Pregnancy, Marriage, Parenting & Building a Life Together | The Winegards Ep. 6

In Episode 6 of The Winegards Podcast, Eric and Alexis Winegard dive into pregnancy, emotional maturity, marriage, parenting, work ethic, and what it really takes to build a life together.

Alexis opens up about the physical realities of pregnancy, while Eric reflects on emotional regulation, childhood experiences, financial struggles, and how adversity shapes character. Together, they discuss the importance of perspective, communication, emotional control, and why successful relationships require trust, honesty, and teamwork.

This episode covers:
• Pregnancy changes and preparing for parenthood
• Emotional maturity and conflict resolution
• Growing up with financial hardship
• Jealousy, envy, and personal growth
• Why hard work changes people
• Working together as husband and wife
• Leadership dynamics in marriage and business
• How they plan to parent their daughter Sophia
• Masculine and feminine roles in relationships
• The truth about building wealth together

Eric and Alexis also share behind-the-scenes stories about starting businesses together, navigating difficult seasons, and why they believe strong couples must grow together instead of apart.

This episode is honest, funny, reflective, and full of practical relationship wisdom for couples, entrepreneurs, future parents, and anyone focused on becoming a better version of themselves.

Subscribe to The Winegards Podcast for authentic conversations about marriage, business, family, leadership, and personal growth.

Follow Alexis Winegard:
Instagram: @alexiswinegardofficial

Follow Eric Winegard:
Instagram: @ericwinegardofficial

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Instagram: @the_winegards

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello, everybody. Welcome to another episode of The Wine Guards. I am one of your hosts, Alexis Weingard, and we're here with my husband, Eric.

SPEAKER_02 0:09

What'd it do, baby?

SPEAKER_00 0:11

What'd it do?

SPEAKER_02 0:13

All right.

SPEAKER_00 0:13

I'm good. Really wearing a prominent or predominant like you can see everything right now.

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Yeah, there's no hiding pregnancy now.

SPEAKER_00 0:22

I felt like it was just and it's pink. So it goes on, it's on theme.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

What are some of your physical pregnancy limitations right now? Like the sleep, talk about the sleeping thing with the pillow.

SPEAKER_00 0:36

Yeah, so I'm definitely starting to feel lower back pain in general.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

She walks around like this.

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Sometimes I'm like, ugh, it's just like extra support. But I'm definitely starting to feel like lower back pain in general. And I used to always make fun of you for putting a pillow in between your legs. And I did buy the pregnancy pillow, but they're so big. Like I'll show you later. It's probably it wraps all around you. And I like to touch you, so I don't that's my resistance to it. But we should just see what it looks like, and you're gonna be like, this is freaking huge. But the limitations are definitely like sleeping's getting harder right now, just because like I have to like go to the bathroom more frequently, and my back really hurts, so I just can't get comfortable, honestly. And then I get out of breath, so my uh endurance is not there right now.

SPEAKER_01 1:25

Yeah, the so I hurt my back, my lower back hurt me when I was probably 32 years old. I had like a little slip disc, and that's when the chiropractor, whatever, whoever, whatever back doctor told me a few things, and one of them is sleeping on your side with a pillow in between. So it's one of the ways that I've had my lower back not feel painful for the past 14 years, and you used to always make fun of me about it.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

You're like, I ain't got that pillow, well, because it's funny, you like take the pillow and you like throw it under the sheets, and it's just like a whole thing. I guess my dad does it too, though.

SPEAKER_01 1:59

Does he?

SPEAKER_02 2:00

Yeah, well, it really helps.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

Yeah, I mean, maybe I'll never go back. I don't know. I just I get warm though. Like this morning I was warm. I was like, get that thing away from me. It was just an extra thing.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Can we talk about your hair extensions?

SPEAKER_00 2:12

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

They look beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

You like them?

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:15

Yeah, so I let my my girl Jules, she's such a doll. It was actually her first time she's ever installed them. So she's been asking, she's like, I really want to practice on somebody. Can I practice on you? And I'm like, sure, of course. Um, but there's like a few things that she has to fix and she's still learning, so I'm actually going back tomorrow um just to make it a little more blend blended. And then also I'm gonna trim them. They're a little long for me right now. Um, they're still really pretty, and she did a good job. And if you have a hairdresser that wants to practice something like that on you, just give them grace because it's their first time, and you know me, I'm just like, it's just hair. Like she, you know, I could tell she felt like under pressure a little bit, like because she's a perfectionist. I mean, that's why I'm there for so long, because she really cares about like the outcome of everything. But I I'm chill. I was like, girl, nothing like it's not like you're shaving my head, you know, it's it's just hair.

SPEAKER_01 3:11

I don't know if we've ever talked about this, but how are you so chill with things? Like, dude, this girl, this beautiful you're not a girl anymore. I remember I said that this young woman, when I met her, she was a girl. Today she's a woman. And you know, you're you're you are pretty chill. Like, I guess you have freaked out like a couple times here and there about just random girl stuff, maybe two or three times over the years. But like, even at the wedding, like what after we had our ceremony, it started immediately afterwards, it started pouring rain out in the beach of Mexico, and and everybody kind of got scattered, and it really kind of created some confusion for the wedding party, and a couple of my buddies accidentally thought they had to change, and they it just kind of goofed things up a little bit. Dude, you didn't freak out at all. How how how do you keep your composure?

SPEAKER_00 4:03

Um, I think I touched on this a little bit on the last episode. I think I've given myself so much self-talk over the years that it's just big bigger picture, right? Like, what was the bigger picture that day of the wedding? I think it's important before getting frustrated. Like, what's the bigger picture, right? Because I could have sat there and I could have gotten frustrated at your roomsmen for going and changing out of their suits before we took certain pictures, right? Like I could have sat there and got frustrated that it rained and we missed my cocktail hour. Like, but what was the bigger picture of that day? Well, the bigger picture of that day was you and I celebrating each other, being in love, being married, having our closest people with us, being in a beautiful place in the world. Like the bigger picture was like the actual celebration. And I used to do event planning, so I feel like, you know, I just know it's there's something that's not gonna go a hundred percent. It's just how it is. It doesn't mean that it's not gonna go perfect, but like like with anything in life, like there's human error and there's things that we can't control. So like I think it's just like I'm chill about things that I know where there's human error and I know where there's things I can't control. Because I don't think that there was any intention to like mess up that day from your groomsman, right? Like they were just like, oh, let me go change my outfits, whatever. They were pouring, they were stuck in the rain. I couldn't control the weather. So, like, what was there to get upset about? Yeah, you know, and overall it was like it was about me and you at the end of the day, and I was like, that that's what matters.

SPEAKER_01 5:34

So it's impressive though, because m most most women just when it comes to events like that, they they would freak out. I mean freak out.

SPEAKER_00 5:44

But what does it do?

SPEAKER_01 5:47

Well, I I know you say what does it do, but sometimes you can't I mean control the emotion, I guess. Yeah, I go I go back and I go back and forth on this. Like I used to tell my mom when I was younger um that because I used to have I used to really lash out emotionally. And I and I used to really struggle with her and it because I used to say, Mom, I can't control how I feel. And she would always say, No, no, no, you can, no, no, no, no, you can. And I kind of go back and forth on that because I don't know. I don't know if you I think you it's a matter of being through a a bunch of those hot moments where you still feel it. You're just like, I'm not gonna let it get the best of me. Like, I feel like you have to make a con, or at least I do. I have to make a conscious effort to go, uh, it's just not even worth it.

SPEAKER_00 6:40

Well, I'm not saying that I don't feel the things, right? Like, I mean, there was like a certain instance the day before at the rehearsal that annoyed me. Like there was something that annoyed me leading up to the rehearsal. I felt annoyed, like, and I had a right to feel annoyed because that was what my body and my emotions were telling me. But how did I handle how I felt? Like I just it was like, okay, I'm I know that I'm feeling annoyed because of this, because of the rehear whatever it was leading up to the rehearsal. There's no point in getting into the detail. But yeah, I think you can still feel the things. How do you articulate it though? Like, what was I gonna do? Explode on the person that annoyed me? Like, probably not.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

No, it's impressive. Yeah, we did touch about it a lot on the last podcast. I think, I don't know, I think parts of your childhood, you know, you certainly had some ups and downs in your childhood for sure. I mean, I would say overall, though, you were raised very well. Like your mom and dad did a hell of a job. Like you, Marcus and Paige are like very good human beings.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

Thank you. Yeah, I mean, I think we had a good, I mean, there's always, you know, they they used to say to us, there's always gonna have there's always gonna be someone that has it better than you, and always gonna be someone that has it worse than you. So I think it's really just perspective at that point, right? And I mean, like, sure, like compared to the other people that I grew up with, one would argue like I had it pretty tough because I was around all these other like affluent families, though at least in my my core circle.

SPEAKER_03 8:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:08

But but then you compare that to the rest of the world. Like it was it that bad? Probably, you know, like there's it and and that's not to just take away from like someone's situation, right? Like, you know, I think about people or like they maybe are in a situation financially where they have all this money and then all of a sudden they don't. Like, just because at one point that they did come from a place like that doesn't mean that they can't feel some type of way, like that's their situation, you know, because there's like some people where it's like I think I used to actually have a really bad mindset around this, by the way, because there was a part of me, and I don't know if envy is the right word, but like to make a long story short, there was like my my family had financial challenges at one point when I was in high school. And I definitely had some type of like uh not jealous, but I I did kind of envy people who did weren't going through what I was going through, right? Because like we had to like move from my childhood house. Like at one point we went from like only having one car for our family. Like there was there was things that changed. And like I looked around at all the other people around me and I was like, this fucking sucks. And like there was envy, right? But like, you know, there was a time and I got into a fight with one of the girls that I was really close friends with because um, and this is such a like now if she were to hear this, like it's such a stupid story. We were young and I like got a babysitting job that she had also babysat for the family. And I made like a really, you know, now looking back on it, I I made like an emotional statement to her because she was like, Well, I wasn't gonna get a job because I thought I was gonna have the babysitting job. And I was like, Well, I don't get everything handed to me. I have to work for it. And like, you know, she whatever that was my interpretation of whatever her situation was. But at the same time, like, that was her situation. Like, great, good for her. Like, now looking back on it as an adult, that was me just that was an emotional reaction on her part. No, that is her, yeah, yeah. And I recognized that. Like, and we like we lost our friendship. Like, there were other, you know, like it we were young, whatever, but like I'm now acknowledging as an adult, like as a kid, that wasn't the right reaction.

SPEAKER_01 10:23

And that and the two of you splintered after that.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

Yeah, I mean, it's high school too, right? So, like, I'm not saying I was like, I'm sure I wasn't a golden angel in high school. Like, I'm sure I had my moments and I'm sure I was mean, and you know, like you're going through puberty and there's all these hormones, and girls can be clicky, and I'm sure there was a lot of other variables.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

I mean, you're the hottest girl in class.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

Okay, well, that's not you're so dumb. Um definitely were. But like I just I don't know. Like, I mean, I'm looking back on it now and I'm like I'm acknowledging in that moment, like I didn't handle that well. You know, like she couldn't help that she uh had a more promising situation. I I I guess I was envious, you know, and I made a comment that I shouldn't have made. I was young, but that was a moment when I didn't handle things so well. You know, I would never say that now, but then you know, my brain wasn't like probably fully developed. So that's an example of I wasn't always like this.

SPEAKER_01 11:22

Yeah, and envy's a envy's a weird thing because I I don't know if I have a lot of jealousy in my bones. I don't know if it's naturally me. I I felt it, don't get me wrong. Um, you know, there there was one time there was this salesperson at CGI that I felt like, well, there's a few of them that I felt were getting, you know, I felt like I was the best, and they were kind of getting like certain opportunities that were better than me. And and like I get that's probably a form of jealousy, right? Yeah um, but I think the reason but the way I respond to those kinds of things, like if somebody has more than me or whatever it is, I just um I I just lock myself in the basement for eight months, you know, figuratively, right? Like I just I just do something about it. Um, that's um it's just part of maturity. I think most 17-year-old girls I think I was even younger than that, honestly.

SPEAKER_00 12:25

Six, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

I mean, come on, jealousy's probably a common emotion.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Yeah, yeah. No, for me though, I was like, and I if this this happened for me too into like high school and college. Like it was just really hard to be around for me personally, and I acknowledge this. It was really hard for me to be around people whose like financial situations were what mine was. That was like something that was really hard for me.

SPEAKER_01 12:49

Because wait, say that again.

SPEAKER_00 12:52

I was always around people whose like, you know, like families, like they did well, like they were supported.

SPEAKER_01 12:56

Got a lake house.

SPEAKER_00 12:58

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 12:58

Tight family, sure.

SPEAKER_00 12:59

Like probably didn't have college debt, whatever it might be. In high school and in college, I really struggled. Like, I of course I was friends with those people because like they were, you know, I don't know, I mean, not of course, but like we had stuff in common. We come from similar areas. You and I come from an area that like there is like mostly middle class people, right? Middle class to upper class, like whatever you want to call it, middle, upper.

SPEAKER_03 13:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:23

Um, but I really struggled when my family, their financial trajectory changed. I really struggled, like it really frustrated me because it was hard for me not to compare my life to what it was, and like seeing like, well, why didn't it why did this have to happen? Not like woe is me, but like it was hard to be around like the people that could keep the country club membership. And I know that this sounds like a first world problem.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

Like, and it is, but but but a lot of people here in this understand it.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

Yeah, but that's what I mean too. Like that was my situation. Like, if something similar were to happen to somebody, like you can't shame them for it if you never had it. Like that was their experience. So, like if I were to meet somebody now and that all of a sudden something changed for them, and if it was something like let's just say that someone like had a private jet and they're like, Yeah, we had to sell the private jet. Like, I'm not just gonna sit here and say, Well, I mean, at least you had the private jet. Like, yeah, that's probably a transition for them. You know what I mean? So I acknowledge that everybody has different positions in their life, but at the time I got super frustrated. So the reason why I brought that up is because I haven't always been so calm and like in control of my emotions with that stuff.

SPEAKER_01 14:34

Let me ask you, and I want you to sit on the answer, and I really want you to think this through. So Alexis's parents are the coolest people in the world, the most loving people in the world. They had um did really well financially and had a couple hiccup had a had a had a hiccup during your high school period, right? Financially. Do you think that you and I, if they never if you if you never went through that, think about who you are and the person you may have become or not become. Do you think I mean you end up having such a bond or a connection together?

SPEAKER_00 15:15

I do.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

Because I think my mom, she came from like you know, she grew up on a farm. Um but she wasn't ever introduced to that life till she met my dad. So like she my mom didn't try sushi. The good life. The good life. Yeah, the good life. She didn't try sushi or get her for a real predicure or manicure until she was in her early twenties. Like I got that when I was probably 13, 14, 15. You know? So do I think that you and I you pr yeah, I do, because she kept me grounded. Like even when it was like, you know, back to school shopping, there was like limitations. It wasn't like, oh yeah, honey, like go rack up daddy's credit card, get whatever you want. Like that she still kept like boundaries and limitations. So I do think so. I think that they did a good job regardless in all of it. Like, we did do really nice vacations, but in terms of like materialism and stuff like that, that was never like a huge part of my life, honestly. And I think because we had like opposites, you know, you came from more humble and then like worked your way up. Whereas I had the opposite, like I like was born into that and then it kind of went away. I think I I don't, you know, this is such an interesting conversation. Like, what would what is harder? I don't know, but everyone's version of heart is different. I think that I go back and forth on the answer though. Is it worse when you know what something's like and then it gets taken away from you? Or is it worse when like you don't have it at all and then you get it? And I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

My mother had zero extra money. Zero. When I was 10 years old, I remember like during Christmas and my birthdays, I remember she would really get stressed out. And I remember that on the holidays, which are supposed to be these wonderful times, and my mom was like spending the last $200 she could find, like it would really it never felt good because she was always incredibly stressed out.

SPEAKER_03 17:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:16

Right. So I remember I had a conversation with her when I was 10 years old. I said, Mom, I go, I would rather have you take that $200 and put it towards rent or food. I go, I don't, I don't want you to be stressed out.

SPEAKER_00 17:29

Yeah, it's like not enjoyable when you like have to feel the stressors from it.

SPEAKER_01 17:34

So from from then on, there was never a happy birthday, there was never a Merry Christmas. It was always, you know, I just we just learned to kind of be silent during those days. It was just another day. You know, and my mom, I think, would intentionally work on Christmas to avoid it, to avoid it, yep, to avoid it. And I'm sure it broke her heart. But you know, when we were once I was the age where I can work, I don't know what that is, 14 or 15, I don't know. Like, I immediately got a job. So I was pushing carts at topps. Yeah. Up in Brighton there.

SPEAKER_00 18:09

By McQueen?

SPEAKER_01 18:10

Yes. Yeah. And and I would push carts every Saturday morning. It's like whatever the maximum amount of hour hours I would work. And then, you know, in in high school, dude, like this was my schedule. You know, what do you go to school? I don't know what is it, 745 to 3 or something.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

I think that's when the homeroom bell rings. Home room bell rings?

SPEAKER_01 18:29

745? Is it that early? Yeah. And then I don't when is it in three or something like that? Roughly 235.

SPEAKER_00 18:35

Two something, 240 something, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:37

So for high school, yeah. For high school, yeah. Ends at 240. I would have to be at football practice by 3:30. And you'd get done by the time you're done, you know, maybe uh 545, 5:30, a couple hour practices. Then my mom would come pick me up. I didn't have a car, I didn't have a license. She'd pick me up and then drop me off at Wegmans. I would go work at Wegmans in the bakery cleaning the bakery from six to nine. So when I was 15, 16 years old, dude, I had 14-hour days.

SPEAKER_00 19:11

Yeah, that's impressive. I I started working in I started my first job ever was babysitting because it was under the table. And I started working I want to say around the same age.

SPEAKER_01 19:25

So you can see so what I would argue, and and you have a great work ethic. I don't think you're as crazy as I am, but once again, I'm the man, you're the woman. Um but but hard work has always it's kind of easy for me. Hard work isn't as hard for me as it is for other people. It just is what I do. Yeah, I don't I would rather be that than the opposite. Than the opposite. Because that was, and I'm not saying you're not a hard worker or Paige or Marcus, but um Well some people are just programmed and wired differently.

SPEAKER_00 20:05

I think if I didn't have you in my life, and this isn't to sound bad, but I think I if I was like still single and I didn't like I think I would be more like that, but like obviously my life has evolved at the same time. Like I think if I hadn't met you, and let's just say I was single now, living in like a big city like a Chicago or something, I think I would be like that. But and I don't know if that's bad to say, but right now I'm like, no, I I am still putting in a lot of time and effort, but I also know that like I have the luxury in a few months to decide if I don't want to do that.

SPEAKER_01 20:43

No, you found the right man, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:45

Well, yeah, of course. Yeah. Which isn't a bad thing either. You can't shame people for finding the right man either.

SPEAKER_03 20:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:51

Because that's the thing, too. There's people put shame and things on all different situations. Like, I'm sure there's people out there that just say, look at her, she married someone that's successful, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Like, sure, you can say that. Like, you know, I remember when you and I went out to dinner a few months ago, um, the couple only thanked you, and that pissed me the fuck off. I was like, Do you even know how much I do with Eric at the company? Like, and it for me, it wasn't, I didn't I don't need the recognition, but it's principle.

SPEAKER_01 21:22

But then there's like yo, this says Alexis Weingard on the credit card.

SPEAKER_00 21:26

Like, yeah, it made me really like, I was like principal, like, whoa, respect like the hard work. Now I agree it you do more than me, and you are more like CEO, but yeah, I mean you can't shame people for who they marry and choose either, like no way.

SPEAKER_01 21:43

Yeah, I think you know, I've just become the face ish of the company just because I'm just more assertive about building our brand and and building our name.

SPEAKER_00 21:54

I want you to be. No, I know that.

SPEAKER_01 21:56

I know that. Yeah, and I don't do it out of ego, I do it out of necessity, like it's has. To be done. You know, like the amount of people that go, Oh, I've seen that guy's ads, or oh yeah, I know who that is. Like it's just abundant now in South Florida. It's crazy. And it's like in the dopest community in the country that this is happening in. Right? Like, it's like the Beverly Hills of Florida. We have a huge name, which is crazy. So for so that's why I've been doing it. No, no, I know. So, but anytime I sit down with somebody, or like I just had these this wonderful couple on the podcast, I I let everybody know, like, dude, Alexis is a 50-50 partner. Like, this isn't this isn't Eric started the thing and said, Hey, chick, do you want to I have this admin assistant?

SPEAKER_00 22:40

She happens to be my wife.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

No, no, no. Guys, let me let me tell you how this went down when we first started this company. I was I was making sales, and I would say, Alexis, deal with it, right? She was doing payroll, uh, paying me. She was, you know, um, obviously doing all the accounting, the billing. Um, she was fulfilling all of the clients, dude. And we had like three different divisions of products, and she was fulfilling all of them. We had zero systems, nothing set up. Alexis was the system. You were the system.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

I guess so.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

And I and I just said, You got this, you're gonna take care of this. I'm gonna go out and fucking make us some money. Yeah, never said no, you know, and and you took on a lot.

SPEAKER_00 23:30

I love a challenge though. I mean, like, I was never gonna say, I don't know, babe, I don't know if I can do that. Yeah, like I said, okay, every single time.

SPEAKER_01 23:40

We deserve your flowers, is what I'm saying. So, like, even if like this is this is why I would always recommend a woman try to achieve professionally, because we're about to be so disgustingly successful here, because right now we're just like this, you can feel it, that if you just really take a backseat, dude, no one can ever say anything to you. No one can ever say, Oh, you you married a rich guy. They're gonna say, No, no, no, you helped build that rich guy's thing.

SPEAKER_00 24:10

Well, people that don't know me. I mean, I've heard from people back home that other people have said, Oh, she just married this older wealthy guy. I I don't even care though, because they don't know me.

SPEAKER_01 24:20

I make three to five hundred grand a year. Sorry, that's not wealthy when for Rochester. Yeah. That's not wealthy.

unknown 24:26

No.

SPEAKER_01 24:27

Sorry to burst your bubble. 300 to 500k a year is not wealthy. And I know that sounds insensitive. It is far from wealthy.

SPEAKER_00 24:36

You know, that's actually such an interesting point, too, because it's like the argument you're saying that the argument that I married for money is actually not even an argument.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

No, three to five hundred thousand a year is not wealthy. Yeah. And in fact, when when me and you met, I hadn't even I wasn't even making 500. I was making 275, you know? Like, dude, 22 grand a month ain't that much money.

SPEAKER_00 24:59

Yeah, no. I mean, obviously we know that, especially living down here. But no, I appreciate the flowers and the recognition. I I think uh the parts, the reason why it bothered me so much is because it was like a couple that's technically a little closer to us, and I was like, whoa, like, watch what you're you know, it was just it was just rude.

SPEAKER_01 25:20

Well, because you know, I think the frustration for you is all, you know, it's like your tip of the icebergs um analogy, where all people see is this ascending company, they see our sphere of influence and they see this community we've built and they see the podcast, and and I would argue I don't even feel successful yet. That's the craziest thing, right? Now, by most people's standards, where we're at is wildly successful, but I don't even feel like that yet. But you and I know the going from working at a company, you and I both worked at actually, and then us both leaving the company, and we started like different variations of you know, the Airbnb business, uh, the Airbnb managing business, the Airbnb course that we made, and we're making money off of that. Like, like we had all these different iterations of business, then the marketing company, like so. This was actually the fourth iteration of like, dude, it didn't all go well. It's not like, and there was hurdles with all of them. And for God's sakes, when we had an Airbnb portfolio, dude, Alexis was the manager. And for any of you guys know what it's like managing a dozen properties or so on Airbnb, dude, you can't put your phone down. You have to have your phone until 11 o'clock at night because somebody might text you and they're likely gonna text you some bullshit. Like, do you remember how do you remember the insanity?

SPEAKER_00 26:51

No, I know.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

I mean You were you did run those businesses, I did not.

SPEAKER_00 26:57

Yeah, but you you know, you you had at the time the more cushy um situation at the time.

SPEAKER_03 27:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

So yeah, I mean I pulled pulled my weight, which I don't mind. Maybe that's why I'm so desensitized to things because of that. And then before I met you when I was in um hospitality, maybe that's a you just create a tolerance for bullshit.

SPEAKER_01 27:22

Can I tell you one of Alexis's skills? Dude, do not have a communication competition with her. If you want to talk for four hours, be careful she can do it with you. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

But do you mean are you talking about longevity of a conversation?

SPEAKER_01 27:39

Yeah, the longevity of a conversation. It is wild how long you can go.

SPEAKER_00 27:43

Not always. I hate talking on the phone recently.

SPEAKER_01 27:45

No, but you but you just you can just keep doing it. You just keep going for hours and hours.

SPEAKER_00 27:51

And I think the thing that trips him out is like I went from being like super annoyed last week and I was like bitching for a hot second, just to him. Like nobody else would see this. And then I had to get on a phone call with a a teammate, and I just like went whoop. And you were like, What the fuck? How did you just like totally change? I don't know. I guess I'm chatty, I'm talkative. I've always been like that though.

SPEAKER_01 28:14

Um so I have a cool thing to talk about.

SPEAKER_00 28:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 28:19

What kind of parents do you think we want to be? What kind of mother do you want to be?

SPEAKER_00 28:26

I want to be an honest and direct mom. Like I see myself parenting the same way I handle our relationship in times of conflict, right? Like I think it's fair to like acknowledge, you know, why why the like let's just say the kid comes home and they're like upset about something. Like, I think it's fair to acknowledge why they're feeling that way. But then I also think it's like my duty in that moment to be like, okay, like now that you recognize why you're feeling like that, like this is the lesson to be learned from it. You know, like I don't I physically can't yell. I mean, I'm sure there'll be a few times when I raise my voice, but I don't really foresee myself being like a like it's like my mom, me and Paige and Marcus like all remember one time she freaked out and she was calling us slobs because we didn't clean it around the house. She's like, you guys are slobs, slobs, slobs. She like said it like three times in a row. And the reason why we remember is because she doesn't ever yell like that. And it was like the one time she did it. So I feel like I would be like that, but I don't know. I think it's just more about like I don't I think any relationship has to have the same fundamentals. Like honesty, directness, there are gonna be repercussions, of course. I don't believe necessarily in like gentle parenting either. And I also don't believe in like the really, really, really over-the-top strict parenting because the ki the kids that I knew growing up, growing up with the really, really strict parents rebelled and snuck out and maybe were super promiscuous, or like there was just more like of a rebellious side because they were going against the grain, probably, of what their parents wanted. Well, like the gentle parenting stuff, like I don't know. I don't want to create a soft kid either, like boy or girl. Like, you know, you gotta acknowledge like life is a thing and shit's not gonna go your way all the time. What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 30:29

Well, here's how I actually believe the dynamic is gonna work.

SPEAKER_00 30:34

Yeah, I'd be curious to hear.

SPEAKER_01 30:35

Because we're because we're having a daughter, I think if you ask the average person, I think they believe Eric's gonna be this softy, mushy, 100% enable. Yeah, and I and and but but I actually don't think that that's gonna be the case. Because I know I I know that's not good for the child, right? So I think I'm gonna be way more strict and way more stern than you realize, and I think you're gonna have to play the role of good cop.

SPEAKER_00 31:14

Really?

SPEAKER_01 31:14

I do.

SPEAKER_00 31:15

I don't think so with a girl.

SPEAKER_01 31:17

No, no, I think I'm gonna be tougher than you think.

SPEAKER_00 31:19

I mean, it's good that you're gonna be like that though, because there's there has to be like the trump card, right? And in this case, it's like, well, daddy's gonna be unhappy with you, like you know, like daddy's gonna be disappointed in you, like, and no, no kid wants their dad to be upset. It just carries more weight, I feel like.

SPEAKER_01 31:37

Like, okay, there was um like with salespeople. I have said to salespeople, I I know you want me to say it's important for your emotions right now that I say, Hey, you're doing a nice job. But I'd be lying to you if I said that because you're not, and actually you sound terrible. Okay. Now, when you do a nice job, I will be honest with you, nice job. You sound incredible. What you're doing is amazing. But I know that by me saying you're doing a nice job is actually doing you a disservice, even though I find it kind of uncomfortable telling you that, and I know you feel really uncomfortable hearing it. That's why I know I'm gonna be a good parent and a more stern father than you think, because I can withhold that temporary moment of discomfort. Discomfort for the child's long-term growth.

SPEAKER_00 32:37

Now, what do you think about because I know you and I both got this at some point, but an hour later, yeah, I probably will say, Hey, you want to go into my screen? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:44

Right.

SPEAKER_00 32:44

And that's normal.

SPEAKER_01 32:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:45

Now, what do you think about the because I told you so or because I'm the parent?

SPEAKER_01 32:53

Um, yeah, it depends on.

SPEAKER_00 32:59

And maybe is that good for a certain age and then it stops? Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 33:05

Well, yeah, like I think I I think you should explain why to people. I really do. I think once you explain why to people, you can get more out of them. I definitely believe that. You know who actually did a video on that? Uh Ryan Wexler.

SPEAKER_03 33:16

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 33:17

The attorney guy I really like. He actually did a video on, dude, you gotta tell people why. Like you'll you'll get more participation from them if you explain why. So I like if you tell a kid, dude, don't do that because you could break your foot and then you'll be in a cast, and then you can't do that anymore. You won't be able to do that. So that's why don't do that.

SPEAKER_00 33:38

Yeah, right. Right?

SPEAKER_01 33:39

So I do think a why helps a lot, do you?

SPEAKER_00 33:42

For sure. I just had a meeting today. It it made me think about it because I just had a meeting today with our team leads for each department and with the account managers. And I just was saying, like, hey, like this is a good problem, this is a growing pain, but we need to tighten up. Like, I'm like, right now we're thinking three steps ahead. I need you to think five steps ahead. And we need to think like that. And I did, I I said very clearly, because of this, this, this, and this. Not, and I said, I'm not saying that to come down on you like this is a good problem, but we need to figure this out because we're taking on more clients. And the last thing that we want is for um an explosion to happen in our face because we weren't prepared for it. And I just kind of laid out to them because they're not so much client-facing, like, what does that look like for us?

SPEAKER_01 34:25

Yeah, I I I think that with parenting, I mean, you got to remember too that I've parented.

SPEAKER_00 34:34

I know.

SPEAKER_01 34:35

Yeah, right. So now I didn't have it, it's a little different being like a stepfather when the father's around still and in the picture. I mean, you can't like you can't spank them. You can't you just there's a different Well, I feel like you knew your there's a boundary you can't cross.

SPEAKER_00 34:56

Yeah, because you're not dad at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_01 34:58

I'm not, I wasn't, yeah. I was playing the father figure role, but I wasn't dad, right? But but still, I was parenting, and I I think that I don't know, like if if a kid comes home and let let's say the rules are they come home at three and they can have an hour to you know chill, and then you know, from four to five, we do a homework every night, whatever it is, five to six, whatever it is. And they say to me and they skip it or they don't want to do it, like I will not, I won't allow it. Right. I won't. Like that's what I'm saying. I'll be more stern because I know the habits developed now, and I understand how important those habits of work ethic and commitment are. That's what I'm saying. There won't be, oh, forget the homework. No, no, you're getting straight A's, I promise you. Because if you don't get straight A's, we got a problem. Unless things are struck, you know, maybe she's not good at math. Like I get it, but we're gonna work on it.

SPEAKER_00 35:57

For sure.

SPEAKER_01 35:58

We're gonna work on it. Yeah, I'm daddy's good at it. Yeah, no, we're gonna work on it.

SPEAKER_00 36:02

Yeah, no, I mean and it's better than that. And and then right, because like what's the ladder, right? The ladder is they don't do the homework and they feel like shit because they get called out in class, we're not doing it. Like it's just pre preparation is so big. Yeah, and um, yeah, I think it's more about habits in schooling versus like Christopher Columbus.

SPEAKER_01 36:22

Yeah, I know how important it is. So I think I think everybody thinks I'm gonna be this pushover dad. Yeah, if I'm hanging out with her on the weekend, sure.

SPEAKER_00 36:28

If people think that is because you're like that with our dogs, they run the house.

SPEAKER_01 36:33

Those are my kiddos, though.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

Yeah, well.

SPEAKER_01 36:37

And like they don't have a uh adulthood to look forward to, they're permanently children.

SPEAKER_00 36:43

Yeah, I guess they are.

SPEAKER_01 36:46

No, I think I think we're gonna be uh exceptional parents. I really do.

SPEAKER_00 36:50

Yeah, I mean there's the trials and tribulations.

SPEAKER_01 36:54

So let's talk about this. I mean, obviously we run a business together. Um, obviously, you know, we're building a life together, a family together. Um question. Do you feel like do we have written or unwritten rules about working together? Like, do we have a certain set of rules about what's okay, what's not okay?

SPEAKER_00 37:22

I think a lot of it's implied. Like I know that with the sales team, like they're not I can't just all of a sudden show up one day and start telling them how to do something, for an example. Like I can't just like come in here and be like, no, you did it wrong, you said this wrong. Like, I know that that wouldn't be received well because I'm not directly and actively practicing sales for us. So I think that it's already implied because I know my I I'm self-aware of where I can and cannot speak. I cannot speak on the sales stuff to the team. I can give you ideas at home, but it would be wrong for me to come in and and ridicule or criticize the sales team.

SPEAKER_01 38:08

Yeah, it's an unwritten rule for sure.

SPEAKER_00 38:09

Yeah, like it's unwritten, but it's it's it's it's something that I'm self-aware of. Just like if you were to come in on some of my meetings, like you're not gonna fully understand everything either. And you acknowledge that. But like, you know, you and I talk about it to each other, but it's like, how does it impact the rest of the people? Um, I don't know. Any financial decision, I really don't question what you want to do.

SPEAKER_01 38:32

I always explain it to you though.

SPEAKER_00 38:34

No, I know, but it I'm not saying it's like a bad thing.

SPEAKER_01 38:36

I don't just swipe a credit card for 40k and go check check what I bought, babe.

SPEAKER_00 38:39

No, no, I know, I know. I I I trust how you are financially. Like, I just I think there's just a lot of trust anyway between us, obviously. And I think that there has to be trust in a relationship, especially well, a relationship intimately needs trust to work, right? But you need a different level of trust with business too. So I would argue if you don't have a good relationship with your spouse, you probably shouldn't try to get into business with them because it's like a level of trust. Like, you know, I work from home a lot, and like you're trusting me to do what I signed up for at home while I'm working with my team, just like I'm trusting you to do the same thing here with the sales team and whomever else. So I think that it's just like I think it's more about how we handle things with other people, you know. Like I and and like there's been times when you've been like out of town and you can't do much with like the sales team. I just am simply like, hey guys, like can you update this so Eric can see? Like, uh, I just know my place where I'm supposed to be actually like inserted.

SPEAKER_01 39:37

Yeah, I think it would be to all the couples out there in business together. I think I could see, and I know we've talked about this before, but I don't think on this podcast, if Eric, if the man is the CEO, the wife is involved in the company, Alexis is definitely the number two, but she's more like 1A because she really does have that much influence in the company. But at the end of the day, it's Eric's number one. Now, her and I don't directly work with each other, like we're not in the downline of management, like you're not the vice president of sales, like you don't technically report to me. You kind of do, like you update me, but it's not like like if if you were a in the sales department, I think that's where it would get weird.

SPEAKER_00 40:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:36

Right? Yeah, and and as good as we are with each other, because if if I have a sales team in here, and let's say let's say you didn't have your dials up one day, could you imagine cringing? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like like I'd have to say something.

SPEAKER_00 40:52

Well, also, too, like you are the best salesperson I know. Like I have experience selling and I can handle selling. We have totally different styles of selling, but you're better than me. So I would never act like I know what I'm talking about compared to you.

SPEAKER_01 41:10

No, no, I mean like if I because you know, we have half a dozen salespeople here, right? If if if I was running a meeting and saying, hey, you know, uh doing a quality check, like, okay, hey, what'd you do today? You know, tell me your activity, what happened, give me the results. And let's say you are just like, oh, you know, I like you were really underperforming, I can't just let it slide by because that's awkward for everybody else.

SPEAKER_00 41:34

Are there really places like that?

SPEAKER_01 41:36

Well, no, what I'm saying is is like if if couples are gonna work with each other, it's probably best you're yeah, I'm on a different island in different departments.

SPEAKER_00 41:46

Yeah, like I don't You know what I mean? Yeah, no, I'm on a we really don't cross. It's more like, hey, what did you do today? What'd I do today? Boom, boom, boom. Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 41:54

It's almost separate companies in a lot of ways.

SPEAKER_00 41:57

Yeah, and I think that's why it works. But yeah, no, I mean, he is the Trump card though. Like, if I feel like I can't reach certain people with like a message, I'm like, I need you to say something. Because he is a man, and so it does sometimes it really does go further. I'm not offended by that. I like it. I like that I have like you know, like if if you come in and say something, like everybody knows, like, oh shit. And that's I I like that there's that layer.

SPEAKER_02 42:21

Yeah, he's so pretty. Thanks. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

SPEAKER_01 42:28

Yeah, so I have been very attracted to Alexis during pregnancy. Uh no, no, I didn't know. I didn't know if like a belly would weird me out or something. It's cute because I never understood why they called it a belly button. Because I always thought they should call it a belly hole.

SPEAKER_00 42:44

That sounds so not cute.

SPEAKER_01 42:46

Or a belly gap. Okay, or a belly ditch, but your little belly button is sticking out, it looks like a button. Yeah, it's so cute.

SPEAKER_00 42:55

Yeah, I guess it kind of does. I'm at that point.

SPEAKER_01 42:58

Yeah. Yeah, we've been very um, you know, loving on each other.

SPEAKER_00 43:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:03

You know.

SPEAKER_00 43:04

Are you surprised?

SPEAKER_01 43:05

I mean, I didn't I didn't know how it would be. I really didn't. I I didn't know if I'd be like, ew, she's pregnant.

SPEAKER_00 43:13

I guess I don't know what I thought it was gonna be like either. I didn't have expectations. But I think that just means we love each other so much.

SPEAKER_01 43:19

No, for sure. I would argue in a lot of ways, like our intimacy's kind of gone up a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 43:25

Yeah, you're gonna have to wait for like a little dip when she first comes.

SPEAKER_01 43:28

No, I can babe. Um I've had a bunch of sex in my life, like I can handle. I can handle six to eight weeks. Yeah, I think that's whatever it is. I'm fine.

SPEAKER_00 43:37

I think it just depends on.

SPEAKER_01 43:39

I might just have to take a trip to the bathroom, but it's all good. Um yeah. Um, how do you feel? Yeah, I was gonna say, um, oh, let's talk about our trip coming up.

SPEAKER_00 43:55

Okay. So I am having uh two baby showers because All the family is still up in New York. And then major and some friends, and then the majority of the friends are down here with the immediate family. So the first baby shower is this coming Sunday, and it's in Rochester where Eric and I are originally from. I'm actually looking I'm really looking forward to it. I'm gonna spend time with you know my cousin has two kids now. Um we'll see you know, like it's just nice to see like it's been I think over a year, right?

SPEAKER_02 44:27

Since we've been there?

SPEAKER_00 44:28

Yeah, yeah, because it was Christmas of 2024.

SPEAKER_03 44:32

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:33

Yeah, so it's like it's an appropriate time to to visit, I would say. And it's in the summer, so we're not dealing with like the awful winters, but we're flying up on Friday with Paige and mom, and I think it'll be nice. And we're not staying where we typically stay, we're staying on one of the finger lakes, um, which I love. I think it's nice. Hopefully the weather's nice. We'll see. Whatever. But I think it'll be a nice relaxing. Like, I I literally just keep telling people, like, oh, like if you want to pop by the house, like we're just gonna be chilling, like maybe we'll do some barbecuing. And I told Eric last night, I'm like, let me think of the things that I like to do when I go home. And so I asked him, I said, Will you go to Wegmans with me?

SPEAKER_01 45:14

So Franklin, anybody not from Rochester, New York, like Rochester, New York, it's a it's a fine town, it's a normal town. I I think Monroe County is probably seven or eight hundred thousand people. Like it's not small, but it's not like a metropolitan either. Heavy amount of suburbs. Yeah, the east side suburbs are all nice suburbs, and and you can like independently live in one. They're not they're actually all communities, like some suburbs in some areas of the country are just houses, these are all individual communities, they all have like their own village, yeah. All have their little for the most part, yeah, like except for Brighton. Brighton didn't have a village, which is weird.

SPEAKER_00 45:53

12 corners, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:54

Whack. Um but but Rochester is what was my point? We were talking about Wegmans. Oh, Wegmans, okay. The one thing Rochester does do incredibly well is grocery store, grocery stores. I took my buddy from Alabama in the military up to Rochester, New York for three or four days, and we partied our you know what off. And when we came back down to Virginia where we were living, everybody was asking him, they're like, dude, dude, what's Rochester like? What's Eric's hometown like? He was like, Man, it's kind of you know, he's got a bunch of group of friends, it's kind of a weird town. He's like, but man, they know how to shop.

SPEAKER_00 46:35

I can't even believe that you just said that though, because like whenever me and Paige or my mom bring up Wegmans, you're like, oh, it's just a grocery store.

SPEAKER_01 46:43

Well, no, to me it is, but I know the impression it makes on people.

SPEAKER_00 46:48

Dude, it's so much better than Publix.

SPEAKER_01 46:52

Why? Why is Wegmans better than Publix?

SPEAKER_00 46:56

Like their prepared section is top tier. They have like a um I like I get it. Whole Foods has their bakery section, um, Publix has their bakery section, fresh market, but then they got like a Chinese section, they got a sushi section, they got a Thai section, they got a Mexican section section, they got a pizza section. Like they have that like the prepared food section is the best.

SPEAKER_03 47:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:25

The best. And this is like they come out with like really good seasonal stuff. Like I love when it's um the fall, they have like really good donuts and apple cider. And it's it's like I don't know, I I just like what they make.

SPEAKER_01 47:39

No, it's I get it. Wagmans is is a great one.

SPEAKER_00 47:42

It's actually any you want to know where I think they're better. It's like actually they're prepared things that they make, though. Like their cookie cake, I think is better than a lot of cookie cakes I'd have. Anything that they make, I think is better.

SPEAKER_01 47:51

I just to me it's just weird that like a grocery store is like the thing that's an experience. A city can kind of claim its fame too.

SPEAKER_00 47:59

I mean, I'll tell you what, like, ready for this? A lot of people that I went to like because I we grew up with Wegmans. Wegmans started where we are from. Danny Wegmans from Rochester. I think the first Wegmans was the East Ave.

SPEAKER_01 48:12

I think so. Yeah. You could be wrong.

SPEAKER_00 48:14

So, and I grew up on Park Ave for a little bit, you did too. Like, it was just a thing. When I went to Ithaca College, a lot of people didn't have Wegmans. And they loved Wegmans, they really did. And a lot of the people that I went to college with ended up in New York City. And Wegmans opened up in Brooklyn a few years ago. And I'll never forget on my social media how many people were just ext they didn't grow up with Wegmans. These are people that did not grow up with Wegmans that went to Ithaca College. They went to the grand opening of Wegmans in Brooklyn. Yeah. Paige went to Wegmans when she was in New York City.

SPEAKER_01 48:53

What's better, Wegmans or Whole Foods?

SPEAKER_00 48:57

I think I gotta say Wegmans. Because Whole Foods, I would say beforehand, like, oh, like they have more organic options. Um but Wegmans has really increased their organic section. So I think that they're pretty they're in comp I think Wegmans is in competition with Whole Foods and like a tops or a Publix. Like I you know, there's different tiers of grocery stores. Yeah, I feel like they have like the organic expensive part. Wegmans has that and then like the other stuff. Yeah. Whereas like Whole Foods is more just like just or or with the organic vibe more expensive. I've tested this out, by the way. Publix is more expensive than Whole Foods.

SPEAKER_02 49:39

Really?

SPEAKER_00 49:40

Yeah, and if it's top if at that point and it quality is better, I'm I'm shopping at Whole Foods all day long. For my quick trips, I like going to fresh market. But yeah, Wegmans is better than Whole Foods for sure.

SPEAKER_01 49:51

How come we haven't checked out Sprouts yet? Isn't that what we I've been to a Sprouts?

SPEAKER_00 49:55

It's just the one isn't super close to us. I like Sprouts. Yeah, I think you would like it. Um it's just it's just not convenient for us to go to.

SPEAKER_01 50:03

I like see here's my thing. What when it comes here's why I don't like Wegmans, because you have to commit to parking, going and walking all the way inside, walking all along these damn hallways that are like long as heck. Like Wegman's.

SPEAKER_00 50:21

Any grocery store?

SPEAKER_01 50:22

It's huge. And it's like I that's why I like some of the I like a nice compact grocery store. Like give me a 7-Eleven.

SPEAKER_00 50:31

That's you're a dude. Yeah, like so. Well, okay, that's why my mom loves Wegmans, though, because their beauty section like has everything. Publix has like one half of an aisle. Wegmans has like aisles of beauty stuff. And then like they have like a home section.

SPEAKER_01 50:52

Um garden, like they have all this other in additional stuff that there's a Walmart element to it too, where it has like a bunch of like a Walmart size. Yes. Is what I'm getting at. Yeah. But but nice stuff. Yeah. Cheap stuff.

SPEAKER_00 51:07

Yeah, now they don't they can't serve wine or anything in there up in New York, but they have their their beer.

SPEAKER_02 51:14

Yeah, it's weird.

SPEAKER_00 51:16

It's just a weird law.

SPEAKER_02 51:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:18

Yeah, that's probably pretty good. We've been going for about an hour, I think. Yeah, I'd say so. Um, well, we're probably gonna miss a week of the wine guards because we're going up to New York.

SPEAKER_00 51:29

I'll be double the weight the next time I come in here, probably.

SPEAKER_01 51:33

Yeah. But guys, thanks again for tuning in to the Wine Guards. Make sure to like and subscribe, and we'll see you again.

SPEAKER_00 51:42

Nice.