077: Dynamics of an Entrepreneurial Family

Michele (0:01) Joining me on the podcast today are my sons, Harrison and Brantley. They are in their 20's and have kind of grown up with me starting businesses out of the house and have been doing it for 20 years. Many of you after listening to the podcast with my husband, Joel asked if you could hear from my son's and talk a little bit about how me being an entrepreneur or having an entrepreneurial parent would also impact the kids and what they've seen and the lessons they've learned or taken. And so we're going to go back and forth today. And I'm going to ask them some questions and they're going to ask me some questions. And hopefully, you'll have just a bit more of an insight into our, I would say, family entrepreneurial journey, and then maybe use some of these questions and go back and ask your kids. I think you might be surprised at the answers. So glad you're with us today. Listen in.

Hey, Harrison. Hey, Brantley, thanks for being on the podcast today. 

Brantley (1:45) I wanted to be on the podcast for a while. I don't know what to expect. 

Michele (1:50) You don't know what to expect. We both listened to the one with your dad. That was probably the only podcast of mine. He's listening too. Yeah. That's okay. 

Brantley (1:58) No, I listen to the podcast all the time. 

Michele (2:20) We're gonna be starting well on this podcast. So okay, you all know, my target market, we've had that conversation. And one of the things that I want to mention was your ages - you're 22 and 24. And when I started this business back in 2000, how interesting that we're doing this in 2020. And I started my business in 2000. And so you were two years old and four years old. So I don't think either of you remembers me working in a corporation. I had been home a year before I started this. So when I worked in a corporation you were only up to about two and a half years old. And it was yesterday. So I don't think that either of you remembers that so this is kind of all you've ever really known. Right? Is having me home and working out of the house. 

Question for you. When do you think you realized that I had a job because my first entrepreneurial journey with the two of you would have been starting the drapery workroom back in 2000 and custom window treatments. And so I know you saw me sewing and you saw me in the workroom because you guys came down and hung out with me and played in the other rooms and whatever. When did you realize that I was working? When I was down there. What did you think I was just down there playing around and sewing? 

Harrison (3:45) I mean, I didn't think of you having a job and working until you started this business. 

Michele (3:52) Hmm. 

Harrison (3:53) Because when you were making miniatures stuff, it was never like a full time set job. Eight to five, Nine to Five, whatever those hours are. Being in one room or an office setting working, you would go down and sew for hours on end and then leave. You do it at different times throughout the week. 

Michele (4:19) Yeah. Because a lot of it I did to work around your schedule. 

Harrison (4:22) Right. 

Michele (4:22) You know, it started with me doing it, why you wrote a nap or preschool and, you were just growing awareness at that time, but that's interesting. 

Harrison (4:30) That's really what it was... It didn't feel like a job. I knew you were working. But it just didn't feel like a real full-time job. 

Michele (4:39) Okay, so I've been doing this since 2013. So this is coming into my what, seventh year? So you would have been a middle school and graduating high school at the time that I started this and so that doesn't make a difference. Now, you did know that I was working when I was a partner in THF Academy. Because I was traveling a lot every month. 

Michele (5:07) You were around seventh, eighth grade. 

Harrison (5:09) If you were graduating high school... 

Michele (5:11) You were 9th grade and he was 12th grade when I started this. And CHF the when I did that and traveled every month you were middle school and you were high school. So did you see his work? 

Michele (5:31) I mean, yeah, so those jobs I think started as a hobby. 

Michele (5:45) Yeah, and then I guess it turned into Oh, this is like, Oh, she enjoys us and you start building stuff for you. So you know, people table, whole room for you. You can have a workshop or workroom... 

Harrison (6:04) There are two big machines down there. So Oh, this is a real thing mom is doing now. I'll show you this is a cool hobby because that's got a lot of cool toys in his workroom too. And it was you start selling them and going on install trips, and now you're president of FCA. Okay, this is a really big market for the design you had tapped into a little bit. We're doing a lot of you meet clients and you're always on the go graphical things. 

Harrison (6:38) Dad was doing installs with you. I didn't see CHF at work for you and all associated, maybe just because of how the brain was processing. 

Harrison (6:51) So this is just an investment for them that has to go off of what mom is working on and doing now so this is you know just tagging along to this and this is an outlet to promote everything else so I didn't see how this would work. 

Brantley (7:13) I didn't see this as just work I saw this more of something that you had to do. I saw that more as something you didn't necessarily fully want to do or something like you had you're like oh I have my heart poured out and this company is something I saw as either you do it and make it work or you watch CHF go under. 

Michele (7:35) There was a little bit of truth to that, I wanted to be there. I loved it. I enjoyed it. I loved the people I work with. 

Brantley (7:41) Because I was there cleaning up your back stockroom. 

Michele (7:44) You were cleaning it. 

Brantley (7:45) I didn't want to be there. 

Michele (7:53) I did I got robbed. 

Harrison (7:54) And you had that old pink phone. 

Michele (7:56) I did. Yeah, yeah. 

No, no, it was one before that they did. Terry Hooser and I were moving things back and forth like at night into the building and somebody robbed stuff right out of our car. Yep. 

We walked through that... 

Harrison, I remember you explicitly going to Barnes and Noble one time. And you see a woman there reading the magazine that I had been putting out the drapery design professional magazine, and you came home and you said to the woman, hey, my mom puts up that magazine and she made a comment, like what, like that was so random. You said to turn to the back. She opened the back and there was my picture. I think that's when you came home and said, Okay, this is like... 

Harrison (8:53) Well, first off it was a shock that I was in Barnes and Noble, That was a miracle in itself. Second part was that I was reading a magazine. I don't even know how old I was... 

Michele (9:05) You were in high school. 

Harrison (9:06) So I was driving. I at least had an idea what you did. I'm in a magazine today to recognize it. 

Harrison (9:14) And totally Hey, you did 

Michele (9:16) Well, and what was so interesting is that it wasn't even a magazine sold at Barnes and Noble. It was a private subscription shocked that she even had it there. Yeah, but I remember you coming home and going. Okay, interesting. Now, I'm saying this to be a little bit more. I've been told it on the podcast before and I'll say it again. You guys have given me grief because we're, we do joke around here a bit, especially the two of you. 

Harrison (9:40) Nothing serious. 

Michele (9:41) Nothing with seriousness. 

Brantley (9:42) All work no play. 

Michele (9:43) All work, no play. And you guys have said to me, You know, I don't pay you enough to play? You guys have said over the years mom just plays on Facebook. Mom makes money playing on Facebook. That's always been the joke because you didn't understand what I did when I was here. But I was in Facebook groups and I was answering questions. And that's what you always say. 

Harrison (10:03) It became a joke because you couldn't stand it anytime you said it. 

Brantley (10:07) We knew we would get a reaction. 

Harrison (10:08) We knew it got under your skin when we told you you just played on Facebook. So that's why it stuck. 

Brantley (10:13) I think it started to be that you would be on Facebook, but you've been working all day. 

Harrison (10:19) All-day. 

Michele (10:19) Okay. Insert sarcastic faces as you speak to me right now. 

Harrison (10:23) The best part would be you saying I'm talking to people online. Like there'll be times you probably really would, and then there were times you would be scrolling on your timeline. I'm like, mom she is just playing on Facebook, it's how she makes money. And then it stuck because she got irritated by it. So then it was like a constant barrage of how much money on Facebook? 

Harrison (10:42) Yeah. What did your mom do? She played on Facebook. 

Harrison (10:48) I'm not entirely sure 

Harrison (10:48) She just stalks people on Facebook. 

Michele (10:50) A crazy question for you. Both of you had small jobs over the years working with me in the workroom. Harrison, you used to help clean up in the workroom. And I paid you to go around and get the magnets and pick up the pins and clean up those kinds of things. Just the small things you could do to make money. And Brantley, you, I remember you helping me pull lining and measure lining so that I could cut it. And you also went on a few installs with me to help out to do that. 

Brantley (11:18) And you also paid me here and there to clean your workroom. 

Michele (11:22) I did. I paid both of you to clean the workroom. 

Grantly (11:24) You paid $5 to clean that workroom. 

Michele (11:27) That was fair at the time. 

Harrison (11:28 ) I mean, it is child labor was ruined this country. 

Brantley (11:28) That was a terrible deal. 

Michele (11:35) Is that right? So you know what I did? I don't know if you guys knew or not, I paid you and then I paid the rest of the money into your savings account. 

Brantley (11:43) No, I didn't know that. 

Michele (11:43) Yeah, that was the one that we gave you when you graduated college. 

Michele (11:48) Five dollars was nothing. You were happy with it. So what did you think about that? Did you an IRA we could have started that? So what do you think about helping out there? One of the questions had to do with Did it ever bother you that I had to work or chose to work? I didn't have to, I chose to work. I chose to do what I did. Did it bother you that I was down there working? 

Harrison (12:11) No, I think the brand new this more so it was you were working. It allowed us to go do our own thing. Maybe it helped us get more missions. We weren't sitting in the house and you're having to sit and watch us. It was a Hey, you guys need to go almost in a roundabout way, go grow up and do your thing. And moms gonna be here and work and we saw it as a hobby too. 

Harrison (12:36) But we knew you were making money with this. 

Harrison (12:38) Well, don't mess with mom's hobby. 

Harrison (12:43) We would clean. We go get into something. 

Michele (12:52) That's true because I was working and I did have deadlines to meet so I couldn't helicopter you the whole time. You had chores to do. You had homework to do and then you had your know you had played the yard and played outside you. I mean you had things to do and I've watched you know what you were into. But I did. I couldn't sit there with you. As you said, I didn't sit and entertain you all day because of me... 

Harrison (13:14) No, you didn't. I mean we got ourselves a lot of mornings if you had not to breakfast. I mean my mom makes breakfast. Sunday morning Julie means she's cooked something and you can eat it up at night, but it was she let us do her own thing. She went down and worked and we got up. 

Harrison (13:34) Oh, I would just lie and say yes....never. 

Brantley (13:34) It was soon as it hit 1130 if you weren't out of that bed she was getting you out of that bed. Hey, have you read the book this summer? Did your summer read? 

Michele (13:53) So well. One of the things with that summer because I did an episode about summer and we'll make sure we link that in the show notes at the bottom. Especially with that whole guilt as being a parent having a job at home, you guys want to get up and go play I had work to do. So one of the things I did was I let you sleep in the mornings, I didn't force you to get up, you had chores to get done. And the rule was, I'll try to be done by lunch, you get up, get out your reading your chores, whatever done by lunch, then we can go to the pool in the afternoons and so that might have also been why it felt hobbyist to you guys is because I got up super early and work late after you went to bed so that you can have some summer fun and you could go to the pool and go to the zoo or go to the Six Flags or whatever it was that your friends were doing. We did a lot of stuff with other people. 

Harrison (14:45) So yeah, as you said, you guys get your stuff done. Mom's gonna get her stuff done. So yes, we made a kind of we're gonna do this like we have to do our chores. Whenever you want your stuff done and we go do something. 

Michele (15:00) Right. Does that ever bother you?

Harrison (15:03) I think you just seem like, Hey, someone has to clean this crap up out of this house. 

Harrison (15:08) Boys do your chores. Mom's gonna work... Moms gonna go do this. Or sometimes you weren't even working you needed to go do mom stuff. 

Michele (15:17) Right. 

Harrison (15:18) Groceries sometimes. Laundry or there was always something. 

Michele (15:22) Right. I remember a conversation that we had with y'all one time you were saying I wish mom didn't have to work. I wish we could go do this, or I wish we could go do that. And I remember sitting down and when you guys were little, so you may or may not even remember this. And I remember your dad making the comment. You know we all have worked. We all have to work. This is what my work looks like. And he described his This is what mom's work looks like. This is what her work allows us to do extra in the family. This is what it brings in and allows for soccer and cleats and braces and all those things. And here's what your job is as a member of this family. You do what you do it makes it easier for mom and me to then have the time to spend back with you. But if you don't do it, we have to I mean, it's got to be done right? Those things have to be done. But if we all pull our weight as a family then we all get to go have fun and play and not have that Do you remember that conversation at all? Or do you just remember that being the way that it was that you had things to do? 

Michele (16:30) Sure. You call it.

Harrison (16:31) That's just the way it was. It was Hey, listen, as you can go to work in the morning, afternoon. And then mom's gonna...Usually, you were the one when the school year was happening... Moms gonna go work and she didn't pick us up. We got home. There was never at mom's homework, moms and babies. It was time boys. get stuff done. Yes, and you pull your weight This is your way it is when you come home you have your chores and your homework to do he go outside and play moms and go back downstairs and do her work. She has to do it and it was just an understood thing. It was never completely... I remember questioning it... Mom, why do you have to do that? 

Brantley (17:21) Well, I have a different side to that story. When I was in private school, mom would always have to go take classes to learn how to tutor me. So she had to put her work on hold, or get up earlier in the morning and get more of it done and work faster and harder. So when I got home every 

Tuesday and Thursday, we could go sit outside on a blanket and you could tutor me, so I could learn how to read. 

Michele (17:55) We spent a lot of time 

Brantley (17:56) Yeah, we spent a lot of time on that. 

Michele (18:00) We learned how to do math with candy corn. That was fun. 

Brantley (18:03) It was fun. 

Brantley (18:09) No, but for you to say mom didn't sit down and do homework with you and stuff like that was a little different for me where she would kind of have to sit down and help me with my homework because you don't remember this and you don't know this Harrison. But when you would be outside playing with all our neighbors and riding bikes around, I would be sitting in here watching you guys play because I couldn't finish my homework because I was too busy being distracted by you guys. So mom got upset because she didn't realize why I just wasn't able to get the school so she went and got certified to tutor me so she could help me go out and go play. 

Michele (18:51) That was in 2nd-grade work. 

Brantley (18:55) Go out and play and we'll do your homework when we get back right because if I got home and started my homework, I wasn't going to go outside and play I was going to work until dinner and then after dinner and go to sleep because I can never get it. 

Michele (19:06) Right. And that was the beautiful thing about getting you in private school for dyslexia is that you were able to come home and play in the afternoon, but that that second grade and third, second and third, those were hard start right there. That was a seriously difficult year for all of us. That was the year though Brantley I don't know that you know this.

Brantley (19:10) But it didn't slow down her work. 

Michele (19:29) Okay. So I did a podcast on it. And you know what it did? That was, it was the one that we talked about scaling. So we'll add that one to the show notes. What that did was it made me make the determination that I wanted to make the same amount of money but I had almost half the time to work because I needed to spend all that time not only helping you but it took me hours of prep work because we were doing Orton Gillingham method, and it took me hours of prep work and meeting with other Orton Gillingham tutors. To have it ready to help you when you get home. So I spent hours prepping to spend an hour with you so that you could play and get your reading up to par. Right. And that meant my work took a hit, I had been director of the women's ministry at our church and I stopped that I stopped all of my extracurricular everything so that I could do it. But it made the biggest difference in my business because I charged more I took the higher-level work, and I knew that I had to work I had less time to work. So it made a huge impact on my business. So what if we would have looked at it as this could have killed my business, it helped me be more efficient and effective in what I was doing. I can step in and help you so you're right, we do have differences... 

Brantley (20:43) But to the point, you didn't work as much then as you do now. 

Michele (20:48) Correct. I didn't. 

Brantley (20:49) You work a lot more now you wouldn't be able to take off. You wouldn't be able to do what you do now and get everything done and then if somebody says you had to tutor one of us, you will get to do it. 

Michele (21:01) So let's talk about that. Because what that what I've done there is I started my business as you both said, while you were small, working around you, your dad even said on the podcast, you heard him. I worked at the number if you remember this, you were so little, but I did it in the sitting room of our bedroom. And I worked while you were at mother's morning out, you were in preschool, or after you went to bed at night. And so there was a lot of late-night working for me so you probably didn't see it. And then as you guys aged, my business became more and more and more I chose to be a mom first. That was and we were in a position where your dad made a great income that I had that luxury to put raising you guys first.

But I also knew that I needed something to do for me and so I was able to find a way to carve that out and then as you age my business to grow more and more I would have never taken on CHF and traveled and worked as I did there. There were nights I was sitting in the middle of the night in our closet, working And I would have never have done that if you guys had been Elementary, but you were middle school high school. No, I did. Because I woke up and I started, my brain started going. And so now it has scaled to its full-time job all the time. Alright, so I'm gonna start asking you a couple of the questions that were sent in. Tell me what you think. The first question that was saying was, what do you admire most and what's the most difficult thing about living with an entrepreneurial mom? So let's start with the first part. What do you admire most about having an entrepreneurial mom I guess and for others, it could be an entrepreneurial parent for you. What do you think? 

Harrison (22:34) You see issues. 

Michele (22:39) Great. is a 

Harrison (22:42) nice great help. 

Harrison (22:47) As a little kid, you know, see somebody in your family. 

Michele (22:50) They are close to having to draw a vision for something 

Michele (22:54) Important. 

Harrison (22:57) You stuck with it and we see it every year. 

Harrison (23:04) Mama my Mom, where's his wife says Blah blah blah and it was pulled on busy. So was it when we were children and we needed it to go or so we thought you're not mom. I think that was probably the most difficult. Oh, hey, I'm working right now. My mom's works are his questions. Wait till later. It was Brantley bleeding from the head. Yes or no? No. Okay. Yeah, can this question wait till after dinner? Yes. Okay. 

Michele (23:37) If I had worked still worked corporate and wasn't at home the questions would have to wait. It was about the proximity I was closer to you. So that felt like you could just ask whatever whenever and then I didn't get into that. 

Harrison (23:48) You helped put that wall up. You were like, is Brantley bleeding from the head. No Brantley is not dying. Can this wait? Yes. Okay. 

Michele (23:57) I tried to make time for them.

Harrison (23:58) And then they're constantly my I noticed right now you know you're able to, you know, give me a quick second. 

Harrison (24:05) And we still do that, we'll walk in and be like Hey Mom, what about anybody? Hold on, sit there for a minute. 

Brantley (24:14) You all can you say hi She goes, Hey, how's your day? You start telling her what you did at work and she's just typing away at the computers. I'm sorry. What? 

Harrison (24:24) I think now we police more than she has a welcome back. 

Harrison (24:26) We'll come back. 

Michele (24:29) So Brantley, what about you? What did you admire most? And what do you find most difficult about entrepreneurial moms? 

Brantley (24:35) Definitely drive and ambition is probably what I admire the most. What I can't stand the most is where we're all able to leave work. Like when I leave the jobs and I can't do anything on the job site when I get home so I can turn it off. You don't ever turn it off. You can't put work away from sitting at home we're at dinner. You're still thinking about work sometimes after dinner you'll sometimes come in here and do more work and dad and I have to ask you to stop doing the work and sit down and watch TV with us for 30 minutes before we go to bed. I'm not saying you can't turn it off you can it's more difficult as an entrepreneur because you live in a house and you work in the house. 

Harrison (25:17) And they do the only person in this conversation. You are the only person in here So if you don't do it, it doesn't get done. It still has to get done. 

Michele (25:30) I'm the one who does it or I'm directing it to be done right that its multiple steps that I have. 

Michele (25:36) Right. 

Harrison (25:36) That's a lot of stuff to handle... I totally get not be able to turn off work. What I did. That's not an easy thing to work, good work. I haven't worked out beside that work and do whatever it is I got to do that day and now before I had a 15-minute ride home and now I have our house so it's decompressed, you don't ever get that. 

Michele (25:57) Right. 

Harrison (25:57) You know you get a two-step walk to the kitchen or the living room or to wherever anyone else is and that's your decompression so you never actually leave work. You wake up and you are at work. You are literally just living in your office. 

Michele (26:14) Yes. It is different. 

Michele (26:15) It is not an easy thing. 

Michele (26:19) How do you think me becoming an entrepreneur has inspired you? 

Harrison (26:22) I mean, I guess it really is just an idea... I want to find that ambition for something I want to do, what I love, what I enjoy it and then if you put your mind to it, you can do it. Don't be afraid to take risks, be smart be calculated by about it but definitely don't be afraid to jump in the deep end. 

Michele (26:43) What about you B? 

Brantley (26:45) This kind of goes back to the first question. Ambition and the drive is what was inspiring and just the fact that you were able to say I will probably do the window treatment business isn't something I want to do long term or I kind of have now another passion to coach people that kind of stuff so you were able to put one thing that was first the goal and the passion of yours that kind of simmer it out you were able to slowly turn that down and pick up another goal you just found more goals and you go after them. Very rarely don't meet your goals. 

Harrison (27:27) I'll feed off that too. I think it is aspiring to know that you have chosen the ability to switch over from Oh, you know, I enjoy doing this to Hey, this ain't gonna make me the money I want to 

make. I want to make them help meet the goals I want to make or help... This isn't a challenge for me anymore. All right. I'm still gonna stay with what I do. But I'm gonna go with this goal and this is how I'm going to attack this problem. I think it's cool that this isn't just a hobby, this gum road and that is just doing something this is a very manufactured well thought out and very calculated business that you're doing, hey, I put a lot of passion and not just, oh, this is fun and this is enjoyable. This is your job. You've thought through every step of putting in the work and I think that's inspiring alone as it is you're not just some other student at home having a hobby that oh, this is fun to do this is you're doing this because he brings you real joy. And because you have goals. 

Michele (28:25) It's interesting when I started just doing the window treatments in 2000. I loved it. And then I was able to twist a little bit and go in and work at CHF, which I loved as well. And then after I ended up getting so sick in 2012, and then having all the nerve damage to my arm. That's what actually made me have to back off the workroom because I couldn't physically do the work like that anymore because your dad not actually I don't know if you are family members to stories we had talked about closing in the whole top and moving that and making it all my workroom and making it larger, but then my arm didn't participate in that and so I had to do something different. And this was a natural progression for that. So it is nice to be able to stay in the same industry but to do different things within that industry. And I think I'd love for that to be like the same for the two of us. If you're in an industry that you love, wherever you start is not where you have to end up. You can start doing one part of it, learn everything about it and move to another part of it. You know, that's how I've been able that's how I can talk to and work with designers. I've done most of those things. And I've had a career in that. And it gives me an insight... Yeah, experience and expertise and insight that I wouldn't have if I had not done that. No, it cannot. And one of the things that I've also done, your dad and I have done together is we are a goal-setting family, not Uber goal setting, not crazy goal setting, but I just put a picture out of our New Year's celebration and we started doing that.

Soon as we could get you to sit still because we had grease at the table, every year we do fondue. And we set we used to set a lot of family goals where you guys would tell us where you want to go on vacation? Or did you want to go to a Braves game? Or what were some of the things you wanted to do? We talked about our physical goals, our spiritual goals, our health goals, vacation goals. And we used to write them on a sheet of paper and then put them in order of money and time so that when the money came available, or the time came available, we knew where to start, we prioritized them all. And then I remember even now I show you all I've invited you to look at my profit-loss statements. I show you those things as a way of holding myself accountable. And I know Brantley we sat down and went through and I helped you go through accounting by inviting you into my QuickBooks accounts and showing you what it actually looked like in a real business instead of it being a made-up theory within your account. class, right? So I've inviting you guys into the business at whatever level whether it was starting that cleaning up a workroom or now looking at business goals, Harrison, you and I have had a lot of conversations about profitability and about time and Job Costing and things like that you build spreadsheets for my business, you know, so you guys have been invited in all along the way. Do you think that's made an impact on you at all? 

Harrison (31:26) I mean, for sure, it did... we each set goals. 

Michele (31:33) Just any of it...Yeah, well, the goal setting 

Harrison (31:34) That's a great tradition that we do every year and it's fun to look back and say hey, look, this person didn't make their goal. 

You know, and as you said, they're definitely accountability because I know at one point, I would like my company to meet this benchmark. And then, you know, three months in and you are like, I'm halfway there, and we were like, Mom, you set your goals to low. And then you know, Mama, or you know, we're three quarters of the year and you're halfway there like, Mom, what's going on here? You pick this up, or will you do here isn't a hobby anymore. What are you doing here? 

Michele (32:14) But it did give us a great conversation. 

Harrison (32:15) Great conversation is definitely something I want to do if I had a family. Setting goals... exploring stuff. 

Michele (32:23) We made it fun too. I mean, I think that's what's important. We made it fun and we chose goals. Yeah, is that right? So all right, so here's the next question. What lessons did your parents instill in you that has led you into adulthood with success Brantley, what about you? 

Brantley (32:39) Know what you believe in and why so whether it's a moral thing logical explanation or something or why you're making a decision or as always know what you believe in why you believe exist a be tested as soon as you get out of this house and all my friends were very, very quick to tell me how deep in the conversation she did you love asking the questions. So I think that's always helped us when we go out in the real world. And if somebody asked me a deep question or a personal question or a controversial question doesn't really rattle me, we've grown up with it. So she's kinda like, Oh...? Well, here we go again. 

Harrison (33:27) Yeah, I think it definitely should know what you believe in. I remember when I went to college, the same thing, whether it was something it was faith-based. She went in there and spoke to them and some of the guys had different beliefs and things and I did, or it was a during the class and listening to an extremely liberal Professor have his, you know, idea or opinion on something like, Oh, you know, what he was saying, Listen back and say, Hey, where were they coming from the two of Hey, this is It wasn't necessarily a judgment on there and it was a Hey, how does it strengthen what I believe? Or how does this help point out a flaw of what I believe? 

Michele (34:09) Right. 

Harrison (34:12) Readjust that or give me more to think about... 

Michele (34:12) And we definitely had deep conversations but not all the time. 

Brantley (34:15) And it led me into many debates with professors in classes, especially I remember it was my freshman year World Literature 2. We were talking about the romanticism era, something like that. And then the professor decided to bring in the whole Christianity topic. I like to sit back quietly and just listen to what other people have to say and then actually, you know, me and the professor debating... 

Michele (34:48) It's respectful though. 

Brantley (34:51) That one was absolutely 

Michele (34:55) But it's nice to have an impact. Here's what we told you. What does your dad always say? He says, know what you stand for, or you'll fall for anything. Yeah. And he's constantly said that in his other big thing he said to you over the years is if it were easy, everybody would be doing it. 

Harrison (35:12) And that's one of the reasons why I have grown to be successful Harrison still out there. 

Harrison (35:24) Was because we know what we believe, why we believe it. You know that stuff changes over time. 

Michele (35:29) Sure. 

Harrison (35:30) But you have to know it's okay to change your opinion. 

Michele (35:33) That's right. 

Harrison (35:39) Think about everything that helps so suppose if you're going to do it, do it. 

Harrison (35:45) I'm going to do this, then go do it. You know, what's your plan? How are you going to do this? What you know, have you thought this through... 

Brantley (35:52) Now the other thing that also really irks me, sometimes I don't want to do things that are thought through. I can't stand it. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to do something and mom and dad question me... Have you thought about this? No, I haven't. Why? Because I don't really want to. And I rather just walk in blind and deal with it when it punches me in the face and having to sit down with him. Well thought out plan. Forget that it's funny. 

Harrison (36:18) I'm very much like mom. And then I know recently I've had impulsive ideas. 

Brantley (36:23) Yes, being impulsive is the best and mom hates for some reason. 

Michele (36:29) It's my lowest strength. It is chaos! I have to plan to be impulsive. 

Brantley (36:33) I thrive in chaos. It's so much fun. 

Harrison (36:36) I have to have a thought out plan. Absolutely. I tell people all the time. I'm very good at having our conversations and direct conversation. There are times when I have a question. Yeah, I'm going to process that a little bit because that's off the wall. When things hit the fan. I'm good to go. 

Michele (36:52) You're my boy. Okay. 

Brantley (36:54) I'm impulsive, that's me. You have to make plans. Leave that Harrison. 

Michele (37:00) Call Harrison.  Yeah, Harrison's my planner. 

Brantley (37:02) If you ever need stuff done and planned out. Whether it's an hour in advance or three months in advance call Harrison. If you want someone to say hey, just come look at this and fix it, call me. I'll be there to make it work. 

Michele (37:17) Did you I don't know if I've told you this before but I've always said that Harrison was the child of my head. Because we think so much alike. And I've always said you were the child of my heart. Because you're the feeler. You feel more, you're emotional, you're a little more impulsive than he is. You know, one of the other things that we instilled in both you I think, I'm curious to see if you think so as well. We made you own your choices on your thoughts on your life. You've had to own your stuff. 

Harrison (37:51) You did something there were consequences unless it was like a nuclear option. You're grounded for a year. We always do that. 

Brantley (38:01) No, we are never grounded we are put on our strict restriction that's grounded whether 

Harrison (38:06) It was a restriction. Which was worse because we were never restricted that whole…They forgot but there was always a consequence something happened it was there was an immediate consequence. 

Brantley (38:19) Don't let Dad get a phone call. Bad news bears. 

Michele (38:25) I think that's good parenting. Let me ask you this... How has your mom's pride in her business after all the highs and the lows affected what you all seeking your future professions and lifestyles? I think you kind of mentioned some of it but it was there anything else that you've watched the highs and the lows and you've watched me fight from the highs and the lows. 

Harrison (38:48) I think something I've taken away. Most recently, in the past five, the five or six years was it. It's okay to not like your job sometimes. It's okay to have to go through part of a day or work or you just hate your job. You don't want to be there. You want to go home, you want to do something else, you shouldn't just turn it off. Not work that day or man's clients are getting on my nerves. And I really don't want to talk to this person today. I'm not in the mood. And it's okay to have this work. It's okay to hate your job. 

Brantley (39:28) It's like we said at the breakfast table, they pay us nothing to be there. 

Michele (39:34) What did I say? 

Brantley (39:35) You were the one person who was like, Yeah, well, if they don't pay me, I still do it. We are all that's stupid. 

Harrison (39:44) I believe it was something else they paid us for... 

Michele (39:46) But I love it. I'd love it. And that goes back to the ambition and the passion for what I do. But Brantley Why? Well, I said I would be independently wealthy. 

Michele (40:06) But here's the thought behind all of that, no matter how much you and this, I think it was your, to your point recently, and that is how much you love what you do. They're still very difficult days in that. And it doesn't mean that you have a passion for something you love it and it's always at the top of the mountain. I mean, there are deep valleys there are days that were just like this is trudging through mud and but the next day is kind of like the Bible verse that says God's mercies are new every morning. The next day is a new day and we start over again we keep going, pushing through. 

Harrison (40:39) I mean, dad always said to me, there are always seasons for you're going through one right now. 

Michele (40:49) I do. I actually enjoy the growing seasons more because I always find when I'm on top of the mountain, nearly there's only one way which is down. 

Harrison (40:58) I actually would rather be going up Instead of going down, not real fun. 

Brantley (41:02) It's harder on the knees. 

Harrison (41:05) It is harder on the knees. using the booze. Or, you know, like you were saying how does that have watching your business has that helped us to keep going don't stop just because you hit adversity or something that hard doesn't mean you quit. That when somebody gets hard that's when you really need to sink your boots in and really dig in and sit down and think about what you're doing right now. You know, so when you lose your limit, disclose. 

Michele (41:34) What's the best advice you think I gave you. I have seen many quotes that your dad does... 

Michele (41:42) Boys stop fighting? 

Michele (41:45) Eradicate entrepreneur poverty? 

Michele (41:48) Yes, profit first. I got you both signed copies made you do it off the coffee. 

Harrison (41:58) Dude, you better be an original plumber. 

Harrison (42:02) Also, December 19, liked his exclamation point. So it's a good thing that we have a good plumber. 

Michele (42:07) Good plumber, now I get to talk to 

Michele (42:09) Your dad, we both taught you hard work, we both taught you to get up and go, we taught you to be honest people, taught you the value of your work. 

Harrison (42:22) If you're going to need to do something, make sure it's well enough to put your name on it or don't do something that you're not going to... 

Michele (42:29) Be proud of... 

Harrison (42:30) Be proud of it. And if you're going to do something and your name is going, to be honest, you want people to look at either see your name like Oh, that's a job well done or... 

Michele (42:39) Right. That's true. 

Harrison (42:40) Pride in your work is definitely one piece of advice, but it's more of an attitude and a lifestyle. 

Harrison (42:51) My name is on it, and I'm going to be proud of it and it's because I just got my soul in it and gave it my all. 

Michele (42:56) Here's one thing your dad said to me, he's great because It was from being the Scoutmaster. We had to give the Scoutmaster minutes but one of the ones that he used to always say is if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. 

Michele (43:11) Is that right? 

Brantley (43:12) Yeah. But that also told me what can we never see elephants in the tree? It's because of their dang good at it. 

Harrison (43:21) I guess just to put things into perspective. 

Michele (43:23) We should balance all that I guess. 

Harrison (43:25) That's a pretty good quote when you think about it. Why can't you see an elephant hiding in a tree? I don't know why dad...because they're dang good at it. 

Michele (43:34) What can you see me doing if I weren't an entrepreneur? 

Brantley (43:37) I can't. 

Harrison (43:38) Oh, I know what you'd be doing... 

Michele (43:40) Oh, you do? 

Harrison (43:40) Facebook... 

Michele (43:42) What would I be doing? 

Harrison (43:43) You would be top honcho of some corporate business. 

Michele (43:47) Yeah, I would. 

Harrison (43:48) Yeah. Oodles and oodles and oodles of money. 

Michele (43:51) Do you think? 

Harrison (43:51) You'd be Boss Lady for sure. You can't, not be Boss Lady. 

Brantley (43:55) Yeah. 

Michele (43:55) Well, that's true. 

Harrison (43:56) That's just your personality. How well you work. 

Michele (43:58) Well, I said when I was younger, I didn't want to clean my house, Mimi used to tell me I need to clean up. And I would say I don't want to do it and she would say, Michelle, what are you going to do? Are you going to have somebody clean it for you? I said, Yes, ma'am. I am. And I had you and then after that, I got a cleaning service and then she asked me what I wanted to do and I said I was going to run a company. So at first, I thought it was going to be a corporate company and then it just became my own. So I think that that's good. What did you hate growing up if anything due to me working? Probably not getting the answers that you wanted exactly when you wanted them. 

Harrison (44:35) Maybe it was getting attention, because when you are kids being selfish. Now we get it. We say hey mom... You say hey I'm busy, and we say ok. 

Michele (44:47) But you guys hated? 

Harrison (44:47) We don't hate anything... 

Brantley (44:50) It wasn't a hate thing. It was more of an Oh, this is annoying. Or this is not as I liked, but one of them was anytime we walked in to say hello after the day to tell you something you were still typing away. Always. You don't stop. It was like you'd stopped for a minute. But you always had something on your mind where you had to get back to finish something before it disconnects. 

Michele (45:15) Yeah... 

Harrison (45:17) I wish there was a switch factor. 

Harrison and Michelle (45:20) Turn it off. 

Brantley (45:21) Yeah. 

Harrison (45:21) So that you'd be fine. 

Michele (45:22) I think there would be times that I could just turn it off. 

Brantley (45:25) But I think what's the most irritating is you had a harder time making sure you were able to turn it off. 

Michele (45:34) To be present at that moment... 

Brantley (45:35) Because I couldn't tell you how many times we would sit at the dinner table and your head was just still kind of grinding... Or at the dinner table, you would be fine about it. After dinner, Dad And I would come in and sit on the couch or watch TV or do something and you'd be back in here. We'd be like, 

Michele (45:54) Have you noticed that within the last probably three years when I'm done, I'm done and I don't come back in here? 

Brantley (45:59) Yes and no... 

Harrison (46:00) You used to have the lap desk that you would take around all the time. 

Michele (46:02) I don't take my laptop around anymore. I don't take an iPad in there anymore and the most I do is look at my phone like you guys do but ...Your dad and I made that... I've shifted my work hours to be done when he gets home because he shifted his work hours. So I'm usually done by 5:30 most days now. 

Harrison (46:21) And now too, especially the last couple of years here you are willing to take vacations. When I say taking vacations doesn't mean physically going somewhere, mentally you can check out and just because you plan accordingly tell everyone they don't talk... 

Michele (46:35) Vacate.

Harrison (46:36) Vacate. It's definitely cool to see you be able to do that recently last couple years I'm you still bring your laptops up but usually, we come up for lunch from the beach or something and you tackling emails and it's cool to see you know go up the stairs and or go wherever, make some lunch and then do whatever it is that you want to do and not feel like you have to be tied to a computer or answering your email. 

Michele (46:59) Right. 

Harrison (47:01) Yeah, you'd be able to actually check out for that. 

Michele (47:05) Yeah, I've really worked hard at that. Question. What do you think you will look for in a wife based on living with a strong successful mom? I did not write that question but I'd be curious about that answer. What would you think you look for in a wife? Why? 

Brantley (47:20) That's a little easier question for me personally, 

Michele (47:24) Because you found your special someone. 

Brantley (47:25) Yeah. Well, I think Wendy is very good at... she has career-driven, but she's also family-oriented. 

Michele (47:32) Hmm good. 

Brantley (47:33) So it's okay to be career-driven. But when you are career-driven, you have to have a mix of family-driven and so that's why if you're not family-driven, you're not career-driven for me your career-driven with your family-oriented. So your drive and passion are you want to make sure you have a good career and do stuff. But you're oriented by your family, your family's what kind of ground to ground you turn your steering wheel. 

Michele (48:00) I like that... 

Brantley (48:03) When looking for that some of that has to be taught, you can just have that right out of college or you can't have that at 22 and 23. In Harrison's case 24 or 25. 

Harrison (48:15) Yet you learn to... for sure, and that's going to change depending on the family dynamics. 

Michele (48:22) I think what's cool about her is that she's very, she can have a great conversation with you. So when we talked about that... 

Brantley (48:30) That's terrible. 

Michele (48:33) That's terrible... I loved the fact that even when I first met her, she could answer a question told her own, she knows what she believes. She knows why, but she's easy. She's easy to talk to you and to be that and so I can see that being a good balance for you as well. 

Harrison (48:47) So I think there was... 

Michele (48:48) She's strong, she's a strong woman. 

Brantley (48:50) That's what I look for. I would have done well if I found someone who is more career-driven than I am because I mean, I'm career-driven, but I'm a very big family person but you have to find the right balance. You can't find somebody who has no drive and passion in the career field. 

Michele (49:06) That wouldn't work for you either. You don't think? 

Brantley (49:08) You can find somebody who's overdriven, who's like, I don't want to do anything for the first eight years. I won't have a career. That's fine but you have to find what fits you. 

Michele (49:18) That's a good point. You have to find what fits you. What about you? Harrison? What do you think about your future? What is it that you can keep learning from having a strong, career-driven and I love that family-focused and centered. 

Harrison (49:34) Brantley said he didn't want someone who was more career-driven than him. I think it'd be interesting to date somebody who is more career-driven than me. 

Michele (49:41) I think that you guys would kill each other. I do not think that would work. 

Brantley (49:45) The reason I said the I didn't want someone more career-driven me is you're spending your whole life working. So when you're spending your whole life working, you're spending more time with the people you work with than you do your family. So I want somebody who's more family-driven than career driven because if you're just so career-driven all the time... 

Harrison (50:04) Oh, yeah. It has to be a balance aspect. I was just saying it would be interesting for me. 

Michele (50:08) For him. 

Harrison (50:09) Me. Oh, sorry. 

Brantley (50:10) But for me, oh, that it wouldn't be interesting that would be terrible. 

Harrison (50:13) For me, I was saying... 

Michele (50:14) Could you imagine him with somebody more driven than him? That'd be like me. And that would not last. 

Harrison (50:19) It wouldn't work. 

Michele (50:19) It wouldn't work. I'm telling you, I love you with my whole heart. That would not work. We would fight all the time. 

Harrison (50:24) We would stab each other with hate. That's really like shooting yourself in the foot and then trying to run a mile. 

Brantley (50:31) I think you just have to see the ambition. 

Michele (50:35) Passion. Yeah. 

Michele (50:37) How hard do you think you are on the people around you? Somebody said, who didn't grow up and learn what we learned like the people that... 

Harrison (50:44) That would be a daily struggle. 

Brantley (50:45) I'm pretty difficult with other people I'm around. 

Harrison (50:48) My friends... There are some high expectations for me. 

Michele (50:55) Family, even just personal. 

Harrison (51:00) Don't get me wrong. I'm polite and unkind to people. But I'm very, very someone when someone messes up, I'll make sure they realize they've messed up. Like, you better own it, like I had to own it. If you're going to mess up, you need to make sure you own the fact that you mess up and I'm going to talk about how to fix it, but I'm pretty easy. 

Michele (51:19) You guys weren't allowed to blame anybody else. 

Michele (51:25) We made you at least own your own choices. 

Harrison (51:28) I'd be interested to see what my friends would say about that. I'm pretty tough on ... 

Michele (51:32) Yourself too? 

Harrison (51:33) Yeah, I'm the meanest person to myself. 

Michele (51:38) I got a job. I need a coach guy for that... 

Harrison (51:41) The verbal abuse I give myself daily of criticism that is high that they took Yeah, I can't do that. Everyone's always telling you to treat others the way that you'd want to be treated or you know, you don't want me to treat you how I treat myself. That's not going to be a good thing. 

Michele (51:58) I need to set up another coaching call with just the two of you then... 

Harrison (52:01) I think it’s more of an expectation...It's a hey, one step forward, keep it moving. 

Michele (52:07) How many times do I tell you as well we have to give ourselves grace and that goes for us two you have to give yourself grace because things don't always go the way you think they're going to go right we had to have some flexibility there. 

Brantley (52:18) I think I'm a little bit more on the side of compared to Harrison no offense Harrison I will drag you under the bus for a second... 

Harrison (52:27) I've been dragged under a few times. 

Brantley (52:29) Is when someone messes up or something happens something breaks something screwed up. Harrison will also like me he'll let you know something's messed up and it needs to be fixed. But Harrison is much more of a well if you broke I'm pushing you out of the way and I'm gonna fix it. I'm gonna do it myself If you don't. You mess it up the first time. I don't trust you and do it the second time. Like that sticks with here's a little bit more over when something happens. I'm much more of the alright well, there's nothing we can do about it now, let's fix it. 

Michele (53:03) And some of that gets eased out over time. Do you know what I mean? Meaning it I probably was a lot more self-abusive as a 20 something-year-old because my expectations are so high. And I've learned over the years that didn't get me where I want to go all it did was beat me down, it didn't help me. And so I learned other ways of handling that... managing that that became more positive so that I didn't keep turning on that terrible recording in my head. 

Harrison (53:30) Here's been something that I've been working on recently is hey it's ok to mess up. 

Michele (53:34) That's right, but we learn more about the failures. 

Harrison (53:38) In my office, my superintendent told me, you only know what you know, I used to beat myself up on stuff that I said messed something up. Wow. Blah, blah, blah, blah. How could you do this? What were you thinking? And you know, I heard that I was like, Wait a second. as long as I gave it my best side. knew at the time, what else did more than you expect, you're not going to be perfect. You don't know everything, you're not going to know everything, but you only know what you know. So as long as you make the best decision, and you give it your all, knowing what you know, then I'm now working out not to be mad and beat myself up. At times, I am very critical of myself. When I know that I slacked off when I know I didn't get it. When I know, you know, I should have done that better. You know, I knew I shouldn't have done that. But I did this anyways. Or, you know, I should have taken this path when I did that path. Or maybe I should have researched this and done my homework more. Those are the times when I usually criticize myself because I knew better. It's rare now that I criticize myself, get upset with myself or beat myself up with something like completely out of my controller. I just never would have known to do that. And that's just part of growing up and learning. 

Michele (54:53) So how do you think you'll parent? 

Harrison (54:55) I think it's very similar to how you guys were. It's tough love, but there's 100% love, hey, this is a safe space. 

Brantley (55:07) 100% accountability. 

Harrison (55:08) Yeah, 100% accountability if you do something, there were consequences. 

Michele (55:12) Good and bad. 

Harrison (55:13) Good and they can also be bad. The other thing, too, that you guys have instilled in us with critical thinking. And that's definitely something for some reason, our generation lacks for some reason. Or maybe this is not something that is taught in schools anymore but thinking outside the box, and problem-solving. That's what I feel like everyone's problem nowadays. 

Michele (55:32) I remember some of the questions we would ask you guys, especially in middle school, that's where we started, a lot of it, as you would tell us something that was going on, and your dad and I would say, Well, what do you think you should do about that? Or what do you see there? Why do you think that back to that? What is your belief system and what were you basing it on? And then you learned to take that and then use it in different areas of life is just asking you so we're because then if you answered the way that we thought was healthy, we didn't even say anything we're like, Okay, then sounds like you've got that out. 

Brantley (56:03) That's why you guys were always asking questions. We had an issue you would never give us the answer to. You always sit back and be like, Okay, well, what do you want to do? How would you fix it? We have to walk you through our process of how we would fix it. And then you could add something in. And I definitely think I'll be taken that. 

Michele (56:22) What outcome do you want it to become? What is the outcome you want? You can be right and get what you want and not get the outcome. 

Harrison (56:29) You taught us how to solve problems and critical thinking. But while also letting us do the work, there wasn't a huge shortfall and intelligence has been solved. You need to figure that out. We'll figure it out. We come back to Hey, is this a good idea? Like Brantley said, Yeah, that's great. Or, hey, here's something to think about. 

Harrison (56:45) I think I'll take that. Whenever I have problems, 

Michele (56:51) You can thank your Mimi for that because Mimi taught sixth-grade science which is a lot of critical thinking for 30 something years. And one of the things that she said to me was, she said, I'm seeing a change where critical thinking is not taught in school, make sure you teach the kids that. And so we made a very conscious decision to teach you that because one other thought was this, you're not going to be with us forever. And so if we don't if we just teach you what to think, and not how to think, when you get out of the house, It could take one big wind and you could be knocked down. We wanted to teach you how to think about how to do research, how to do your homework, how to figure out what you really thought about something, and I do I, I loved that part of raising you. I remember mama said, Michelle, you talk to them like their little adults. And I said, Well, I talked to them and try to help them understand whatever age they are. And we just changed it as you got older. 

Brantley (57:48) They don't stay piglets forever. 

Michele (57:49) They don't say piglets forever. Okay, Harrison, you had a question you want to ask, what was that? 

Harrison (57:54) I was going to let you ask. 

Brantley (57:58) He would have asked How did you get so sweet? 

Harrison (58:00) Okay. 

Harrison (58:01) I did that so at least get a laugh out of you, But mom was supposed to ask it? 

Michele (58:06) How did you get so sweet Brantley? 

Brantley (58:08) Not being related to you guys! 

Michele (58:11) Harrison, you had another question that you wanted to ask me. 

Harrison (58:15) It was the biggest challenge you face as you begin your entrepreneurial journey, why you still play the role of mom. And then how being an entrepreneur helped you become a better mom. 

Michele (58:25) The biggest challenge that if I were to look back over all of my 20 years, from you guys being two and four to 22 and 24. And the biggest challenge of being an entrepreneur, being a mom was balance and being present. I remember specifically, what Brantley was talking about and you talked about whether it was walking upstairs out of the work when I didn't have the decompression. I never got to ...I didn't get an hour's drive home or a 30-minute drive home. I didn't get any of that where I could kind of switch my mental gears. And so I could go from being a business owner in the middle of a very difficult conversation to trying to help you guys get a snack to then going back, that unloaded laundry to then going back, you know what I mean? So having to switch gears like that all the time and work at the highest level, that was a challenge for me.

Being able to constantly get my work done, know what it was reaching, obtaining my goals, while at the same time parenting you and not making you all feel neglect especially when there were other moms around me, who were doing and giving to their children a lot more than I was, as far as they were making every snack. They were sitting with him for everything. And there was some mom, the mom guilt going where they would make comments and you don't do that for your children. You don't do that for your kids. And I would sit back and think Gosh, was I supposed to be doing that for my kids because I thought I was raising adults not being kids. And so I remember one of the women at church Ms. Shirley she said to me and Miss Dorothy, I was a young mom and I was in tears one day at a Bible study and I made a comment. I think I'm terrible as a mom, I can't, I just can't do this. And I remember her saying, Michelle, you are raising two adult men. They are little boys right now. But you're raising an adult man. And so the goal is if they can do it, you let them do it. Don't step in and do for them what they need to learn to do for themselves. And I've listened to those older women and not to the women of my generation. That's the truth. And so even they gave me an example of if you want them to get their own snack, you put a basket of their approved snacks and you tell them you can go into the store and get a snack. You can go you know what I mean, though, because you guys would come ask and I would already have them in single-serving packages or whatever. And then they said to me, and if you wanted to pour their own milk and the gallon is too heavy by two half gallons, like put it in a place that they can do it, make themselves sufficient. And then when they leave your home, they will be men and not big boys. And so I listened to that and constantly as you grew up, that's why your chores increase. That's why the work you had to do increased. That's why we didn't solve it for you. That's why we made you go buy groceries for the family, we made you open your own bank account.

You remember me taking you to the bank, and the woman looking over at me? You had your deposit slips and she looked over me I said, these aren't my accounts, they're theirs, they can handle it. And you guys walked up to the window, handled your own banking business, you are in middle school. And when we walked away, I remember the banker looking at me and going Thank you. And then you both and served well by that in college, make your own appointments. Here are the names of the doctors who go do that yourself. I don't need to do that for you. I know you were 18 you know, 1718 years old. We were getting ready to go off. But I think that was a hard thing for me was feeling like I should have done more for You but then realizing by doing those things I was in some ways crippling you. And so I had to you ever hear something, you made a comment they used to be so angry when we would make you strip the bed or clean the bathroom. But then those were things later when you got off on your own that you were thankful you knew how to do. They didn't know how to do it. And I remember thinking to myself, you know, I didn't want to make you have to do those things. I mean, I didn't want to do me either, but I didn't want to have to make you do those things. Especially not when some of the other moms were out doing it for their kids and I was feeling guilty a mess. And so I think that whole being present and knowing how much to let you do when your own and when to step in and when not to step in. I'm thankful now that we did it the way we did it because I think you guys have been able... Harrison you've been able to go out, buy a house, take care of things, you know, really step into adulthood and that's what your dad and I wanted so much and really... 

Michele (1:00:15) You've done a good job at it and B you're just months away from graduating college and doing your thing so you guys are doing it but I gotta tell you during those years... 

Brantley (1:03:13) Harrison is doing good, Harrison just got a house, he has a full-time job you know he's doing great. Brantley is graduating soon. 

Michele (1:03:23) You have a job waiting for you, stop. 

Harrison (1:03:27) Coming soon, DVD 

Brantley (1:03:30) On a DVD for you to own. 

Brantley (1:03:39) Somebody older asked me on a job site what separated me from the rest of my generation. And I should have looked him in the face and said I can fold a fitted sheet and she and he was like that. That's valid. 

Michele (1:03:57) See, look at those things I taught you how to do. 

Brantley (1:03:59) You didn't teach me how to do that. I don't know how to fold a fitted sheet. 

Michele (1:04:03) Well, we have a lesson as soon as this podcast taping is over. And then how has been an entrepreneur help me be a better mother? I think that's what you asked me. I think it was part of that whole thing. I couldn't do it on you. I couldn't sit with you. I couldn't helicopter you because I had other things to do. If I had not had those outside things to do, I may have fallen into the trap of doing too much for you. Maybe, Maybe not. But I think it's made me conscious of all of my choices and decisions. Alright, Brantley what your question, 

Brantley (1:04:41) Purified or filtered water. Which one's better? 

Michele (1:04:46) Hmmm, not really know that I care. 

Harrison (1:04:48) That was a 20 question questionnaire. 

Michele (1:04:53) Is that right? You missed it. That's the next podcast. I don't care. I'll drink either. 

Brantley (1:04:57) No, no. 

Michele (1:04:58) I have to choose from... Purified? 

Brantley (1:05:01) Why? 

Michele (1:05:02) Because I don't know the difference and it sounds good and it was first on the list. That's it. 

Brantley (1:05:07) How has H&I influenced your entrepreneurs' attitude? 

Harrison (1:05:12) Whoo. 

Michele (1:05:12) Whoo. That was a good one little B. 

Harrison (1:05:17) That didn't sound like something Brantley would write. 

Michele (1:05:19) Actually it does. Read it one more time. I got too busy laughing at you. 

Brantley (1:05:24) How has H&I influenced your entrepreneurs' attitude? 

Michele (1:05:31) I will tell you what it was... I knew that I set my goals up. I wanted you to see them. And I was from the time that you were little. Your dad and I made a commitment and things started shifting. When I first came home from work there were the moms who worked at corporate, the moms who stayed home. There weren't a lot of moms in the middle who did what I did, which was I'm staying home but I got as we would call it today, a side hustle. That wasn't going on 20 years ago the same way. And so I kind of always felt like I never fit with the other moms, I didn't fit with those that were just staying home. And it didn't really fit with those who were all corporate.

But I also realized that in 20 years, your wives would either want to work, they might need to work for your family to function. And I wanted you to see what that might look like in a different setting than it had to be one way or the other. So I wanted you to see that family could be made up in a multitude of ways, but people doing a multitude of jobs and tasks. And so I think that influenced me being an entrepreneur. And honestly, I wanted to be home with you boys. I could have gone back to corporate at any point. And your dad and I talked about it multiple times throughout the years, but we wanted me to be here when you got off that bus when you came home. I wanted to be here. He wanted me to be here. It was kind of our joint goal for our family and entrepreneurship fit into that, it fits. 

Brantley (1:07:06) The last question, sneeze outright or hold it in and fight it? 

Michele (1:07:09) Oh, sneeze outright? And when I started I got to do about 12 to 16 at a time. 

Brantley (1:07:15) You have a problem. 

Harrison (1:07:16) It's true. Usually at 930 at night. 

Michele (1:07:16) I know. Your dad says that's my superpower. It's about 16 sneezes in a row when I start. 

Harrison (1:07:29) Do you think that's what you were born to do? 

Brantley (1:07:32) How do we do that? 

Michele (1:07:33) Stop we're not harnessing it. 

Harrison (1:07:35) Wait. Let's problem-solve. 

Michele (1:07:37) We just thought right now not going to solve problems.  So um, any other questions that you all have? 

Brantley (1:07:52) I guess what are you most excited to see out of your business? What are you most excited to see in 2020? 

Harrison (1:08:01) Her 30th wedding anniversary. 

Michele (1:08:04) That's true will be my 30th wedding anniversary, but that's not for the business. But my business is going to be buying us a trip to go somewhere for our 30th anniversary. 

Brantley (1:08:12) Not us Harrison. 

No, not you two. You don't get to go. Harrison was like yes. 

Michele (1:08:19) No! Your Dad and I. 

Michele (1:08:22) Yes! A vacation! 

Michele (1:08:24) I think my biggest goal in 2020, honestly is I'm doing a couple of things. I am trying to create more of that time and space that mentioned to do something for myself. And so I've carved out vacation time already for the entire year. I've carved out time to go do watercolor classes, pilates classes, and some other fun stuff so that I can be back to having a little more family-focused than just work. 

Harrison (1:08:53) For President in 2020? 

Brantley (1:08:55) Isn't pilates just fancy stretching? 

Michele (1:08:57) It is and I love it. 

Michele (1:08:58) No, no, go back to the gym. Just go to the gym, dude. 

Harrison (1:09:11) I'm the only one in the family that goes. 

Brantley (1:09:13) You want to know why? 

Michele (1:09:14) I go to pilates. 

Michele (1:09:15) Brantley do you have any further questions? 

Brantley (1:09:17) I'm just excited to be here. 

Michele (1:09:20) Well, thank you boys, I do appreciate you coming and talking and sharing. It's interesting to hear your opinions. Let me ask if I got one last question for you. If a mom or a dad is listening, who has kids and just feeling guilt, about how to manage it all. 

Harrison (1:09:37) How to manage it all? 

Michele (1:09:38) Manage it, how to manage or help the entrepreneurs like the guilt that I told you that I felt, and you were telling me that you guys never really saw the side of it, but I was so worried about that. It didn't bother you. 

Harrison (1:09:52) I would say... What I would do is I think I would go to your kids and say hey... First off, just be honest and ask them if it bothers you that mom or dad work...they say this irritates me, and I'm like this, and just sit down and tell you guys, this is what they do. And if you don't want to work, this is what you don't get. Yeah, we don't do that anymore. You're not going to get this, we're not going to do this. We can't afford to do this. Or, you know, now I get to be with you everywhere you go, you know what I mean? Or now we're going to go outside and play all day long. 

Michele (1:10:25) Right. 

Harrison (1:10:27) Hey, this is what this is. Why mom or this is why dad does this. How does it make you feel? And then explain to be you know, and I'm sure 100% of time unless they're four years old, and 

they don't grasp it yet. But even that maturing, they're saying, Oh, I understand. I get that, and you'll find most kids, just young, most young adults or teenagers, I understand why my mom goes to work and they respect that and they support that. 

Michele (1:10:56) I think that's a great idea than just having a full conversation. 

Brantley (1:10:59) Kids under the age of 13, they're probably not going to understand as much. So when they do get home from work or school, or they get off the bus, they're done with their homework, when they come in to say hello, or take five minutes from work or 10 minutes of work, talk to them about their day, make sure that you're able to unplug, even just for a brief minute to make them feel like, yes, you're working, but work is not more important than them. So if you have to work after dinner, make sure when you eat dinner, you unplug for that 45 minutes that you're sitting down with your dinner. 

Michele (1:11:38) Yeah, that's a good point. 

Harrison (1:11:39) And if they're over the age of 13, they are adults they know better. 

Harrison (1:11:44) Yeah, if they're over the age of 13 just guilt trip them. 

Brantley (1:11:47) Yeah, don't take grief from your kids over the age of 13. They're men. Yeah. And young women. 

Michele (1:11:55) It's a good thing I didn't do that to you. 

Harrison (1:11:59) At 15 you can get a job. 

Starbucks is hiring. 

Harrison (1:12:06) Yeah really, absolutely. And if your kids are not grateful, they're hiring at construction sites. Or take all their shoelaces. 

Michele (1:12:06) Are they really? 

Brantley (1:12:16) Shoelaces. Interesting. 

Michele (1:12:18) Yall are crazy. 

Michele (1:12:21) it's a good thing we didn't do that for you at 13 well thank you both for coming. Thank you for your time today. I love you both very much. And it'll be interesting to see how this entrepreneurial journey... 

Michele (1:12:37) Okay, I'll put it in the comments I'll add a new one, 

Harrison (1:12:39) Yeah, when is this coming out? 

Michele (1:12:41) Soon. 

Brantley (1:12:41) When do we get to hear it? 

Michele (1:12:42) Within three or four weeks? 

Harrison (1:12:43) Three, four weeks? 

Michele (1:12:44) Yeah, so get ready. 

Brantley (1:12:46) By that time I'll forget we even did this. 

Michele (1:12:48) Then we will have to do another. 

Brantley (1:12:49) I'm excited. This is great. I'm ready to do it again. Then I can hear what everybody else hears 

Michele (1:12:58) All right, guys. Thank you.