E552: Clear Roles and Communication – The Keys to a Successful Business with Your Spouse

In this episode, Chris and Julia Tunstall share their journey of building a successful brand in the cocktail industry, what it's like to have your spouse as a business partner and a few tips on how they make it work.    Chris and Julia Tunstall are the owners of the brand, A Bar Above, and have been friends of mine in the industry for longer than I can remember.   I've invited them on the podcast today to find out their entrepreneurial story, and how they manage to stay business partners together through 10 years of being in the business together.    Spoiler alert: it takes a whole lot of effective communication, trust, and a clear list of roles and responsibilities between each other. Ultimately, they emphasize the importance of finding a system that works for both partners and playing to each other's strengths.   The Big Takeaways Here's a few of the big key points from this episode:  Creating a high-quality experience for your customers, whether a physical or a digital product, can lead to customer loyalty and repeat purchases. If you sell B2B, you'll know that there's a problem if they make a complaint.  Focusing on customer satisfaction and providing exceptional products can lead to long-term success. Clear roles and responsibilities are crucial for a successful partnership, especially if you're working with your spouse.  Effective communication and trust are key to navigating the dynamics of being both business and life partners. Understanding and respecting each other's working styles can help create a harmonious working relationship.   Timestamps  00:00 - Introduction and Background 03:09 - Transition from Education to Physical Products 07:23 - Expanding Product Line and B2B Market 12:23 - Innovative Experiences for Consumers 19:08 - Customer Satisfaction and Future Growth 20:32 - The Impact of Reviews on Product Success 21:23 - The Importance of Consistent Branding 22:16 - The Evolution of Launch Strategies 23:26 - Appreciating Well-Designed Websites 24:41 - The Challenges of Working with a Spouse 28:12 - Navigating the Dynamics of Being Business and Life Partners 30:48 - The Pressure of Being the Sole Income Provider 32:34 - Understanding and Respecting Different Working Styles   Chris and Julia, thank you again for coming on the podcast! It was nice catching up with you again, and I look forward to meeting you both in Vegas soon.   If any listeners would like to have a discussion about this, let me know by emailing us directly at [email protected].   Also, if you have any questions or any topics you’d like us to discuss on the podcast, you can email us directly as well! We would really appreciate it if you would leave us a review on iTunes.    Thanks for listening!