Q&A With My Hubby | Husbands Supporting Entrepreneur Wives, Taylor Swift, & Sleeve Tattoos
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Valentine's Day isn't just about the grand gestures; it's also about the nuances of love and partnership that flourish in everyday moments. That's exactly what James and Victoria get into in their special Q&A episode. They peel back the curtain on their journey through the complexities of nurturing their relationship in the midst of parenting and professional whirlwinds. The ever-evolving definition of quality time have made them creative with date nights—often finding sanctuary in the quiet hours after the kids have drifted off to sleep.
Taking a leap of faith into the world of entrepreneurship, Victoria shares the transformation of BrandWell from a side hustle to her full-time passion. It's a tale not just of dreams and ambition, but of the meticulous planning, financial savvy, and shared vision necessary for such a bold move. James's unwavering support underscores the conversation, as they talk about needing a partner who's not only your cheerleader but also your anchor in realism when navigating the tumultuous seas of starting a business. They share how a strategic approach to chasing your entrepreneurial dreams can make the journey that much sweeter.
Rounding out the conversation, James and Victoria touch on the delicate balance of motherhood, business leadership, and the importance of supporting one another through it all. Whether it's aligning your family and business goals or stealing moments for a shared chuckle over a TV show, every second counts. Prioritizing each other is not just a Valentine's Day affair—it's a daily commitment that keeps the heart of your relationship beating strong.
James, Welcome to the podcast! [01:12]
After a good, three-year break from being on the podcast, Victoria’s husband, James, is back for a special Valentine’s Day episode. This Q&A episode covers a lot about their relationship and prioritizing it even when they both have their own goals and things they’re trying to accomplish. Let’s get into it.
Rhythms for prioritizing date nights & connectedness [03:26]
Current daily rhythm involves keeping the children alive, putting them down for bed around seven o’clock, and then James and Victoria will sit down and talk or watch a TV show together. In general, this is a busy season of life for them, so it’s hard to prioritize date nights all the time, but since their kids go to bed so early they do get to have quality time together every night. Additionally, because neither of them have family around where they live, Victoria will use babysitters during the week so she can focus on Brand Well, and it can feel excessive to then get another babysitter that night so they can have a date night. Overall, Victoria and James are making the best out of their current season of life and finding time to be at home together. They do go out at least once a month, and they also go on one trip a year without kids.
Rituals never sacrificed as a couple [06:30]
As a couple, this is what James shared: Donuts on Saturday. After the kids go to bed, get something to drink and sit on the couch to talk or watch a show every evening.
Another ritual, that isn’t really together, but valued by both, includes going to the gym. During the week James will go early in the morning, before the girls are awake, but on weekends one will stay home to watch the kids while the other goes to the gym. They support each other in their love of fitness, health and wellness, so even when they have to tag team with the kids, there’s never any resentment. They know and understand that they will both be better once they get their workout in.
As a family, they also prioritize eating dinner together at the table.
Wisdom for other husbands during the business startup tunnel [08:58]
James’ personality is that of a realist, where he would rather assume the worst and be pleasantly surprised vs. expect too much and be disappointed. So for him, and other husbands with similar personalities, there needs to be very clear goals and an outline for them. Know the answers to the hard questions on how long you're willing to sacrifice income or stability in order to chase the dream, or what happens if you don’t reach the goal you set? For James, it was important to be in the position where they were stable financially and for Victoria to be able to lay out exactly how many websites would have to be sold. Husbands obviously want to support their wives, but sometimes the ambiguity needs to go away in order for them to get behind it.
James’ perspective on how Victoria has evolved since owning BrandWell [14:37]
James shares that Victoria has definitely grown in leadership, especially with leading her team. Additionally, Victoria has been a very intentional mother since starting BrandWell. It hasn’t taken from her job as a mom, but it’s almost made the time that she spends with the girls that much better.
Words of advice for husbands supporting entrepreneur wives [20:05]
Being supportive of someone you love is pretty self-explanatory, but what is helpful for the husband is having clear goals, boundaries, and a plan for what's going to happen. It’s easier to get behind something if you know what the end goal is, how you’re going to get there, and at what point you need to reevaluate. For husbands that don’t quite understand entrepreneurship and why it’s all consuming, think of it as whatever your passion is. Whether it’s a hobby, sports, or whatever you do after work hours that you enjoy. That passion is what entrepreneurship is to people starting businesses. Try and frame it this way so that you can try and also get excited about the little wins and things that they’re really passionate about, just like you would about the topics you enjoy after work.
Update on the New House & Basement Reno [23:01]
It’s definitely a home that gives them enough room to grow into and now they’re deep into a basement refinish, so there’s always new projects to do here and there. Victoria shares that this is her dream home and a dream street to live on.
James’ family worked in construction, so he’s taking on the basement renovation mostly himself, and it’s a big satisfaction to be able to say “I did this myself”. This is a big project that they get to collaborate on together and while James handles the construction side, Victoria brings her design skills. This ties into previous conversations about connectedness, but this is a fun project for them to design together and plan for the future.
How to prioritize time with the husband when starting your own business [28:08]
When Victoria was starting BrandWell, James was in PA school. Every night, James would be laying on the guestroom floor with a textbook, studying, and Victoria would be on her laptop designing websites. It was a sweet season, even though they were both in the thick of it, but they were able to envision their future together. At the time, they didn’t have any kids, so it was just them working individually towards their own goals, but also getting to do it together.
It really comes down to structuring your time and knowing what your priorities are. If it’s your husband, then it’s going to come down to possibly waking up earlier and working then so you can spend time with your husband in the evenings, or figuring out something that works best for your situation.
James’ honest opinion on Taylor Swift [30:59]
For the Swifties out there, James is happy you’re happy. He’s also annoyed that you’ll be so interested in the Super Bowl this year. James is ready for her to stay within the music realm and stay out of sports for a bit, although he does mention that it’s not entirely her fault. While he doesn’t seek out her music, he also doesn’t shut it off if it’s already playing. He may not understand the hype, and he’d prefer you to keep it in your headphones, but he’s also fairly neutral.
Victoria has been an OG Swiftie. Fun fact, she actually owns one of Taylor Swift’s guitars! Victoria gets the hype so please don’t unsubscribe to The Branding Business School Podcast because of James’ unpopular opinion.
Key Quotes
“When you're feeling like there's not enough time for the things that you love, it's usually just because you're not actually prioritizing those things.”
Victoria Marcouillier
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