Mixing Family and Business

Old-School Tools & New-School Tech: How We Mix It Up in Business

Brian Hahn

Published on: 27/01/2026

Why Some Things Never Change and Why That’s Actually a Good Thing Tech is changing faster than we can keep up, but if you ask me, there are some old habits and tools I just can’t let go of and for good reason. In this week’s podcast, I got together with Kim, Shirley, and Tom to chat about everything from adding machines to QuickBooks, from chicken parts (seriously) to Dairy Queen apps. We laughed about the good old days, traded stories about tech that almost scared us off, and shared tips for anyone feeling in over their head by all the new gadgets. Here’s what stuck out to me after our chat.

Mixing Family and Business

How Fun Fuels Success in Family Business

Brian Hahn

Published on: 20/01/2026

Balancing Hard Work and Play for a Happier Life Running a family business often means long hours, endless responsibilities, and very little downtime, but does it have to be that way? In this episode recap from the Mixing Family and Business Podcast, I (Brian) reflect with Shirley, Kim, and Tom on the importance of carving out space for fun, why even the busiest entrepreneurs need to prioritize joy, and how our own traditions, vacations, and hobbies shaped our personal and professional growth. Join me as I share candid stories and lessons learned from decades in business, revealing how we kept burnout at bay without sacrificing success.

Mixing Family and Business

What Young People Don’t Know: How Work & Customers Have Really Changed

Brian Hahn

Published on: 13/01/2026

An inside look at how running businesses, and serving customers, has evolved over the decades If you’ve ever wondered how much work and customer behavior has changed over the years, this post, based on the latest episode of the Mixing Family and Business Podcast, is for you. As someone who’s operated multiple businesses alongside my family, I’ve witnessed, firsthand, the dramatic shifts in both the nature of our labor and the demands of our customers. With insights from Kim, Tom, and Shirley, let’s go back in time and compare the challenges (and joys) of running businesses from the 1950s to today.

Mixing Family and Business

Mistakes We Made in People Management

Brian Hahn

Published on: 06/01/2026

Stories, Fumbles, and Lessons From Decades of Doing It All -By Hand Every family business has its “back in my day” stories, but when I sat down with Shirley, Tom, and Kim for this week’s podcast, I realized just how wild our journey has been. This week, we dug into the stuff we used to do by hand (and how much we appreciate technology now), the classic mistakes we’ve made in managing people, and all the ways we’ve tripped, learned, and laughed together. Here’s a dose of real talk, with plenty of lessons for anyone running a business (especially if you want to skip a few headaches).

Mixing Family and Business