Navigating the Journey Together: Tips for Husband-Wife Teams
In this week’s Firestarter newsletter, we’re diving into the unique dynamics of working with your spouse. My husband and I opened our business together in 2019, and we quickly discovered that learning to work, live, and parent together 24/7 came with a steep learning curve. Many other husband-wife teams in Fireside have similar experiences, and while it can be challenging, it also brings significant advantages. Here are some more tips to help you thrive as a husband-wife team.
Communicate Openly and Honestly
Maintain clear and open communication about work and personal matters. Regularly check in with each other to ensure you’re both on the same page and address any issues promptly.
Play to Each Other’s Strengths
Identify and leverage each other's strengths. Divide responsibilities based on your individual skills and expertise to maximize efficiency and minimize conflicts.
Set Clear Boundaries
Establish boundaries between work and personal life. Create a schedule that allows time for both work and personal activities, ensuring you don’t bring work-related stress into your personal relationship.
Define Roles and Responsibilities
Clearly outline each person’s roles and responsibilities within the business. This helps prevent overlap and misunderstandings, ensuring that both partners know what is expected of them. In our business, I manage the office, inquiries, and social media, while my husband handles maintenance, repairs, and deliveries.
Respect Each Other’s Space
Allow each other the space to work independently. Trust your partner to handle their tasks without micromanaging, and provide support and encouragement when needed. This was a big one for us!
Celebrate Successes Together
Take the time to celebrate achievements and milestones, both big and small. Acknowledging and enjoying your successes together strengthens your partnership and keeps your motivation high.
RV Industry News
What’s Happening at Fireside
This week at Fireside, we held both our Advisory Board Committee meeting and our monthly franchisee meeting. The Advisory Board, comprising new and veteran franchisees, focuses on protecting franchisee interests and tackling significant projects and decisions. Currently, we're discussing territories, documentation, and contracts.
During our monthly franchisee meeting, we focused on operations, specifically discussing how to find and what to pay cleaners and drivers. We had an open exchange where experienced franchisees shared what works and what doesn't. One memorable story from last night's meeting came from a franchisee who joined us last year. With several years in the RV industry, he shared that he joined Fireside because of the community. He mentioned that after just a one-hour conversation, he learned and implemented new strategies. Learning from peers in this supportive community is what Fireside is all about.
Win of the Week
We're super excited to announce this week's win from Mark and Christine Beasley, owners of Fireside RV Rental - Green Bay, WI, who started with Fireside late last year. They secured two more consignments, including their first fifth wheel! 🤩 Now with 12 units, they also received six new bookings this week, bringing their total to 28 bookings year-to-date. Let's go!! 🔥
RV Rental Secrets
In this episode of the RV Rental Secrets Podcast, I welcome Ali Rasmussen, CEO and Creative Director of Spacious Skies Campgrounds. Ali shares her journey into the campground industry, which began during the pandemic with her husband Eric and their three children. Their RV life adventures became market research, leading them to purchase their first campground in Maine and expand to 15 locations from Maine to Georgia. Ali discusses Spacious Skies Campgrounds' focus on nature, community, and inclusivity, highlighting initiatives like certification with "Black Folks Camp Too" Listen in as Ali offers valuable advice for those aspiring to get into the RV industry.
What I’m Reading
This week, I'm diving into the book Vivid Vision, which I discovered through my women's mastermind group, The Society. They've challenged us to write our own three-year vivid vision using insights from the book. It's a quick way to get started. Imagine stepping into a time machine and emerging three years into the future. As you walk around your company, what do you see? What do you feel? What do you hear? Get as specific as possible, focusing on describing what you observe, not how you got there. I'd love to see what you come up with—feel free to share your vivid vision with me!
Quote of the Week
"I’ve never met somebody who was both skeptical and successful. EVER. As an entrepreneur you need to believe in what you are doing with 100% certainty. It’s the onlt way you’ll survive Decide on Day 1 that you’re going to go all in."
– Russell Brunson
If You Liked This Newsletter…
…and you’re ready to take your RV rental business to the next level, here are a few ways we can help you:
1. Get a FREE copy of ‘My Wheel Estate Story: From Lawnmowers to RV’s, My Entrepreneurial Journey Filled With Faith, Failure and Fun Times’ by Garr Russell, CEO of Fireside RV Rental
2. Take our new Fireside RV Rental Discovery Course to learn more about the Fireside RV Rental Franchise Opportunity.
3. Listen to the RV Rental Secrets Podcast for more tips for starting, running, and growing an RV rental business.