Ep. 153 - When Your Wife Is the CEO with Craig and Allison Guido
What do you do when your wife is the boss? Is she the same at work and home? And what about if her dad is the owner of the company and you’re coming in as the son-in-law? Lastly, how do you handle succession when you and your spouse have one idea of where to take the company that differs from dad?
We tackle these issues and more as we interview Craig and Allison Guido. A husband and wife team that run a third generation remodeling business in the northeast. They share their successes and challenges of working together, living out a succession, and maintaining work-life balance.
Almar Building and Remodeling https://www.almarbuilding.com/ Married With A Business Website and podcast: https://www.marriedwithabusiness.net/
Instagram: @BizMarried
Twitter: @BizMarried
Email: marriedwbiz@gmail.com
Key Takeaways:
Allison, you’re the CEO of the company. Do your roles stay the same when they get home?
Craig, what’s it like to work for your wife? And what was it like to come into an established family business?
How did you manage to work together well and not let the differences become conflict?
Almar Building and Remodeling is a 3rd generation business. Rarified air considering only 4% of business make it that far. What did you feel was the secret to success from 2nd to 3rd generation?
Any challenges to becoming a women CEO in a male dominated industry? Took over May 2002
What changes if any have there been since you took over?
Craig and Allison worked together in college. He was the boss in college. She became the boss in the business.
Knowing your goals and values helps couples work through differences
Allison wanted to build a sellable business when she took over
Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover was instrumental for them https://www.ramseysolutions.com/store/bundles/the-total-money-makeover-hardcover-book-workbook
“Let’s talk about it on Monday” became the key phrase if business issues were brought up during family time.
Keys to succession. Have a written plan, create timelines, know everyone’s goals, and empathize with the owner that is stepping out.
Never go to bed angry over work. Don’t take it personal.
Bio:
Allison Quinn Guido, joined her family's remodeling business full time in 2002. From the very start her goal has been to build a sell-able business. “I knew I was not going to be the one producing the remodels, so I had to come up with a plan to surround myself with people who could.” From an early age Allison’s parents instilled to always continue to learn – listen to Zig Ziglar tapes in the car on the way to work, including her in industry related conferences in college, and including her immediate involvement in networking, Mastermind, and peer educational programs.
Allison believes that you shouldn’t reinvent the wheel and that we all have something to learn from each other no matter the size of your business or your industry. Married with a Business is another way for her to both spend quality time with Craig and help other couples running business avoid mistakes and find ways to make more money and take more time off together.
When not working on her remodeling company, Almar Building & Remodeling in Hanover Ma. Allison likes being with Craig and their two boys, helping with the Cub Scouts, Town Baseball, Reading, Hiking, and spending time with her friends (now that she has some time to do that).
Craig Guido is a man of many talents and interests. While Allison has always had a laser focus on building her family's business, Craig has had an interest in learning about a variety of different things: photography, radio, baseball. Originally from West Virginia where he worked in radio, Craig relocated to Boston and worked in the Theatrical Lighting Industry before joining the remodeling world.
Want to live a better balanced life and win in marriage AND business at the same time? Purchase our book Tandem: The married entrepreneurs’ guide for greater work-life balance. https://www.thetandembook.com/
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