What It's Like Being Business Partners With Your Spouse

Calvin and Brooke Masters: You've counted every calorie, tried every diet, spent hours in the gym, and still something's missing. You want more than just weight loss. You want your energy back. You want your confidence restored. You want a way of living that doesn't feel like punishment. Welcome to Master Your Metabolism, where we cut through the noise, ditch the fads, and give you a real plan to become the healthiest, strongest version of you. hosted by our team of expert coaches with proven strategies, science-based tips, and real life encouragement, not just to help you lose fat, but actually create that lifestyle that you love. You've tried everything. Now, let's try what actually works. This is your turning point. Let's go. Brooke Masters: Hey guys, welcome, welcome to Math Gear Metabolism. We are here today, not just with Calvin, but special, very special guests to us. And these four guests have been someone that have been mentors to us, have just been people that we have looked up to for so many years. And having a business with your spouse is something that is not easy. And Calvin and I live this each and every day. And we thought it would be a great topic to be able to bring in. Two other couples that also have more than we have. And I'm gonna go ahead and let them do their own introductions of all the things that they are involved with. But it is definitely something that you don't see very often that two people are sharing businesses. And we just wanted to kind of talk about the real life types of things that go on, the good, the bad, and the ugly. So I'm gonna go ahead and kick it off and let Jason, I guess you can go first, you and Jason & Aria: Sure. Brooke Masters: Aria. to talk a little Jason & Aria: Yeah. Brooke Masters: bit about the things that you guys are involved with, what you have going on, and anything new that you wanted to kind of share. Jason & Aria: Sure. so I mean, basically, we've we've got four businesses, five businesses maybe. we'll talk about that. So two of them were were earlier. but sh you know, as as Ari and I got together, she started helping me with Scooby Health. So we've got Scooby Health. New Ethics is more hands off there. are there many things you do with new ethics? Okay. And then we do have advanced vitality. She does a lot there with like like basically social media and then really anything I need, all the way down to just like making sure I show up to speaking events and, you know, getting where I need to be. Brooke Masters: Mm-hmm. Jason & Aria: and then we have our new business, 4L L, which is four legged longevity, which is peps peptides for for cats and dogs. Super pumped about that business. and so she helps me with just, you know, right now a lot of like she just put together like the thank you cards for our our you know, our packaging and things like that. And then really as a consumer of those types of products, she's been awesome because I don't buy them as much. And so like she can say, hey, you guys aren't doing this, you guys aren't doing that. and then I just dropped the blueprint IQ, which is an AI bot for coaches and for people. it's all of my brain put into a bot. I taught myself to vibe code and then I partnered with another functional nutritionist. and more than anything, you know, on that one, it's just supportive, you know, just being there anything I might need, like with down to like checking emails, things like that. so is that our five basically, four or five? I think that's everything. Yeah, I think that I think that covers everything that that we kind of run together. Brooke Masters: Yeah, incredible. And we also have John here with Leslie. So welcome you guys. I John: Yeah, this is th so first of all, we the first business that we own is Cranium. One we're sipping on this because Calvin Masters: strawberry one though. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. John: It's good. That's the nootropic energy drink that we've been owners with. It feels like for a year now, but we've really just That's exploding, growing like crazy. I laugh because we're both drinking it because I'm old and can't remember and she's got menopause just knocking on that door. So between Brooke Masters: You get her body. John: the two of us, between the two of us, like we're gonna struggle. Jason, Ari, you guys nailed your five. I'm like, shit, am I gonna leave one out? So I I think really to get started, that's the one that's the newest. But going back is the coaching business. So, you know, we started Team Gorman back in twenty ten. Her and I together, we weren't dating or anything. We were just we were just best friends. So I'd say the coaching business is our oldest. Yeah. Yeah. Personal tra we started personal training and then got into online nutrition coaching. And yeah. So we still both do that. Yeah. Yeah. That feeds everything, you know, similar to Jason and Aria. Like that, that's the ecosystem is as we all like to call it. So the coaching, so team Gorman is what that is. and then cranium, I'm gonna have to count them. Fat Muscle Project, which you guys know because you're you're some of our top sponsored coaches, both of you behind us there. That's a supplement company. Synergy Labs, that's the manufacturing company where we make our products plus a whole host of other people's products, a lot of coaches, gyms, other companies. we do that as well. And then Premier U Telemed is number five, and that's similar to Advanced Vitality. watched Jason build that very successfully, and all my clients needed. Needed a lot of local stuff. So we went ahead and launched ours. And then for well, almost two years, Jason, I was one of the owners over at New Ethics and we all did some great work together. I was able to sell mine back to the partners and and get some ownership out there to another person. Jason, I don't know if we can talk about that yet because I don't know if that's public yet. Okay, good. Jason & Aria: Yep. I don't seem to be any problem. John: Good. Got Zeb some ownership. So we were all very happy about that, very deserving. and I was able to sell mine and help contribute and I learned so much over there. So that was six businesses but down down to five. So that's that's what we're involved in here. As far as the ones that make money, of course, you know, you've got everything on the Special Olympics side where she doesn't really own that, but she's so heavily involved in in running special Olympics. Completely volunteer. Yeah. Yeah, but I love yeah. Brooke Masters: Nice. Nice. Calvin Masters: Yeah, and I think John: Coaching. Calvin Masters: the what you pointed out about it all starting with coaching. I just think that's the coolest part and the part that a lot of people can relate to is that you guys start off just like everybody else. Like Jason was a lawyer at you know, prior to that. That was a big jump to go from lawyer to a coach, a leap of faith, you know. And it Jason & Aria: Yes. Calvin Masters: takes a lot of compliments because I think there's a lot of people out there that would like to do coaching but are just afraid to kind of take that leap and do it. I would say it's different times now. It's very saturated market, I think, you know, Jason & Aria: Yes, yes. Calvin Masters: with with that. But at the same time, it shows that what you can do when you're when you're driven and if you believe in what you're doing, I think that's just the backbone of it. It's just going in and just having the confidence is just saying, I'm not gonna fail. And then what happens because of that is you built the coaching business, which you guys, in my opinion, two of the top coaches, you know, in the industry. But it just resonated with everything else that you did. You know, you continue to build. But you still stay with that base as a coach. Jason & Aria: Yes. Calvin Masters: You know, you keep that the foundation that holds it together, Jason & Aria: Right. Yeah. Calvin Masters: you know. John: You you know where I've noticed? I on the drive up here I was talking to someone else who was putting me in contact with other two other coaches that have this giant social media following. They just bought and built this brand new huge house and that this is all they do is coach. And I think that's great. He put them in contact with me because That if they had a supplement company, they could add another layer of income. And Jason, Ari, I don't know if you guys have seen this. We were talking about it on our drive today. I've not really seen people struggle for making the switch from whatever their nine to five is or their normal occupation to coaching. I've seen more people struggle for making the transition from coaching to adding that next layer to their ecosystem. I whenever I first started and I got the manufacturing company, I thought, man, I'm gonna go find a lot of John's and Jason's and other people out here and we're gonna build this thing. And I have seen some of the best coaches in the industry shy away from it because they they're very good at coaching. They don't want to add another business. So I quickly learned it takes a different mindset. Not to say Brooke Masters: Hundred percent. John: anyone's better, it takes a different DNA and mindset to have another business attached to your coaching. And I I didn't think it was gonna be like that and I've seen that quite a bit. Jason & Aria: Yeah. Yeah. Brooke Masters: It's a lot extra because you think of what's invested with coaching and how much now with coaching. Like I can tell you, I didn't realize the business side of coaching, but having to learn social media, having to learn how to do ads, having to learn how to do like there's a lot involved. So I think part of it also is yes, or do you have the capacity to take more on? And which kind of brings it to it definitely is helpful to have a partner in your business because it does allow you to do more and have more. capacity, but there is some extent that says, okay, can should you stay with coaching? Should you take something else on? And will that, you know, impact your coaching ability and what you're able to do? So I think that's an aspect of it also because I know my head is spinning having to learn all this stuff. And I work with Taylor and Jason knows you guys know Taylor. It's Jason & Aria: yeah. Yeah, of course. Brooke Masters: it's so much information that the thought, like when I think of what you guys are doing, to me, It's so much like, and that's kind of part of what I wanted to get into is is there a way that you guys have found to be able to scale, to be able to run all these businesses, you know, between the two of you, do you each have certain, I mean, I'm sure you both have certain strengths and weaknesses, but how do you determine what goes to who and how things are delegated? So I'll let either Jason & Aria: Yeah. Brooke Masters: one of you jump in first. Jason & Aria: I mean, it's a it's a good question. I mean, for me, I can tell you my strengths and they always have been number one, I'm an idea guy, but I'm good Brooke Masters: Mm-hmm. Jason & Aria: at and because of my lawyer background, I'm good at getting the businesses started. so like A V, New Ethics, I was the guy who, you know, went and filed everything, collected the money, got it rolling, got the first thing going. But then once it gets going, I I want someone in there who's more of the business manager and doing the day to day. I don't really enjoy that part of it. so any little like smaller like tasks that are tedious or require organization, I know Ari is better at like executing and getting things done. so a lot of times I'm kind of like high in the sky, like idea. And then once it's down on paper. I can delegate and kind of say, hey, I need this done, I need this. And she's really good at just like figuring out what needs to be done. Right. And so I think if you're going to let's say your next thing as a coach is wanting to open, you know, a supplement company. I think it definitely helps to have someone who's an executor, but also the idea person. So you kind of have to know your strengths. And then my second biggest strength is just networking. I'm very good every time I take like a they have these tests that kind of tell you what you're good at in business. And I'm always high up in the networking piece. so know your strengths and then know your weaknesses, and then do you have that person that can help with where you're weak? And so I think that's really important. And I don't I think if you think you're strong in everything, you're you're probably have a bit of an ego and that's going to hurt you in the end for sure. Brooke Masters: Mm-hmm. For sure. Yeah. John: Yeah, I I look at what we have. And and before before I talk about how we do it, because we're so lucky, I can say if you and I look back to I would say 2011 to 2017, before we bought the gyms, which we later sold, we had our laptops with us. We could travel and live that life and work from anywhere with a laptop, making multi know well into the six figures. Really no expenses except for whatever we want to ride off for travel. and it was Brooke Masters: Mm-hmm. John: that I'm telling you. We can look back on that, and that's where we made so much money and we had the least amount of headaches. But at the same time, that's not going to build generational wealth. That's not going to give you something to hand down to your kids, but you're going to have a low stress life. And I look back on those times fondly at times. With that being said, I look we just had this conversation, right? Because I'm stressed out because of some stuff going on at one of the businesses. To get to that next level, we are that we're diet coaches, right? So when we launched Fat Muscle, thank God she is like an awesome graphic designer. And she took the time to design all the logos, to design everything that went into the businesses. I was feeding it, she was feeding it with clients, but we were both feeding it. She had to figure out shipping and doing all this stuff when we started off small. There's no way one person could put it on their plate. She couldn't have had it all in hers. I certainly couldn't have had it all in mine. And then as we grew, we brought people in. So ego is a very it it's it's easy when you work hard to just jump in and want to do everything yourself, but that's gonna keep you so limited and it's gonna back you into a corner. So I I echo everything that Jason just said. And thank God the bigger the businesses get, you have to have people that are experts in the area. We've got a guy that formulates supplements. None of us know how to do that. We've got Brooke Masters: Right. John: a guy that ordered he orders all the raws and the tubs and all those things at the manufacturing company. When I bought that company. no idea how to do any of that stuff. So at scale you have to have that. But if you think about just a two-person team like Calvin or Brooks, say you guys started your own supplement company, you you guys would have to split it out into your strengths. And then maybe bring on a third and a fourth person. And that's just that is so key because you have to have somebody that's an expert in each each of those areas. Calvin Masters: This is is is great because I can say between, you know, both of you, you know, John and Jason, it's I wouldn't be here where I am today if it wasn't for you guys, you know, and the Elite Physique University podcast, to be completely honest, because that caught me at a time when I was trying to figure it all out and you guys just had this chemistry. Of Jason would just come out with the science. And I'm like, my God, it does a lot of stuff, but it sounds really cool, but I gotta figure this out. And then John would come in and make it simplify it, you know, and make it seem like Jason & Aria: Yeah. Calvin Masters: John can do this, I can do this, I I know we got this, you know. And so it would it encouraged me to keep going and do the things I want to do. And and I kind of knew what to research and what to dig deeper into. so it's really cool and something that I noticed with Brooke is that we see, you know, you know, you and Leslie have been forever since the beginning, you know, but seeing like Aria and Jason, you know, at the events and I'm noticing I tell him Brooke, I'm like, you notice they're always together. They're doing this, these things together, felt really good to see because I feel like with Brooke and I that it didn't seem like a lot of coaches were doing that. They were just going solo and into it. And here we were just this couple. And I'm like, it just made so much sense for us. And kinda like what you said, as far as like being the idea guy, Jason, that was kind of where I was coming from. So I was really good at coming up with those creative things. And and when I was doing it, I told Brooke when I wanted to go full force into this, I'm like, listen, if you just allow me to be obsessive about this to the point that I need to be to be successful in it, I we will be successful. You just have to trust me. Jason & Aria: Mm-hmm. Calvin Masters: And she always trust me, but she supported me at the same time. So that support at the time wasn't necessarily helping me with the business. It was just allowing me that space to do it and not divorce me. Because Jason & Aria: Ha ha ha Calvin Masters: I mean John: Gonna say sometimes that's the hardest part is supporting the crazy ideas. Like you're gonna do what? okay, okay, okay. Brooke Masters: It is. Calvin Masters: Yeah, it it really is. It's because you're not going out, Jason & Aria: Yes, yes. Calvin Masters: right? You're not doing a thing. She would drive places just so I could read and I could go over notes. I it was constant for probably a couple years because I saw the timeline. I'm like, this is probably gonna grow into something that's gonna be very competitive. I need to know this stuff now. And like I said, thank God you guys were there because that was my guidance to know what things I should be looking at and what I should be paying attention to. And that was how I how I did that. But her assistance in doing that, and then she told me she wanted me to to go full time with this. She kept encouraging me, encouraging me. I finally took the leap and within the first month the business doubled. And I told her, I said, I'm gonna retire you now because I need your help. So she we did it and and man, we never look back and she just like what you're saying, she fit the mold for what I lacked, you know, perfectly because I'm not the business person and I'm still not. I don't even it's it's funny because most people that know me don't know that I don't really know how much I make. I never asked her how much we're making. I haven't since the beginning. Jason & Aria: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I was like that for years. I was like that for years. It wasn't what drove Brooke Masters: We can't now. Jason & Aria: me. I mean I wanted to make mu like I like money, but Calvin Masters: Yeah. Jason & Aria: I didn't know my exact number. Calvin Masters: Yeah, it I just like the idea of not having that, not being tendered by that and and having to tarnish things. Let me do what I do well. And and so she does it. I don't know how know how she handles the stress, but I can say looking at things, I I wouldn't be able to do this on my own. There's no way. It's having that connection, you know, and and having that person to pick up that that, you know, area that you lack on. But even in the coaching, you know, there's so much. Like I don't know how you guys learned all that stuff. Like Jason, the stuff that you know, I still like when I go to these events and you speak at like every event, how do you mean I have time to do that? Every event. It's like there's Jason, we're there. So but the knowledge is just between all the work, you know, that you guys do, just taking the time to learn all that stuff. There's just so much that I don't think a lot of people really realize and a lot of upcoming coaches don't realize. But I do one of the things I want them to understand through this. And that what Brooke and I have kind of done is we've embraced the business as part of our life. You know, so we have reasons to celebrate on our own, our anniversary, things like that. But we found that we celebrate wins in the business as well. Because this is part of what we do. This is our life. So when we have clients that overcome certain things, we celebrate it. You know, we have a reason to do something, to go out to dinner or something and embrace it and not make it a negative thing that it's work, work, work. We actually have it pour into the relationship. So have you guys found kind of something similar to that that you can avoid that that tension, you know? John: Yeah, it's I mean, we we've especially now Leslie prepped and and did shows this year now that she's done, we have a list and you just created in her phone of places for us to go eat that we've never eaten before. And then when we're there, I mean we talk business because we're we work in the same building and stuff all the time. But you know, to go celebrate just being happy and our health and the fact that we're making money and stuff like that, that's a nice thing that we have to remember to keep to ourselves because especially with me, she knows like I don't shut off and I will literally talk about business till one o'clock in the morning because it's it's my passion. But we we do a lot of stuff like that just to celebrate our time together. and it's I mean, I'm looking forward to the next place that we're going to eat called Metro retro metro retro grill. Like it's just little stuff like that we're super excited about. So it it definitely helps. And and you know what? I want to talk about something real quick. You had just mentioned about you know how other people compliment you. I've noticed that even on just the coaching side, it whenever I talk to you guys on the phone, I'll never forget it. The very first time Calvin or Brooke, I was talking about being part of Fat Muscle. Brooke, you are just starting to get clients. And I remember telling you, I was like, guys, Leslie and I have done this. You guys are going to crush it because Brooke will add this. Yeah. Brooke will add this whole other sense of females that want Brooke and not Calvin. And we know this because we've had that as well. And think about all the stuff that we've done, like both prepped bodybuilders before, but her, she can help people with CrossFit, with powerlifting, with all this other, with all these other things, or just females that want to work with a female. And that added so much. So when you're talking about adding people that have strengths that you don't have and all these other things, for coaches listening, and you're talking about look either looking for a spouse or you have a spouse, let that spouse be the other person that can help people that you aren't necessarily going. to help as well and we've done that for for decades. Well even when we first started you were doing diets and then I would do their posing. Yeah. Like they would come to me for posing and we this was before we were even dating. Yeah. We were just working together as a team. That's how it started. Yeah. Yeah. Just and honestly still to this day. I have people that come in that need posing that Leslie can help downstairs in our posing room. So just having someone like that, it's it's so hard. I feel for people that have spouses that don't live the life and they Brooke Masters: Mm-hmm. Calvin Masters: Right. John: go home and you don't have anything that you're excited to talk talk about together. You know, like that's that's gotta be rough. I don't know how to fix that. Don't ask me. I'm not a I'm not a specialist, Brooke Masters: Yeah, they're Calvin Masters: Yeah. John: but I just know that I I'm lucky that we have what we have. Calvin Masters: That's right in alignment with what I was thinking, because between you and Jason, with the amount of time that you invest into what you do, it's gonna limit who you can date, who you can marry, because if they aren't into the same thing, it's not gonna work. There's no way. You know, you you they at least gotta be on board with it and support it. But how are they gonna do that when they don't have a part of it, you know, and they aren't have some skin in it, you know? It's it's just them kind of watching you soar, you know. And I and just what you guys have, like it was just really cool to see that kind of things fall into place with you guys, you know, both of you with this and see because I know that that's just gonna make you even better at what you do. You're gonna expand more. I know. You know, and so seeing it happen is really cool. So that John: Jas Jason, I know I know when I first met Aria, we had an elite ph Elite Physique University seminar. You Jason & Aria: That's correct. John: got you guys well, this was bab 2021, 2020. I can't remember now. Yeah. Jason & Aria: Yep. Yep. Tw twenty twenty one probably. Yep. John: I remember seeing you and met her for the first time. We all shared an Airbnb. And I remember seeing you guys for the first time, and I'm like, Okay, this is good. Like you were super happy. And ever since, like you guys, every time you attend one of our events to speak, she's with you. You guys are at the hip. Still, like six years, five, six years later, it's just like that. I love seeing that. I wish more people, we know what that's like. I wish more people had that. Jason & Aria: Yeah. Yeah. It's Calvin Masters: It's it's Jason & Aria: I mean I don't I everyone knows, you know, I I've been through a a divorce. and you know, that was one of the things that, you know, I wanted to make sure that my partner wanted to travel with me and, you know, be there and you know, kind of be right there, you know, whether I'm competing, whether I'm, you know, speaking, whatever I'm doing, I wanted someone that was, you know, wanting to be involved in that. so that I I knew right away that that was something that she wanted to be involved in. And Arya was a pharmacist by trade. And when we finally, you know, decided that we're gonna we're gonna get married and do all this, you know, I didn't want to take her independence, but at the same time I I I needed I needed the help and she was more like, Yeah, you know, I'd rather work within your businesses and, you know, treat them as mine then continue to do this and I'm like, Great, like let's retire from that Brooke Masters: Let's go perfect. Jason & Aria: and you know, I need the help and so that way she can pretty much pitch in anywhere I need it. You know, it's just it's just so helpful to have that helping hand. Like it's not a it's not by any ways or any stretch of the form a detriment. Now, if I would have married someone who's not into fitness or doesn't understand business side of working your ass off, that'd be a problem. That would John: Yeah. Jason & Aria: be a problem. with as much things as I've got my hands in. And I'm kinda like John. I I don't really have a shut off button. I'm trying to work better on that after I had some some health stuff hit me. but I'm still taking on new projects. So, you know, I'm trying to balance it better now. maybe not train quite as hard and that's where I'm alleviating some of my stress. But it's just one of those things that she kind of knew that about me that I'm always gonna be kind of taking on new projects and looking to do new things. So it's kinda how how I am. Yeah. Brooke Masters: But it's interesting what you attract though, because you are very driven. So you're probably in you too, Gorman. Like I know the four of you and the couples that you can't just have one person that's super driven and one person that's kind of sitting back on their butts. Like both of you in both of the relationships are very driven. And it's an amazing chemistry when you find that person that complements you so well. Jason & Aria: Correct. Yep. Brooke Masters: So my next question leading into that would be, what did you guys not anticipate with your relationship and owning two businesses? Something that the owning a business together has taught you about each other. Jason & Aria: Mm. John: Well, I know Aria, I know you guys have the cable guy that's coming in last second, so I know she's over there, so we can go. I I know something that I learned because we're both we're both highly, highly driven people in different areas. Yeah, he's definitely the business guy. Yeah, and she's like an elite athlete, CrossFit Games athlete, world record power lifter, one worlds, like IFBB pro. She's done all that. So when we think about it, just because we're highly driven in separate areas doesn't mean we can't harness that ability. You know, I'm I we were laughing, I think it was this morning, getting ready in the bat in the bathroom. And I was like, what's it like to have us have a a second half that's never done cross fit and you're a cross fit games athlete? I've never done it once. Not even once, no matter how much I I beg and plead. Right. But the thing is, is like she understands being driven and how to accomplish things that Level and I try and do that through the business side. So when we work on stuff together, we understand that. So we've learned about how to be driven, how to accomplish goals, how to go through the suck. And I think just having someone in your corner that understands the brutality of what Brooke Masters: Yes. John: pushing is like sometimes, whether it's physically or mentally in the business. Like we've been able to under I think understand each other better. The whole Jason, you know the feeling, the prep feeling when you feel like death and you're tired and and somebody that's not in doesn't have that mindset wouldn't understand. But like we understand like when he's super tired from business and and drain and you know, I understand that aspect I understand that as like he understands when I'm super tired from a prep or or, you know, get ready for prospect games. Different kind of tired, but we both understand that in each other. Jason & Aria: On our end, I can't answer for for Arya, but I know for me, like the biggest kind of revelation was that when we were dating, like I said, I didn't want to take her independence. So I didn't really say, Hey, Come come work in the businesses. Like I I did I did, you know, she'd been basically single for till she was 39. So she was very independent and making good money and I didn't want to tread on that. So it was like, hey, if you know if you want to be here, just like come with me and travel and like when you when you can, that's great. I didn't even really know originally that she wanted to kind of pivot careers and be more of an entrepreneur and, you know, help me with those situations. That was finally one of the things I think that really solidified our relationship because we we did have some issues where pharmacy's a tough business and if you work for CBS, man, they all work you 12 hours, 14 hours a day. And then she comes home and there's nothing left. And you're dealing with people all day on your feet. And then when it's cold here in in Kentucky, the the pharmacy doors open all day. You're freezing. You're cold. You're dealing with people that aren't happy really coming to talk to you. Half of them are on all kinds of medicines. And she finally told me that she would rather be within the business. I didn't even really I didn't even really know. and and like I said, it wasn't I I just didn't want to take her independence. So I never really said, Hey, why don't you come do this? So she had she came to me and was like, Hey, like I I really would rather help you and like I see these areas that I could fill in here, here, here, and here and here. And I'm like, done. Like, great, let's do that. Brooke Masters: Perfect. Yeah. Jason & Aria: But I I didn't know. I had no idea, you know. And sometimes I think it's just communicating and and and things. But like I said, I just didn't want to pull away any independence. So I didn't even want to, you know, push that and make her feel like that was something I required, you know. I don't know what she would say about me, but that's that was the big revelation for for me of of her that that was something that she even desired to to be involved with because you know. Entrepreneurship is kind of chaotic at times. And you know, you've got to be self-driven because I mean the beauty of it is no one's there to tell you what to do. But that's also can be the downside. I mean, if you're not motivated to get up every day and go to that, you know, do your thing and and then get to that computer, like no one's telling you. I mean, shit, you know, I could have not done my check-ins today and just went and done whatever I wanted. and then, you know, it's looking at me at eight o'clock, and then your clients are wondering where's your check? I mean. I I think there's coaches that struggle like that, you know. They they i they think it's like one of these things that now they can just kinda go about their day and and and do their check ins whenever and and I don't treat it that way. I I had a nine to five for many years, so I still show up like it's a like it's a nine to five and and it just sometimes ends up being more like a seven to seven, but that's just kind of what it is, you know. So Brooke Masters: Yeah. Calvin Masters: Yeah. Yeah. I I I think that's a big downfall to a lot of the newer coaches is they come in and they're looking at it as kind of less work, you know, and more convenience. Jason & Aria: Yes, no. Calvin Masters: Not in this business, they're they're very misled with that. It's in my opinion, more work, but it's work that you enjoy doing, so it's different, you know. And Jason & Aria: Yes, correct. That's correct. And and if you master your systems, you can you can get it down. I mean, I have about eighty clients now. I've been as high as one seventy, and that is just brutal. Calvin Masters: Yeah. That's uncertain. Brooke Masters: Crazy. Jason & Aria: and you know, I have about eighty now and I can do it in about three days. I do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and I'll start around 7 a.m. and I'm usually done by one to noon. And then that leaves time for all my other businesses and things that I need to do. I get my training in and then I'll come home and work on my other businesses till maybe seven or something. So it is a beautiful schedule. Like what job can you stop for two hours and go train and you know come home and eat and be at home at your fridge. But you gotta have that discipline. and and her and I really don't have any problems with being self-disciplined. And so I you know, that's one of those big things that you have to have with with both partners. Like, and then you gotta be able to know that like if you would, if I say, hey, can you we can you get this done? I I trust that she'll get it done. You know, and I and that's how any of your team members are. You shouldn't have to micromanage them. Like anyone that you put into your businesses, you should be able to say, hey, here, here, do it and trust them. And if you don't, you probably should find someone different to do your things. Calvin Masters: Yeah, which I don't think anybody in on this call has to do. I I I see that as we kinda lift each other up, you know, Jason & Aria: No. That's correct. Calvin Masters: which is a is a healthy relationship, you know, and and she was so is basically she was just pulled in to doing to be working with you because she saw what you're doing, she saw the what you put into it, the passion that you put into Jason & Aria: That's correct. Calvin Masters: it. And she was drawn into it, which is the best case scenario, you know, for this. Jason & Aria: Exactly. Yeah. Calvin Masters: I don't know if that was the case with Brook or she just saw me treading for w treading for air. But John: Yeah. Calvin Masters: but she knew I wasn't turning back. I know that, you know, and so with her, it's you know, in the beginning for us, kinda like what you were saying about letting the ego go, you know, it was always me that was kind of on the front, you know, like when I was running the boot camps and doing the training, it was me that was pulling them in. And I was kind of I I don't know that I'm necessarily an extrovert, but but more sociable, I guess, and and just can handle it being around a bigger crowd where she was more of an introvert. And I Jason & Aria: Mm-hmm. Calvin Masters: so that was always kind of always always kind of the face of it, you know. And what was really cool is when she came in and She sh what she did is she didn't try to just be me in this business. She watched what I was doing, she saw the check-ins, learn the foundation, and then took it upon herself to learn. And now she's created her own space, you know, with menopause and and which I work a little bit with it, but not at her level. And she created her own space, which basically expanded our business Jason & Aria: Course. Calvin Masters: bigger scale. And now if I have to be honest, she's become the face of it, you know, and I'm okay with that. You know. Brooke Masters: 'Cause John told me to and John gives me directions. This is why he's my coach and he like tells Calvin Masters: Right. Brooke Masters: me what to do and I just okay, done. Calvin Masters: Yes. Brooke Masters: Execute. That's that's kind of how it all started. So Calvin Masters: Yeah, so she she has and so even like if my post, if I have her included in the post, I'm always gonna get more likes, you know. It's like people see that and and I think they see the relationship and they feel like they're a part of it and seeing the evolution of it. And it to them it's kind of something to watch as well, you know. The fact that we have this and they see it's a relationship that we're building it, we build it together. So it's for I could have never have planned it that way. But I do feel, at least in my opinion, like we're living our dream right now and And then seeing one of the things I thought was really cool too, John, was after Tampa, you guys took that time and just kind of went and spent some time in Tampa and looked around and and kind of detached the business, which is another perk because that's what we've been working on is now is the travel and what we do is we book an extra day, you know, and we kinda go and we kinda decompress and go see some things and have that time together. And so it doesn't feel like work, work, work all the time, even though we're traveling more and doing these things, but we're taking it and making it a good thing, you know, together and which makes us love it even more. But we still work, we still have our computers with us and still do the things, but it's a different feel, you know. So it's just Jason & Aria: One hundred percent. Yeah. John: Yeah. It's it's definitely something to where we've we've also I mean we've traveled all over the United States. Well it's funny because every vacation somehow gets turned into a business trip. It's like Jason & Aria: Happened to us. Brooke Masters: Always. Always. John: it doesn't matter where we go, it's it's a business trip, you know, vacation business trip. Jason & Aria: Yep. Well, our our Tampa trip was not supposed to see my partners. Like we we knew they were down there, but it just kind of snowballed. I one of them and I were talking, he's Well, let's he likes the restaurant we go to, he's one that told me about it way before we were even business partners. I've known him for years. And we sat there that night and then we were like, Well, maybe we should film some content. And so then Saturday, Brooke Masters: Yeah. Jason & Aria: you know, instead of at the pool, we're over at his house filming content. So I mean, but you know, at the same time, like Now it's a real write off. you know. Yeah. Yeah. Brooke Masters: Yeah. And but that's the thing also is that you are you do enjoy what you do. So it is, and John: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Brooke Masters: then we said the same thing. We never travel, but we travel for less shows or we travel for this. But then we just make it so there's extra. So, you know, we really John: Yeah, okay. Brooke Masters: do enjoy what we do. So it is kind of that at least for us, it's very difficult when people are like, You gotta stop working. It's like, yeah, but we kinda like love it. Like even when we go on our walks together in the morning that I had to get my steps in, like we still are talking about what we're doing, what we want to do and what we enjoy. So, Jason & Aria: Sure. Sure. Brooke Masters: you know, for you guys, what is something that you do to be able to keep that, you know, again, you can't really dissociate and say, I'm not gonna talk about work or this, but what are some things that you guys make sure that you incorporate into your relationship to make sure that you guys stay connected as a couple and it's not just completely business? Jason & Aria: Yeah. Yeah. I John: Yeah. Jason & Aria: mean, I know for us, there's a lot of lot of things I'd say that that we do. we will make sure that we even like at night, like even if I don't get done till seven, seven thirty, we'll go to dinner. It doesn't have to be like something fancy, like we'll go to McAllister's and get like a clean salad. And and even at there, we might like powwow a little bit about the business, but like we'll still catch up, like she volunteers a lot with the with the local animal shelter. which is another reason why we got into 4L L because it's a business that we can do together. We both love dogs. I know how much she's passionate about. So I knew like working on that project would probably be like heartfelt for her. But we'll just go and just get out of the house because we do work here, right? And so, like, I you know, I I might some days not even get out. Like if I don't go to the gym and I'm like, let's just go have a quick bite. It's and but we'll also go to like nice dinners where we plan it and still like have a date. and then like the Tampa trip, like I said, even though it turned into some business, that was still like, you know, we, you know, obviously there's no kids. It was just me and her and time to unwind. We we like to walk to the Duncan every morning there and get our, you know, our lattes, and we we like to kind of just decompress, get to the pool. So we still take time to to travel, date each other, and do all those things, not just work, work, work. If it if it's only just about the businesses. That's when I think couples really get in trouble. and you'll you'll y that can be a real problem if it's only about the business. So I mean, I think if there are people out there listening who are contemplating getting into business with their spouse or already are. really examine that and decide is it only about the business now? And, you know, I think you have to take time to to do those things and still like make sure you're dating each other too to to make sure that everything stays kind of fresh and and not just always business, business, business. But don't get me wrong, we still will talk about it even at those events. Because I might not have talked to her all day. I mean, we we're passing, we're passing each other, but like we really haven't sat and had like real conversations. So and then we'll sit and watch some shows at night, our favorite shows. We make sure it's normally one of our dogs, her and me, we're right next to each other. And you know, we might not even be talking a ton, but we're we're there, we're connecting, Brooke Masters: Together. Jason & Aria: you know. And so that is is other things too that that we do. We unwind together every night. So it's easy to stay in the computer. John: It's funny 'cause that sounds like our life almost exactly. Seriously. Except for Yeah. Jason & Aria: Mm-hmm. Calvin Masters: Yeah. Brooke Masters: Okay, but Jason & Aria: Well, 'cause it's easy to stay on your computer all night long, right? So I have to tell him or even me. I'm like, my gosh, it's dark. You know, like we need to Brooke Masters: Yes. Jason & Aria: get close these down and do something else. Like Calvin Masters: Okay. Jason & Aria: you can easily stay on the computer all night long, but like I'm John: Mm. Jason & Aria: like, we have to shut it down. And he'll be like, Well, I have to do this or I'll be like, I have to do this. Cool, awesome. Do it and then And then we're then we're out. Yeah. Yeah. And so I think we buffer each other pretty well. Like usually If I'm if I'm wanting to be done, she might still be working. I'm like, Okay, well like fin finish up what you gotta do or vice versa. Like we're we're pretty good at giving each other that space, but like kind of saying, Hey, like it's starting to get starting to get pretty late. Let's let's wrap this thing up so we're not Moving in to ten o'clock before we know it and we're still typing away at doing something. Cause the thing is, like, and John and Leslie can tell you is when you run a businesses and especially businesses, there's always something that can be done. So you kinda gotta just have to like make a checklist and say, All right, that's done for the day. I can that can be done tomorrow. And so you gotta you gotta just put it done because if you don't, I mean, you'll you'll go until midnight. And and maybe there are times and periods when you're growing that that's necessary. Cause I'm not saying I didn't do that sometimes in my third thirties. so if you're just now getting started, maybe you do need some of those days. But you know, at some point you gotta have a you gotta have a cutoff time. Yeah. Brooke Masters: Yeah. Calvin Masters: W like what Arya said, you know, how she comes in to let you know that it's getting late. It's funny because this is exactly what Brooke does. You know, Jason & Aria: Yeah. Calvin Masters: we have separate offices. I'm I'm guessing you guys probably do too. That was probably one of the best moves we did in keeping our relationship happy is not working in the same room. But but she'll come in and I know when she's strolling in at seven, eight o'clock or whatever, I already know it. And so I'm already Jason & Aria: Mm-hmm. Calvin Masters: forgotten it's my last one. My last one. She's telling me. So it's it's my regulator, you know. 'Cause you will spin out of control and end up going all night. Jason & Aria: Yeah. Yes. That's John: Mm-hmm. Calvin Masters: Because there's always something left to do. Jason & Aria: correct. John: Yeah, I I Calvin Masters: So John: will say that like today we rode together. We typically don't ride together. It's a thirty-minute drive to headquarters here. we had some stuff that we had to do before with iDoctor and stuff like that with their sister, but we drove rode in together. We're both probably gonna be here a little bit later tonight, but sometimes like I'll be here till freaking midnight and she's here till seven thirty, which is still a long day. And Jason & Aria: Right. John: you know, I enjoy the 30-minute drive that we have together when we do have that. We don't typically do it, but I do enjoy that. And it's typically it conversations can be from anything from selling one of the houses, like we're talk talking about selling one of the houses. To just anything simple. And I I think if people just take advantage of that little bit of time that you just have and be super present, Brooke Masters: Yes. John: it's so important. I never have to worry about telling her things and her being like, I wish you just stopped talking about business. Like she supports me and she'll talk to me about CrossFit, knowing I don't even know what the hell half the shit is that they do, some kind of over-the-bar burpee flip or something. I don't Calvin Masters: Yeah. John: know what they're called. Jason & Aria: Ha ha. John: But I will listen and I actually really get into it. And I've watched CrossFit Games with her on a vacation. We watched the CrossFit Games in twenty twenty two and I got into it with her because I'm into her. Like I'm super excited what she's into. So it it you know It's the same when you talk about business and you know, if even if I'm not involved, I get excited because he's excited about it. I think the only time that we really don't talk about business is when we have Gia. Yeah. And it's Brooke Masters: Mm-hmm. John: all about her, a little granddaughter. Jason & Aria: Yeah. John: That's our that's our time now. We get her on Fridays Calvin Masters: Go. John: a lot and it's all about her. And that's you know. Hundred percent shut down. Yeah. Hundred percent. Yeah. Jason & Aria: It's good. Yeah. John: I I think some people they're just not that fortunate, you know. I just Jason & Aria: It would John: Jason, I know Arya had to get back up and and talk to that guy again. I'm sure she would feel the same way as what I'm about to say with us and Brooke and Calvin, you guys are the same. I think we're all so fortunate to where I think when people are 20s, even 30s, like you don't know you're trying to go find this in a spouse. You're just finding somebody that you're interested in. And then next thing you know, you've been fucking together six years, and it's like you're like, man, like this person does not like any of that stuff. It takes being older. I just think we're lucky that we've been together, you know, like sixteen years that we have this. Because it could have been like I could have never met you and I could have been with somebody else that doesn't like any of this shit. I could have spent 10 years with that person. And now you're trying to start over. So I just feel like we're all blessed to like love the same thing, is what I'm trying to say. Brooke Masters: I think it's also when you find the right person, like what her Jason was saying. So Jason has these businesses that he's super passionate about. Aria came in and had some background, but she has certain, you know, things that she's passionate about. And now they are creating businesses together because they are both driven, they both have similar interests, and they both found what they are interested in and go that way. And the same with, you know, you and Leslie. It's you both are super passionate and each of you have your own niche, but you all But I feel like we all are driven and we all want to see the other person succeed and we all want to support each other. And I think that's where the magic happens, is you keep that in mind. And also understanding what it feels like with overwhelm feels like and what can do physically. I mean, Jason, I know you know this firsthand. I've Jason & Aria: Yeah. Yep. Brooke Masters: had it happen too. It's like when you see what happens, you also are very mindful of that overwhelm aspect and understanding that having a business is great, having the person there is great. But you also have to have that balance with your time together and being present and having those moments and celebrating those moments because that's what keeps you grounded. That's what keeps you healthy. Jason & Aria: Well, I think, you know, w we we gotta remember, everyone's sitting here. The fact that we are successful entrepreneurs and can run our own business and pay our own bills doing that, that is not the norm. And it's it's it's it's just not. many people try it and they they can't get it done. And so, you know, you do have to take the time to to pull away because that's If you remember, like if I look back in my twenties, I always wanted this, but it was because I wanted the freedom to be able to go take a trip on a Wednesday. Like I mean, we fly out to Tampa on Wednesday at like two o'clock. Well, I would be in an office, right? I'd be in an office till Friday. Now, when I get there, yeah, there's I still gotta get on the computer a little bit, clean my inbox. Like that's never gonna go away. But again, I'll I'll still say to her, man, we're pretty blessed though. I mean, yeah, I gotta hop on here real quick and I might bitch about it. But it's like I'm in Tampa on a Thursday night and not many people would be doing that. And then Friday morning I'm gonna get up and walk to Duncan at nine o'clock after I lay in bed all morning and you know. So like the reason we can do those things is because we've worked so hard. So if you don't take the time to unplug, you're not doing it right. And I will say that, you know, I think I I and maybe John's been I think, you know, both John and I probably have been guilty of this. not taking enough of the time away. And, you know, for me, I was burning the candles on both ends, running myself ragging on business and trying to compete. And I've even told John I was like, man, I you did it right. Like he was able to put all of his effort into the business, but he would he would make sure he got his training in, but he wasn't trying to compete and he wasn't taking his body to these extremes. And you know, he's still great and healthy. And I'm not I'm not not healthy. I got my labs back. I'm good. But like I had some things go on with my immune system and different weird shit that like shows that I was just overly stressed to the gills. And so, you know, she's good there to kind of pull me back at times and be like, why are you, why are you even doing that? Like you've started two new businesses this year. Why are you why are you even taking on that project? And I'm like, that's a good point. I don't know. Like I just kind Brooke Masters: Yeah. Jason & Aria: of like it. Like I feel like I can make it work. And it's like, yeah, like why John: Need something. Brooke Masters: Yeah. Jason & Aria: why am I doing that? Like we John: Yeah. Jason & Aria: have plenty of money coming in. Like you know what mean? So it's good to to have that buffer to be like, why are you doing that? Brooke Masters: Yeah. Jason & Aria: Like enjoy what we've built. Like enjoy enjoy it, you know. So Brooke Masters: All right. Calvin Masters: That's the thing with the idea guy, the guy the idea guy is gonna keep coming out with ideas. Jason & Aria: Exactly. I've got John: Okay. Brooke Masters: It's Jason & Aria: a million of them, but yeah. Yes. Brooke Masters: a struggle. It's a struggle. All right. So we're gonna do some rapid fire here. So ooh, Aria, I'm gonna lose her. Jason & Aria: Okay. She'll Calvin Masters: Yeah. Jason & Aria: be right back. I think I think they're wrapping up. Brooke Masters: All right. So let's start with some rapid fire questions of who is more likely to? So between the two of you, and I'll let you each answer, who would be more likely to spend money on something that the business definitely needs? Jason & Aria: Okay. John: Yeah, so it you said rapid fire, but do I need to explain? So we bought Brooke Masters: You can't. You can. Calvin Masters: Yeah. John: a freaking van, a cranium van for some reason. I mean we I'm not gonna lie. Yeah, I drove her Calvin Masters: Did you? John: to work and do we really need that? Do we really need another vehicle? So I'm the type of person. Yeah, it's Calvin Masters: Well is it like a cool nineteen seventies van that has like the couch and stuff in it? Jason & Aria: Yeah, like a little VW band. Brooke Masters: It's the white band with the John: So yeah, I'm definitely the one who will spend money on the business like that. I won't buy myself underwear. She'll do that for me for Christmas. It'll be in the stocking. Brooke Masters: She's John: I will not spend money on myself. But if there is like we bought a van because we started this distribution route, which is blowing up and my son's taking care of it and like I can do that and I invest in it and it does not bother me to drop twenty K on this or whatever. On the other end, like I I can't I can't. But she she's good because she balances me. Because this girl, when I met her, she could literally make, I don't know, two grand a month, save money, pay her car off and and like I d I don't know. She's just good with money. I don't have a spending problem, but I I also don't have a problem like putting money down on the business because to me, business is this giant game. And if I'm confident, I'm like, let's go. So I'm definitely the business Money spender for sure. Brooke Masters: All right, so Arya, we are doing the rapid fire of who is more likely to. So who would be more likely to spend money on something the business definitely needs? Calvin Masters: Or you think the business definitely needs. Jason & Aria: Right? Yeah. I think we're both pretty good there. John: Think think of it, yeah. Jason & Aria: I think we're both pretty Brooke Masters: Are equal. Jason & Aria: pretty good there. Calvin Masters: Usual. Jason & Aria: You know? I think she's going to tell me like if I'm being cheap about something, she'll probably tell me like, no, we need this or like, you know, the the business the the the customers need this, the people need this. So Brooke Masters: Right. Jason & Aria: I would say either of us will will spend it. and I don't have any problem investing in businesses that I believe in. I mean, I just we put out a big chunk to get into four L L, but like I believe in the mission and I believe it's something that her and I can grow together because we're so passionate about, you know, animals. So it was no big deal. but you're also good with like I mean, sometimes it's a startup, right? So you're not gonna overspend on something when you're not a hundred percent sure how the business is gonna roll. And so you're good about kind of gauging that, like, you know, let's do this first, see how everything turns out, and then you know, we can add this or add that. Like you kind of str strategize when you do certain kind of things. and we've done that with Scooby too. You know, we've tried some things that were okay, you know, but we tried it, you know, and then we've tried some things that were amazing. just kind of I think we balance each other. I think we balance each other pretty well on that one. Brooke Masters: All right. So yeah, go ahead. Calvin Masters: Do I get to ask one? All right. Who's more likely to forget something important? I say this because I'm that guy. John: forget something important. You guys go Jason & Aria: I mean John: ahead, you're up there pointing. Jason & Aria: it's it's me right Calvin Masters: Yeah. Jason & Aria: here. I mean, like I said, that's that's one of the things I have her help me with. Like I mean, just like I said, I I you know, I'm I I I'll be I'll if I have to be somewhere or or show up somewhere. This morning what I did your alarm did not go off to get Maddox to school and mine did and he's like, Why Brooke Masters: Should be. Jason & Aria: didn't mine go off? 'Cause he never said hit save. I didn't hit save on my on my alarm. So I just I had it like it said six five, but I didn't hit save. Because now one of the beauties of owning my own business, I used to get up, I used to make myself always get up at 6 a.m. Now that I'm working on my sleep, I get up at with no alarm. And if that means I have to work a little later, I am totally fine with that. But yesterday I forgot to set it. But yes, I am forgetful about things that don't light me on fire. If it has to do with nutrition or learning the body, I will look at it once and I know it. But if it's some bullshit that I don't care about, like it's in one ear and out the other, and they'll be like, I just told you that and I'm like, Yeah, I don't I don't need that in my brain. And it's just gone. John: Ha ha ha. Brooke Masters: Limited capacity. Awesome. John: I feel li