story that we just couldn’t cut it down.

ourfirstdrink.com/episode8

Ashley is a Michigan-made marketing manager by day and a combination artist, cat-lover, tea-drinker, and photographer in her free time. She is a soon-to-be mommy and couldn’t be more excited.

Bryan is an Ohio-born photographer & designer currently based in Michigan. He spends his free time up early and out late shooting Midwestern city & landscapes. This soon-to-be daddy is still hoping he has matured enough to be in charge of another human by the time the baby comes.

Listen to more about Bryan's photography on the Hashtagged Podcast.

You can check them both out on Instagram @ashleylminear & @bryanminear as well as their wedding photography portfolio Ashley & Bryan.

Thanks again for listening!

Best,

Josh and Stasia

p.s. Win a lifetime sub to Lynda.com + Amazon Voyageur Prizes from our friends at AppSumo.

p.p.s. If you liked the show will you help us create an awesome community of couples by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?

Although we both went to Iowa State, Josh actually graduated 18 months before Stasia. So we definitely have a ton of experience with the long distance thing.

And as you’d expect there were times it was tough, but if we're being honest, it wasn't all bad.

While Josh was working and saving money in Minnesota, he loved getting to come and visit Stasia every couple of weeks. It was like going back to college without the homework.

Speaking of homework, funny enough Stasia had her best GPA ever after Josh was gone. So if anything, that time apart let us both focus on the things we needed to do in order to build our lives they way we wanted to with some fun memories in between.

That's something that our guests for Ep 7 of the OFD podcast, Krizia & Scott, can totally relate to. Their story spans a continent, a band, the boss, and well, we'll just let them tell you the rest.

After starting her career as an Occupational Therapist, Krizia is the owner and maker behind Oak and Olive Home where she finds and restores vintage furniture. You can find her work in her new studio space in Madison, WI or on her Etsy Shop.

Originally hailing from Chicago, Scott Leslie spent time as a member of The Push Stars before transitioning to the role of concert promoter and co-owner of the Majestic Theatre in Madison, WI and The Blue Note in Columbia, MO. He enjoys long walks on the beach, short walks on the beach, dogs, Bruce Springsteen, and Seinfeld.

You can find them both on Instagram @oak_olive_vintage & @majesticscott.

Thanks again for listening!

Best, Josh and Stasia

p.s. If you liked the show will you help us create an awesome community of couples by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?

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If you've ever watched an episode of Fixer Upper on HGTV you've probably had the desire to fix up a farmhouse of your own. We certainly have.

Fortunately for our Episode 6 guests, Lauren Felix of La Petite Fashionista and her fiance Kyle Anderson, that dream is actually going to become a reality when they embark on their own fixer upper project with Kyle's 100 year old Wisconsin family farmhouse.

Oh, and did we mention they're also going to be planning a wedding at the farm?

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Lauren is a Wisconsin-based blogger & social media consultant with coastal Florida girl roots. She started her blog, La Petite Fashionista, in 2007 as a creative outlet to share her outfits & latest inspirations. Kyle is a digital marketer by day, outdoorsman, and craft beer brewer. They are newly engaged and making plans for their wedding and renovation of Kyle's childhood home, a 100-year old farmhouse. They love traveling, coffee dates, rustic modern design, and listening to podcasts!

You can find them both on Instagram @lapetitefashionista & @kylejanderson.

Thanks again for listening!

Best,

Josh and Stasia

p.s. If you liked the show will you help others find it by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?

If you've ever gotten in a fight with your significant other while traveling you might take a little more time before getting stressed out after listening to this episode of the Our First Drink Podcast.

Our guests, Adam Nubern and Lindsey Nubern, have spent the last 18 months traveling around the world together all while building a strong system of communication to support their marriage and the digital nomad business they started while on the road.

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Adam and Lindsey Nubern ended their 9 to 5 lifestyle in June 2014 when they packed up their house and began traveling the globe together. Over the next 18 months they made their way around the US, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand by camper van...all while starting a pretty nontraditional online business, Nuventure CPA, to support their travels.

Thanks again for listening. If you liked the show, would you mind helping us out and by giving us a five star rating on iTunes or on Stitcher?

Best,

Josh and Stasia

p.s. If you liked the show will you help others find it by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?

Today Josh and Stasia are taking a break from the usual format to talk about what it's been like to start our podcast together and some of the lessons we've learned about technology, couples, and ourselves.

Thanks again for listening.

Best,

Josh and Stasia

Listen via iTunes | Stream on Stitcher | Rate us on iTunes

p.s. If you liked the show will you help others find it by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?

This episode of the Our First Drink Podcast is full of lessons on how to build a sustainable, creative business as a couple (and still stay best friends).

As a young, driven couple, our guests Joel and Maggie Bear are already on their way towards doing some great things together. Through their projects like Joel Bear Studios and Charmant Papery they're focused on building a business that will support the lives they want to have together now and in the future.

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• How many great things in the world were started over their first drink.
• What sacrifice means when building a business (and a life) together (HINT: No $8 juice).
• The realities of adventure photography and van life.
• How one person winning can be a win for both people.
• Filipino Karaoke.

1. First to get up or last to go to bed?
2. Time optimist or Time realist?
3. Stick to the trail or wander off?
4. What's more important to you? Experience or Accomplishment?
5. Karaoke? Yes or no?

Joel and Maggie Bear are a husband and wife photography and creative team from Temecula, California. Since starting their careers together they have worked on projects for great companies like Google, Pendleton, Juniper Ridge, and many more.

In addition to their main business Joel is also working on a personal project, New Territory, that showcases portraits of creative married couples who making the world a better place together. He is also the Creative Director for August, a creative storytelling app. Not to be outdone, Maggie is also the creative director for Charmant Papery, a maker of beautiful stationary and paper products.

@joelbear on Instagram + @magggiebear on Instagram

• Joel Bear Studios
• Charmant Papery
• New Territory
• Youthyouth

Thanks again to Maggie and Joel Bear for joining us!

Best,

Josh and Stasia

p.s. If you liked the show will you help others find it by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?

This episode of the Our First Drink Podcast is all about finding ways to incorporate kindness and generosity into your life and relationship.

Our guests for this episode, Ryan and Samantha Birkicht, are the founders of OperationGenerosity.com. After moving to Madison, WI Ryan was frustrated by the hurdles he kept running into with volunteering so Samantha encouraged Ryan to start something himself.

Now, with Operation Generosity they encourage people to look for small ways to incorporate giving back into their every day lives through monthly “Kindness Challenges”.

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• The story behind Ryan and Samantha’s first drink at a VERY early age.
• How their relationship provide some much needed healing after a family tragedy.
• Lessons they’ve learned about the importance of being patient.
• What they do to practice kindness every day in their relationship.
• The Our First Drink Kindness Challenge (See below for more)

1. If you have to be somewhere at 7PM what time do you arrive at?
2. Pass the ball or take the last shot?
3. Map or no map?
4. Who is the straight man and who is the comedian?
5. Would you rather host the party or attend the party?

Ryan works for Saris Cycling Group here in Madison as the Marketing Communications and Engagement manager. He was named a member of the2015 InBusiness 40 Under 40 for his work in Marketing and Volunteering. Samantha is the assistant director at La Petite Academy and was previously the assistant volleyball coach at UW Platteville. Together they are the co-founders of Operation Generosity.

To participate in the OFD Kindness Challenge, all you need to do is:

1. Find something nice that you can do for someone special in your life like your spouse, your partner, boyfriend, girlfriend or even just a friend.
2. Do it!
3. Leave a comment at ourfirstdrink.com/episode2 to tell us what you did.
4. You can also share your story on social media using the hashtag #OFDKindness.

p.s. If you liked the show will you help others find it by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?

Welcome to the very first episode of the Our First Drink Podcast! Today’s episode shares the story of Ann and Kai Martin whose nearly 10 year relationship has helped support multiple businesses, traveling around the country, and was all started with an unexpected, one-wheeled vehicle.

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Ann and Kai are one of those couples that you watch for 5 minutes and just totally get what they’re about. They’re a super creative duo that work hard and support each other unwaveringly. They have a lot of humor in their relationship and we love how they can just laugh and be goofy together through everything.

Stasia has known Ann since elementary school in Minnesota. In fact, they actually attended the same school every year, including college at Iowa State, where they both met Josh and Kai. Because of that, both Josh and Stasia had the pleasure of witnessing a lot of the start of their relationship, including some great stories.

Ann Martin is an entrepreneur who runs an amazing boutique event production company called Reve in Madison, WI and she absolutely KILLS the events she plans – we’re talking everything from couture fashion shows to immaculate weddings to community bike-in movie nights.

Kai Martin has had a great career that’s taken him all around the country. We consider Kai to be a true renaissance man – photographer, singer, and mountain biker. He does it all.

• How a unicycle played a pivotal role in their relationship.
• How they balance careers that kept them apart for long stretches.
• What a new baby means for their relationship.
• Why it was easy for them to both pursue their dreams at the same time.
• Who is the CEO and who is the COO in their relationship.

• Are you the first people to leave the party or the last person to leave?
• Are you introverts or extroverts?
• Who is the CEO and who is the COO of your relationship?
• If you’re on a hike do you stick to the trail or do you wander off and explore?
• What is your least favorite household chore?

Stomping Grounds Cafe in Ames, IA

00:00: Stasia cracks herself up. 00:49: Why we started Our First Drink. 01:00: We got married at an Apple Orchard. There was a massive bonfire. And a cow train. It was awesome. 03:10: Seriously, google image search kite. 04:15: Learn more about Rêve Boutique Event Production. 04:30: Kai has literally done RAGBRAI on a unicycle. 05:11: Interview Start. 26:15: The Our First Drink Couples Quiz 36:40: Interview End.

• Reve Madison
• Ann Martin on Twitter, Instagram
• Badger Bus – Have Kai drive you around the country!

Thank you for listening to Episode 1 of the Our First Drink Podcast! If you enjoyed the episode we hope you can share it with others that might also enjoy hearing these kinds of stories using the social media buttons at the bottom of the post.

As we mentioned in the show, please consider leaving an honest review of the show on iTunes. Every review (good or bad) is an enormous help for us as we work to make this show better for people like you.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates when a new episode is released.

Special thanks Ann and Kai Martin for being our first guests and thank you for joining us on the start of this journey!

Best,

Josh and Stasia

p.s. If you liked the show will you help others find it by clicking on this link to give us a five star rating on iTunes?