Mixing Family and Business

Real-Life Energizers: What Gets Us Going?

Brian Hahn

Published on: 23/12/2025

In this episode of the Mixing Family and Business podcast, we peeled back the curtain on something most leaders don’t talk about enough, how much our employees teach us. We traded stories about unexpected moments when a team member saved the day, how culture gets shaped by the everyday folks, and why listening is often more powerful than leading. This post expands on those stories and shares some honest takeaways from our years in family business. Trust me, it isn’t all about what you know, but who’s around you.

Mixing Family and Business

The Kindness of Customers: Small Moments, Big Impact

Brian Hahn

Published on: 16/12/2025

Running a family business is an adventure filled with unexpected twists, hard-earned triumphs, and plenty of laughs along the way. In this episode of the Mixing Family and Business podcast, I sat down with Shirley, Tom, and Kim to talk openly about some of the most surprising moments, biggest challenges, and valuable lessons we’ve encountered after years of building, and sometimes re-inventing, our multi-business family endeavor. In this blog post, I’ll take you behind the scenes, sharing personal stories and practical wisdom from our conversation. Whether you’re just starting out or knee-deep in the family business grind, read on for real talk about what it really takes.

Mixing Family and Business

Learning by Example: The Value of Work Ethic in Family Businesses

Brian Hahn

Published on: 09/12/2025

How our family’s journey in entrepreneurship taught us work ethic, responsibility, and the importance of letting kids earn their place. In this week's blog post, I’m digging into the real-life lessons our family learned from running multiple businesses together. Drawing from our recent podcast discussion with Tom, Shirley, and Kim, I’ll share stories about growing up in busy households, working in family-owned stores and restaurants, and teaching kids how to be responsible adults. Whether you’re considering involving your children in your business, want to understand the value of a strong work ethic, or just love real family stories, these insights might help you shape your own family's journey in entrepreneurship.

Mixing Family and Business

Navigating the Best and Worst Advice We Ever Got

Brian Hahn

Published on: 02/12/2025

In this episode, I sat down with Shirley, Kim, and Tom to peel back the layers of our early school days and the ways advice, good and bad, has shaped our lives and businesses. From cramped school buses in rural Iowa to the kitchen tables where pivotal business decisions were made, these stories highlight just how much our upbringing informs our approach to problem-solving and dealing with uncertainty. Here, I’ll dig deeper into those themes, sharing some personal reflections and expanding on approaches to seeking (and filtering) advice that have worked for me.

Mixing Family and Business