We Work With 20-Year-Olds - What We’ve Learned From Hiring Gen Z

We Work With 20-Year-Olds - What We’ve Learned From Hiring Gen Z

We Work With 20-Year-Olds - What We’ve Learned From Hiring Gen ZBrian Hahn
Published on: 08/07/2025

In this week’s episode, we took a heartfelt journey from nostalgic childhood Fourth of July celebrations on the farm to the intricacies and surprises of working with Gen Z in today’s world. As family business owners who've witnessed generations come and go, we reflected on what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and what we’ve learned from the newest generation entering the workforce. Here’s a deeper dive into our conversation, filled with stories, observations, and insights into bridging generational gaps while running family businesses.

Mixing Family and Business
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Staying Local While Growing: How Our Family Business Keeps Community at the Heart

Staying Local While Growing: How Our Family Business Keeps Community at the Heart

Staying Local While Growing: How Our Family Business Keeps Community at the HeartBrian Hahn
Published on: 01/07/2025

In this week’s blog, I reflect on our latest “Mixing Family and Business” podcast episode with Tom, Shirley, and Kim. We dug into the past—reminiscing about simpler times growing up, celebrating holidays (or not!), and how business was more personal when towns were smaller and family-run. As our grocery stores and Dairy Queens grew to serve wider regions, I explore how we’ve worked hard to maintain the community connections that started it all. From supporting local charities to building strong neighborhood teams, here’s how our businesses have evolved without losing that “small town” heart.

Mixing Family and Business
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From Family Barbecues to Barcode Scanners: Reflecting on Memorial Day, Technology, and Change in Business

From Family Barbecues to Barcode Scanners: Reflecting on Memorial Day, Technology, and Change in Business

From Family Barbecues to Barcode Scanners: Reflecting on Memorial Day, Technology, and Change in BusinessBrian Hahn
Published on: 24/06/2025

In this week’s episode of the Mixing Family and Business podcast, I sat down with Kim, Tom, and Shirley for a lively and nostalgic conversation about our early Memorial Day traditions and the dramatic arc of technology in our businesses. We took a walk down memory lane, recalling simpler times and summer holidays before diving into how our lives and livelihoods have transformed with each wave of innovation. Here’s an expanded look at some of the key points, lessons, and laughs we shared about adapting to change—both as families and entrepreneurs.

Mixing Family and Business
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Balancing Family, Business, and the Holidays

Balancing Family, Business, and the Holidays

Balancing Family, Business, and the HolidaysBrian Hahn
Published on: 17/06/2025

What does it really take to keep a family business thriving during the holidays? As part of this week’s "Mixing Family and Business" podcast, we reminisced about Mother’s Days gone by, debated the value of celebrating on the actual day, and shared the strategies (and stumbles) that have helped us manage both family togetherness and business demands across generations. In this blog post, I expand on those conversations, adding my own thoughts on what truly matters when you’re trying to keep both your store and your family gatherings running smoothly during the festive—and frantic—holiday season.

Mixing Family and Business
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