If you're not flexible, you're breakable.
Every relationship is going to go through hardship. Every business plan is going to have a flaw. It’s impossible for us to master relationships or entrepreneurship perfectly the first time. It’s even harder for us to master them at the same time.
There’s this misconception that a lot of people have that you have to choose your family over your career (or vice-versa). While there’s always going to be some give-and-take when it comes to managing different areas of your life, it is possible to have a healthy marriage while running a business.
It all comes down to the power of flexibility and the importance of intimacy.
Any relationship will experience some sort of circumstance that requires each person to adapt. Maybe COVID-19 has kept you and your partner apart or together 24/7 — either way, your relationship will need to grow. It’s the same with business! COVID-19 has greatly impacted businesses around the world — everywhere, people are adjusting strategies, plans, and core values of their companies due to the pandemic. Flexibility is key.
You also gotta know the person you’re with. You need to be best friends. You need to be able to be vulnerable with each other and understand how the other person loves and needs to be loved. With your business, you need to know what the company’s core values are. You need to spend time thinking and reflecting on how you can inspire employees and consumers to believe in your vision.
Today on The School of Greatness, I have power couple Sara Blakely and Jesse Itzler to teach us all about what makes marriages and businesses successful.
Sara Blakely is the founder and CEO of SPANX, Inc. Spanx is known for inventing smarter, more comfortable products for women including bras, apparel, undies, and, of course, shapewear. Sara was selected as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the world and has been featured on the cover of countless magazines. In support of her mission to empower women, Sara created The Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation. She committed to donate half of her wealth to charity. Today, Sara still owns 100% of the company and has never taken outside investments.
Author and entrepreneur Jesse Itzler only eats fruit ’til noon, loves the hip-hop group Run-D.M.C., and enjoys living life “out of the box.” He’s the author of the New York Times bestseller, Living with a Seal, and he co-founded Marquis Jet, the world’s largest private jet company which he and his partner sold to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets. Jesse then partnered with Zico coconut water, which he and his partner sold to The Coca-Cola Company. When he’s not running ultra-marathons, eating vegan food or being a dad to his four kids, Jesse can be found at the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks games, where he’s an owner of the team. He is married to Spanx founder Sara Blakely.
I’ve had the pleasure of having them on The School of Greatness before, and I encourage you to check those interviews to learn more about these incredible people! Check out Episodes 652 and 300 to learn more from Jesse and listen to Episodes 612 and 397 to learn more from Sara!
But for now, join me on Episode 946 to learn from both Sara Blakely and Jesse Itzler on how to invest in a successful marriage and win at entrepreneurship.
Some Questions I Ask:
- What have you learned about each other during the quarantine? (1:21)
- How do you stay humble in success? (10:11)
- How do you manage energy? (16:12)
- What’s a new entrepreneurial skill you’ve learned in this time? (29:41)
- When was the moment Jesse knew that Sara was the right partner? (34:25)
- What’s the most important conversation to have before you get married? (43:21)
- How do you cultivate intimacy in an entrepreneurial lifestyle? (49:31)
In this episode, you will learn:
- How understanding the different styles of processing will help you create (3:10)
- Why focusing on success through different avenues will help you (14:31)
- How planning factors into good energy (19:31)
- How to stay connected in this time of separation (26:18)
- How people who invest in a message of comfort will win right now (29:10)
- How to be flexible in a marriage (37:39)
- How important humor is (41:41)
- How essential intimacy is (50:21)
- Plus much more…
Show Notes:
Transcript of this Episode
Music Credits:
Music Credit:
Kaibu by Killercats
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