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Hi there,
This week, I want to start with one of the hardest lessons Patty and I learned in business: selling the company was not nearly as simple as we thought it would be.
After years of building, growing, and preparing for what we hoped would be a successful exit, the process tested us in ways we did not expect. Due diligence dragged on, the deal nearly fell apart, and we learned very quickly that preparation matters long before a buyer ever shows up.
In this issue, I’m sharing what I wish we had known before selling, along with a few reminders about building a business with your spouse without losing sight of the marriage that matters most.
📰 Upcoming in this issue
The $1M Lesson We Learned Selling Our Business
Building a Business Together Without Losing Each Other ❤️
Why Patty and I Created Married & Working Together 🚀
📈 Trending news
The $1M Lesson We Learned Selling Our Business
Selling a business is often the single most important financial event in an owner’s life. Ask Mike and Patty. After spending more than 1 year in due diligence and throwing in the towel, we finally closed the deal in October of 2020. And that was only after we took a 1M COVID-19 haircut at the last minute.
Had we prepared some more ahead of the transaction, things may have gone smoother.
Below is a list of suggestions we would like to offer for any of our readers today.
Audited, or reviewed financial statements for the latest year that taxes were filed. Especially if you are contemplating a transaction withing the next 12 months.
Make sure that your financials are nice and clean. Even down to the GL accounts. This includes your A/R and A/P schedules. During quality of earnings you can get ripped apart at this phase.
Don’t get distracted with the sale. Pay attention to the day to day. We almost blew it here, by celebrating too soon.
The highest headline number isn’t always the best deal. The cultural fit of the acquiring firm is almost as important as the price you are looking for.
Don’t put off going to market because you are doing so well. We overlooked a 20M offer only four years into the business and then took much less years later. You can always wait out a non-compete and go for another round.
And finally, but most importantly, hire an advisor. But, not just any advisor, one that specializes in and has a great track record in your industry.
Building a Business Together Without Losing Each Other ❤️ read the full 650-word article here
Article published: May 28, 2026
After reading “Unlimited Possibilities” by The Manila Times, I was drawn less to the business success and more to the partnership behind it.
Kate Hancock and Daniel Robbins demonstrate something many entrepreneurial couples hope to achieve: building a thriving business while growing a strong marriage at the same time. Their story is not presented as a perfect journey. Instead, it openly acknowledges the financial setbacks, uncertainty, difficult decisions, and emotional pressures that come when spouses choose to build something together.
What fascinated me most was how their success was rooted in a shared belief that neither their circumstances nor other people's expectations would define their future. Together, they launched businesses across multiple industries, navigated challenges that could have easily divided them, and continued moving forward as a team.
The article serves as a reminder that the true power of a husband-and-wife business is not simply financial success—it is having a partner who shares both the risks and the rewards of building a life together.
Key Takeaways
❤️ A strong marriage can become a business advantage: Shared trust, commitment, and vision help couples navigate challenges that often derail entrepreneurs.
🤝 Success is built through partnership, not perfection: The article highlights how setbacks and uncertainty became opportunities for growth together.
🚀 Building together creates deeper alignment: Couples who pursue common goals often strengthen both their business and their relationship.
🌎 Shared ambition can expand possibilities: When spouses support each other's vision, they can accomplish far more than either might alone.
Heartfelt Tip of the Week: Don’t go to bed mad. After 25 years as business owners and nearly 50 years of marriage, we’ve learned that not every disagreement needs a winner. Sometimes one person has to concede, whether right or wrong, because what matters most is waking up on the same page, smiling, and ready for a new day of life and work together.
Why Patty and I Created Married & Working Together 🚀 read the full 1,040-word article here
Article published: November 22, 2025
When I wrote “New Here? This Is What Married & Working Together Is All About,” my goal was simple: explain why Patty and I believe couples can build extraordinary lives together when they are aligned around a shared vision.
Over the years, I have watched too many people accept the idea that success at work comes at the expense of success at home. Our experience taught us something different. We built a company from a modest investment, grew it across more than 40 states, and eventually achieved a successful exit—all while building a life together.
That journey showed me that communication, trust, and collaboration are not just relationship skills. They are business skills.
This publication exists to help couples strengthen both. Through practical tools, real-world experiences, and lessons learned along the way, I hope to show that you do not have to choose between a strong marriage and big ambitions. You can build both.
Key Takeaways
❤️ Strong marriages are built intentionally: Lasting partnerships grow through communication, clarity, trust, and continuous improvement.
🤝 Alignment creates momentum: Couples who share goals and support each other often accomplish far more together.
📈 Business and relationship skills overlap: Communication, planning, accountability, and teamwork drive success in both areas.
🚀 Ordinary couples can build extraordinary things: With the right foundation, marriages can become platforms for businesses, legacies, and lifelong impact.
We will take you our journey over the years if you choose YES.
Why It Matters
Building a business with your spouse is not always clean, easy, or perfectly balanced. Some days are exciting. Some days are exhausting. And some days, one of you has to choose peace over being right.
But when you stay aligned, keep talking, and remember why you started, the journey can become about more than the business. It becomes about the life you are building together.
If you found this helpful, reply YES and Patty and I will continue taking you through more of our journey over the years.
Michael Lamia
Author, Married and Working Together
Passionate about building businesses together with the ones we love the most.
