I’ve read the description of the panel you’re on, but in your own words, what will you be discussing at Couples Who Eat, Sleep & Build Businesses Together?
We both lost our NYC jobs in the recession of 2008, and like many people had to reassess what our future was going to look like. We de-camped to a small farming community in upstate NY and by working with our neighbors built our farm and company called Beekman 1802, which now develops content and sells products all over the world that are inspired by our life in Sharon Springs, NY. For our panel at SXSW this year we are thrilled to share our trials and tribulations of going from being married to our city careers to being inseparable 24/7.
Did you all grow up in the area? How much experience did you have before starting Beekman 1802?
Josh grew up in rural Wisconsin and Brent in rural NC. We both moved to NYC in our early 20s. Josh was in advertising, and Brent first came to complete his medical residency at Columbia and then his MBA at NYU. So during our lives, we had developed lots of skill sets that miraculously came together at the right time and the right place.
What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses that you and Josh bring to the table? How do your compatibilities support your business?
Brent is the eternal optimist—Josh calls it “magical thinking.” Josh tends to be the more analytical one almost to the point of decision paralysis. We have what we call the 51% rule, so if there are areas of the company that Josh is more passionate about, he gets the extra 1% and thus the final decision-making capability if we are at an impasse. If you look at the various divisions of the company, Brent has the 51% over our magazine, the beauty/skincare category, and home decor. Josh oversees food and garden.
What was the most significant risk Y’all took for Beekman 1802?
We always say that desperation is the best motivation. Because of the financial circumstances, we found ourselves in, and we had no choice but to give it a try. The most courageous step was probably taking up the offer to run The Amazing Race in 2012. Winning that was what helped us pay off the mortgage on the farm and gave us the security to take our business to the next level.
What would you say to those looking to start a business with their significant other?
The undoing of any couple—romantic or professional—is lack of communication. Establish the environment where there is no embarrassment or anxiety about saying what is on your mind. You may be thin-skinned at first, but over time you’ll accept that the voicing of an opinion or a desire is not detrimental to a relationship, but the erosion that happens from keeping something unvoiced can be.
Who should attend this panel? And what do you hope the audience to take away?
Anyone with an entrepreneurial yearning will walk away with a lot of inspiration to fuel their ambitions.
Saturday, March 10
5 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Westin Austin Downtown, Paramount
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Feature image: Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash